ultra sonic cleaner fluids.

[Alan woodard]

Hi to all.
What is the best cleaning fluid to use in an ultra sonic cleaner for brass and nickel silver.
Thanks in advance.

Alan.

[Tor Giffard]

Hi Alan,

I'm using the MYKAL one from RS Electronics and that is certainly shifting the crud....5L at less than £20 not too dear either.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/facilitie ... 4E4F4E4526

Dave

[Will L]

Hi to all.
What is the best cleaning fluid to use in an ultra sonic cleaner for brass and nickel silver.
Thanks in advance.

They run on water at the cleaning action is mechanical not chemical. I do put a little dishwasher powder into the first run to neutralise the acid flux I use. Then do it again in plain water.

Will

[steamraiser]

I have used car screen wash, which seems to work.

Gordon A
Bristol

[jasp]

Many "cleaning agents", including washing up liquid, contain lanolin - good for the hands. This greasy substance will act as a surface contaminant, and will require removal, prior to painting.
Washing up liquid also contains salt, the effect of which I have no knowledge, screenwash contains much less.
I use a little washing soda, or caustic soda to neutralise flux in my ultrasonic.
Commercially produced resin castings have a layer of separating fluid, usually silicone based and respond to washing up liquid, in the ultrasonic, followed by a rinse in warm water. When the model is finished, ultrasonically cleaned in plain water.
Jim P

[nigelcliffe]

I use water in the tank.

If needing something else, such as meths, I put it inside a plastic container (jar, yoghurt pot, etc), and place that in the tank of water. This is a trade-off, the vibrations are diminished by the plastic container, but it means I don't have to clean any solvents from the tank, and use less solvent (and can put a lid on volatile solvents).


- Nigel

[David B]

I have taken to soaking work in caustic soda for a while, rinsing in flowing water rather like one did in the darkroom with photos, then just using plain water in the ultrasonic.

[jasp]

Nigel
I have used a plastic bag to the same effect but with minimal attenuation of the ultrasonic waves
Jim P

[iak]

I use Neutracon.
Laboratory style additive which leaves no residues. Flux get well washed out as well as grease and any other muck.
It's also used on very low concentrations, so a wee bottle goes a long way.

Iain

[alan.woodard]

Thank you gentlemen.
Quite a selection of answers. Shall have to get the white coat, pens, and protective glasses on and do some experimenting.

Cheers.

Alan.

[Phil O]

I use Sea Clean 2, as recomended by OzzyO on RM Web in his 7mm loco building thread. I am unable to post a link at this time as I am writing this on my tab.

Cheers Phil

[steve howe]

[/quote]

They run on water at the cleaning action is mechanical not chemical. I do put a little dishwasher powder into the first run to neutralise the acid flux I use. Then do it again in plain water.

Will[/quote]

Would a dishwasher tablet dissolved in, (say), a pint of water be a good neutralising solution for killing flux after soldering procedures? I'm thinking particularly of steel rail.

Steve

[Will L]

Would a dishwasher tablet dissolved in, (say), a pint of water be a good neutralising solution for killing flux after soldering procedures? I'm thinking particularly of steel rail.

Sever overkill I think, dishwasher powder/tablets is fairly powerful stuff you'd need a lot more water than that to dilute it far enough. Many times the amount of water that goes into your dishwasher with a single tablet. Then a lot of the tablets have much more in the way of additives than the original powders which may not be a good thing.

I only use a very light sprinkling of powder as a simple way to make the water mildly alkaline, but you must not over do it as an alkaline residue on your model is not a lot more desirable than an acid residue. Dishwasher powders aren't all that common these days, so I have one tub of the old fashioned powder which I keep for me and buy tablets for the dishwasher. As somebody else suggested you get the same effect with small quantities of washing soda, but again it isn't all that common these days either.

Will

[steve howe]

I wonder what sort of level of pH we are looking at with acid fluxes? maybe I need to have a word with the Science Technician at work - could be scope for some original GCSE research!

Steve