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Ultrasonic Record Cleaner

mozcho

mozcho

Well-Known Member
I just bought one from China, which costs me around the equivalent of USD225. It can clean up to 6 LPs at one go (claimed) though the most that I can put up there are only 5 (not that I'm unhappy about this). So far so good, I like to buy used LPs, unless for the dirties or ones already have scratches, most of the LPs turn up better after cleaning.

The manufacturer advised not to put in any cleaning fluid, just use pure or bottled water: I wish to know from other users if this is the common and recommended practice?

Also, if you are using ultrasonic record cleaner, would it be still necessary to use antistatic brush before playing the LPs?

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There are a couple of great threads on this subject here on AK. I use an Ultra-Sonic Cleaner and I do use a small amount of Tergikleen in distilled water as the cleaning solution (works well). I dry them immediately with my RCM (Record Doctor V). See the AK thread called Record Cleaning you're doing it wrong for some great tips on other things you can do to get the records super clean. I'd not recommend using a dry brush on the records at any time as they tend to do more harm than good. If you have static issues - use a ZeroStat as that does not touch the surface and gets the static off quite well.
 
mozcho said:
I just bought one from China, which costs me around the equivalent of USD225. It can clean up to 6 LPs at one go (claimed) though the most that I can put up there are only 5
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For the same money, you could have had the 15L tank which easily fits 8 with a one inch spacing around all sides of the LPs.

IMG_20161123_205319.jpg
 
225 for the entire set up or just the tank?

If its the entire set up I would love to have a link to it.

Nashou
 
totem said:
Tank only.
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Yes, tank only. The records were sold separately, the spindle kit and wood frame I made myself.

The setup in the OP, looks to be a vinyl stack which sells on eBay for another $300.
 
Nashou66 said:
225 for the entire set up or just the tank?

If its the entire set up I would love to have a link to it.

Nashou
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It's the entire setup for $225: the tank, the motor, and the stand for the motor. they do sell them separately. I bought it from a seller in Taobao:

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...jFw1Y&id=541223326566&ns=1&abbucket=17#detail

They have 4 models, some with heater function and digital timer, but I chose the cheapest with only the mechanical timer without heater as I stay in a tropical country.
 
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Can't read a word of that. But if it works, has longevity, and is capable of doing a good job at cleaning records, can't be beat.
 
ETLS said:
Can't read a word of that. But if it works, has longevity, and is capable of doing a good job at cleaning records, can't be beat.
Click to expand...

Yeah Id like to order one but not when you cant read what your doing!!!

Nashou
 
Klaatu561 said:
I am curious. To date I have yet to hear a before and after of an ultrasonic cleaning. Can someone point me in a direction where I might see one?
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It does work, many of my vinyl LPs bought used do show improvement as in reduced noise and crackers, but for those that are having deeper scratches, it won't do magic. Overall, I still think it is a good investment for the price that I paid and if I can clean more than 300 LPs I'd consider it as breakeven. But I'm still new in the hobby of LP records, wish to hear from others.
 
Let me also let everyone in on a secret secondary use of the US Cleaner!

I have a 6 year old daughter who does number twos like an 18 year old bloke. Not only that but she fills the bowl with toilet paper too.

Needless to say my bottom toilet has been off limits until I can get a plumber round.

I’ve put drain cleaner down it (the unblocked stuff), a whole bottle and it didn’t do a thing.

Today I dumped my cleaning fluid down the toilet as it was looking a little dirty. 80% distilled water, 20% IPA and 1% Kodak Photoflo.

Lo and behold the toilet now flushed perfectly. Very odd!!!! But a welcome relief to have another toilet back up and running.
 
Klaatu561 said:
I like the idea of label protection although many state is not an issue with other brands.
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The record should be spinning very slow, so no water drips down onto the label and a seal is not needed. What little water that is on the record as it rolls just drains down the grooves.
Klaatu561 said:
Just fix them with a rod, stabilize, and rotate as needed. In fact, it may work better than spinning. Has anyone tried this?
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People have setup manual spinning devices but it has to be rotated. However if you go manual you have to stay there and do it for the whole time the records are in the tank. If it's motorized you drop the records in and go do other things like clean up the covers, listen to music instead of the machine. Not having to have hands on the whole time is a big plus for a cleaning method.

I also don't vacuum them dry, I put them in dry racks. Once dry I do a quick wipe with a old school flannel lint rag and put them in new sleeves. One thing about a heated tank, it expands the vinyl and the records will look puckered, and warped at this point. Once out of the tank and cooled they contract and go back to normal. This expansion and contraction acts as a stress relief pulling all static out of the record.

Static on a record is from friction that the stylus dragging though the grooves dose as well as pulling it in and out of the sleeve. Just like rubbing your rubber shoes on carpet, or rubbing a ballon in your hair. A vacuum device has friction and adds static back onto the record that you just removed.

Also when we buy used records the ones we find that look mint and perfect like they where new, where not played or handled much by a past owner. The more a human handles a record the more chances of damage, rubbing and scrubbing a record surface is not the best thing. We can also drop them, or drop a bush or scratch them in handling.

The top of my list as the best things about cleaning with a heated US cleaning tank.

Less hands on that frees your time for other things and not listening to the machine
No physical rubbing on the surface of the record.
Expansion and contraction that removes static.
 
JP said:
How so?
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I don't know the actual defined process but I can confirm what 4-2-7 indicated. Static is substantially reduced... for me all but eliminated but I won't definitely state, gone. Either way US is the way to go.
 
Sure. Wasn’t questioning that the process reduces static, rather the attributed cause.
 
I can also attest that ultrasonic cleaning significantly reduces static. Exactly how I don't know.
 
4-2-7 said:
The record should be spinning very slow, so no water drips down onto the label and a seal is not needed. What little water that is on the record as it rolls just drains down the grooves.


People have setup manual spinning devices but it has to be rotated. However if you go manual you have to stay there and do it for the whole time the records are in the tank. If it's motorized you drop the records in and go do other things like clean up the covers, listen to music instead of the machine. Not having to have hands on the whole time is a big plus for a cleaning method.

I also don't vacuum them dry, I put them in dry racks. Once dry I do a quick wipe with a old school flannel lint rag and put them in new sleeves. One thing about a heated tank, it expands the vinyl and the records will look puckered, and warped at this point. Once out of the tank and cooled they contract and go back to normal. This expansion and contraction acts as a stress relief pulling all static out of the record.

Static on a record is from friction that the stylus dragging though the grooves dose as well as pulling it in and out of the sleeve. Just like rubbing your rubber shoes on carpet, or rubbing a ballon in your hair. A vacuum device has friction and adds static back onto the record that you just removed.

Also when we buy used records the ones we find that look mint and perfect like they where new, where not played or handled much by a past owner. The more a human handles a record the more chances of damage, rubbing and scrubbing a record surface is not the best thing. We can also drop them, or drop a bush or scratch them in handling.

The top of my list as the best things about cleaning with a heated US cleaning tank.

Less hands on that frees your time for other things and not listening to the machine
No physical rubbing on the surface of the record.
Expansion and contraction that removes static.
Click to expand...
great info...
 
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