anyone comment on this Grip ultrasonic cleaner? would be for small engine carbs, small parts etc. i know I should probably go bigger as bigger is always better
Ultrasonic cleaner
- Thread starter The Cobbler
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Jswain
Well-known member
Grant Gunderson
Well-known member
That Amazon one is junk. I have the grizzly branded one of these https://m.vevor.com/ultrasonic-clea...b9yd3JqjPx-C80Qm2BNRARNZet2K_yXBoCvA8QAvD_BwE
So far it’s holding up well. It’s got a stronger ultrasonic action than the others linked above. Only issue is the heater doesn’t always switch off so good idea to unplug when not in use. Check eBay. These are often on there for $100 new in box for this size.
So far it’s holding up well. It’s got a stronger ultrasonic action than the others linked above. Only issue is the heater doesn’t always switch off so good idea to unplug when not in use. Check eBay. These are often on there for $100 new in box for this size.
Jswain
Well-known member
But in canuckadia they are $230. Bigger is better sure but if he's cleaning lawnmower carbs it ain't making a difference, and it ain't gonna clean it 2.3x better. I've NEVER pulled something out of mine and thought it could have done a better job.That Amazon one is junk. I have the grizzly branded one of these https://m.vevor.com/ultrasonic-clea...b9yd3JqjPx-C80Qm2BNRARNZet2K_yXBoCvA8QAvD_BwE
So far it’s holding up well. It’s got a stronger ultrasonic action than the others linked above. Only issue is the heater doesn’t always switch off so good idea to unplug when not in use. Check eBay. These are often on there for $100 new in box for this size.
Whatever ya get follow the directions and always use it with it up to the full line of water, do not turn it on unless it's full
Yea I have it, but the HF version, it's the same copy. General purpose , light duty, it Works fine for glasses , fuel nozzle, carb, etc small stuff... not so great with bigger stuff. and the annoying thing is , it only runs about 480 seconds on timer... about 8 minutes at a time instead of constant "on" for hours.
There is a Canadian company that makes commercial version of ultrasonic cleaners... price of cause going to be different. for the price of $109USD , I would get one of these for a bit more..
Ultrasonic Cleaner From VEVOR – Enjoy The Perfect Cleaning
VEVOR has brought innovative ultrasonic technology to your homes and commercial sector. Clean your watches and hardware with VEVOR ultrasonic cleaner! See now!
www.vevor.ca
Jswain
Well-known member
Vevor puts a sticker on the same Chinese stuff sold everywhere else. I have their mag drill and it literally has a sticker with their nameplate over the generic Chinese version of the label sold on eBay/AliExpress etc. They do have some good prices though but don't think you are buying a superior productYea I have it, but the HF version, it's the same copy. General purpose , light duty, it Works fine for glasses , fuel nozzle, carb, etc small stuff... not so great with bigger stuff. and the annoying thing is , it only runs about 480 seconds on timer... about 8 minutes at a time instead of constant "on" for hours.
There is a Canadian company that makes commercial version of ultrasonic cleaners... price of cause going to be different. for the price of $109USD , I would get one of these for a bit more..
Ultrasonic Cleaner From VEVOR – Enjoy The Perfect Cleaning
VEVOR has brought innovative ultrasonic technology to your homes and commercial sector. Clean your watches and hardware with VEVOR ultrasonic cleaner! See now!
Not sure, if their stuff is great or not, usually if it is label industrial, it's pretty basic things that it just works. and the between the two Chinese company that makes ultrasonic heads, I think they cornered a big chunk of ultrasonic horn market.... (not sure if things have changed past 5 years). so, even if you buy other brand, the head and driver board are still from COO... There are other companies also in Canada... but don't think you are their target market... Maybe pick a capacity you wanted and do a further research and check reviews off amazon ?
I had what I think was the HF version of the one the OP is looking at, and while it worked well, it was too small, and it burned out when I accidently plugged it into 230.
As mentioned above, you may be able to get a better one for the same money. if you shop around.
Bigger is not always better, if you only need a small one, a small one is better, as it will heat up faster and use less solution.
I really like having a drain.
After I burned up the one from Harbor-Freight I ended up getting the one below, it's 6.5l, has a drain, is 230V and works much better, but was about $200 when I got it last November, but it looks like they're almost three now, but I'm sure they're cheaper in the US, and of course 110V...
As mentioned above, you may be able to get a better one for the same money. if you shop around.
Bigger is not always better, if you only need a small one, a small one is better, as it will heat up faster and use less solution.
I really like having a drain.
After I burned up the one from Harbor-Freight I ended up getting the one below, it's 6.5l, has a drain, is 230V and works much better, but was about $200 when I got it last November, but it looks like they're almost three now, but I'm sure they're cheaper in the US, and of course 110V...
that is the same as the current Horrible Freight model.
www.harborfreight.com
I have the previous version which is most likely the same, just different button panel config.
I had mine over 10yrs now and still going with infrequent use but still maybe more than most would use it.
It will suit your needs. HF link has a lot more reviews if you really want to read them. But I have been hearing recently about HF not posting negative reviews. Yes it only will run for 480sec at a time and if it gets too hot, it will also shut off at some point after too many consecutive runs.
OH, do not run the Thermo coupler (TC button) when it's empty
or you might need to return it because it's faulty. Just speculation...
2.5 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner
Amazing deals on this 2.5 Liter Ultrasonic Cleaner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
I had mine over 10yrs now and still going with infrequent use but still maybe more than most would use it.
It will suit your needs. HF link has a lot more reviews if you really want to read them. But I have been hearing recently about HF not posting negative reviews. Yes it only will run for 480sec at a time and if it gets too hot, it will also shut off at some point after too many consecutive runs.
OH, do not run the Thermo coupler (TC button) when it's empty
or you might need to return it because it's faulty. Just speculation...I live in Thailand, and we use to get a container a month (for the plant) from the US. I would often get stuff for the plant from Harbor Freight, and I got this for my office. I had a converter for it, and it worked great for years. I took it home but didn't use it for a couple years and when I finally got it out, I had forgotten the adaptor....
120 US plugs will plug into the 230 outlets here, and much of the stuff you get anymore is 100-250V 50/60Hz anyway.
Need one too. But I'm not sure if I should get a big one that'd fit carburetors off of an inline 4 bike, or a small one...
Since it heats up water, a big one is probably way more wasteful in that sense, and I usually work with individual carburetors anyway. Basically, I think I would only need the big one once or maybe twice per year, and a small one would be used a lot more.
The again, you could drop a whole cylinder head in a big one... hmmm
Since it heats up water, a big one is probably way more wasteful in that sense, and I usually work with individual carburetors anyway. Basically, I think I would only need the big one once or maybe twice per year, and a small one would be used a lot more.
The again, you could drop a whole cylinder head in a big one... hmmm
p00p
Well-known member
I have the horrible freight unit. Works ok for the price. I always have the heater on, but be warned that it can cause it to trip the thermal switch & be dedz in the water for about 1/2 an hour.
I've done carbs, bicycle chains, odd greasy car parts, tools in it. Works best when a solvent is tossed into the mix.
I've done carbs, bicycle chains, odd greasy car parts, tools in it. Works best when a solvent is tossed into the mix.
The one I have (and I assume all) you can use with or without heat.
It is worth checking the power of the sonic and heat units. I know the big one I have works better than the small one had.
While the big one holds more solution, you don’t fill it and requires less frequent changes.
Having a drain allows better management of the solution. I do a pre-clean, change the solution and then use clean solution for a final clean, then clear water rinse. I save the solution in jugs, and just rotate the old final solution to use as the pre-cleaner when I dump the old pre-clean.
They are great for cleaning tools, fishing gear and all manner of cr*p.
The small one was very short and shallow, keep in mind, you lose an inch to the basket.
It’s been a while since I handled a bike chain, but I think one one have a hard time getting a chain from a bigger bike in the smaller unit.
It is worth checking the power of the sonic and heat units. I know the big one I have works better than the small one had.
While the big one holds more solution, you don’t fill it and requires less frequent changes.
Having a drain allows better management of the solution. I do a pre-clean, change the solution and then use clean solution for a final clean, then clear water rinse. I save the solution in jugs, and just rotate the old final solution to use as the pre-cleaner when I dump the old pre-clean.
They are great for cleaning tools, fishing gear and all manner of cr*p.
The small one was very short and shallow, keep in mind, you lose an inch to the basket.
It’s been a while since I handled a bike chain, but I think one one have a hard time getting a chain from a bigger bike in the smaller unit.
You'll love it, I loved mine.
OP
Princess Auto has these on clearance fo r $100 so I grabbed one tonight. nothing to use it on right now, I'll have to get an old carb from my stash I give her a whirl
Jswain
Well-known member
Throw the wife's jewelry in it
flyingblind
Well-known member
I have a small one from amazon, should have gone bigger but I am using it to clean airbrush jars so it works.
OP
cleaning air brush? never thought but can I use it to clean up my paint spray guns ?
scooby074
Well-known member
Theyre OK, but as I said in the Canada Only thread they are low-ish power, the heater kind of ***** and the controls are horrible. Under $100, and with PAs warranty, its not a bad purchase. Reg price and Im looking for one of the better ones from Amazon.
acer66
Well-known member
I am looking into getting one now too and have the eye on a 6L unit and on amazon that size starts around $60 and up.
Are there any big differences between a very cheap to a $160 unit?
I just need it for cleaning a carb once in a while and maybe some other uses they have I am not aware of.
Thank you.
Are there any big differences between a very cheap to a $160 unit?
I just need it for cleaning a carb once in a while and maybe some other uses they have I am not aware of.
Thank you.
I was going to add much the same thing - including the discussion in the Canada Only deals thread were a few people commented on this unit.
Mine broke about a year after I bought it, but I used it a lot and a seal seems to have let go, allowing moisture into the electronics. Princess Auto exchanged it for a new one (PA is often described as the "Harbor Freight of Canada" and while that's true, an extremely generous warranty on everything they sell is one of the things that makes it very different).
I took it apart when it broke in case I could repair it and I can confirm the "Grip" ultrasonic cleaner is exactly the same as the Harbor Freight unit, inside and out. If someone is looking for more info, it might be easier to find by searching for feedback on the Harbor Freight version.
I think it works just fine, though I might have gone larger if I were buying all over again - I didn't realize how much I would use it. These are my tips:
- I preheat the water to speed it up (either in a kettle or just use hot tap water).
- Use only enough water to cover your part (maybe it's psychological, but I can see the water move more when it isn't filled as high).
- degassing your water also helps - either just leave it sit for a few hours or run the machine with just the water for one cycle.
- some stuff cleans up best with a more aggressive chemical like acetone. You can put your part in an acetone-filled jar inside the water tub, for example. Ziplocs work for some chemicals too.
I had the Harbor Freight unit and it worked great until I forgot and plugged it in without the voltage converter and burned it up twice.
Bought a 230V unit (below) and really like the extra power & heat, and the SS basket. The drain is pretty handy as well, particularly if you want to rehash the cleaner.
It was about US$220, but I think you can get the 120V version in the US for about $180 or less.
Bought a 230V unit (below) and really like the extra power & heat, and the SS basket. The drain is pretty handy as well, particularly if you want to rehash the cleaner.
It was about US$220, but I think you can get the 120V version in the US for about $180 or less.
Jswain
Well-known member
You are supposed to fill them up to the fill line. Some have a min/max but I'm pretty confident the max is more effective then the min.
There have been people using not enough water having problems with the epoxy letting go underneath the tubs leaving the machine useless. I won't even turn the power on to mine until it's full
I didn't know that. The Grip machine does have a min line. Scratch off that tip from my list then!
The reason there is a min line is because most of them have the heaters mounted on the side of the tank.
In addition, ultrasonic cleaners are based on highly tuned oscillator circuits and the load (ie water level) is a factor in the tuning.
Jswain
Well-known member
Either way, if you fill it lower then full and the transducer or heater fall off don't blame the machine. RTFM
Heads up, especially for carbs. Almost all of the ultrasonic cleaning powders are VERY hard on aluminum. Simple green makes an 'aircraft cleaner' (aluminum safe) that is super effective on carbs. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VXU7OE/?tag=atomicindus08-20
I have one of the vevor chinese 3 liter units and it's great. A little bit large for carbs, but I occasionally put other stuff in it. A trick for carbs is, find a glass jar that barely fits the carb. Then, put your cleaner in the glass jar. Glass jar in the ultrasonic. And add regular water to the ultrasonic. This will save you from mixing up a huge batch of cleaner to use on a tiny carb.
I have one of the vevor chinese 3 liter units and it's great. A little bit large for carbs, but I occasionally put other stuff in it. A trick for carbs is, find a glass jar that barely fits the carb. Then, put your cleaner in the glass jar. Glass jar in the ultrasonic. And add regular water to the ultrasonic. This will save you from mixing up a huge batch of cleaner to use on a tiny carb.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
Take her jewelry off first.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
My first ultrasonic unit was 7.5 liter. I found it too small so I bought a 30 liter and gave the smaller one to a friend who does electronics. I have no regrets.
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acer66
Well-known member
So the carb does not have to be disassembled to save the plastic bits?
I generally remove whatever plates to get the pump diaphragm and flapper/pulse gaskets out. But no, the plastic is fine. If you’re at the point of cleaning the carb you should be installing a rebuild kit. Whatever comes in the kit gets removed from the carb. Carb cleaned. Then re assembled.
Just got an email about the ultrasonic cleaner that I use being on sale and remember this thread as I was typing one in hot deals... Not that big of a discount, but I bought the 10L and really like it:
Warning: It is loud.
Warning: It is loud.
OP
I think loud is good with ultrasonic cleaners
