Thanks Owen Y.

Hi markr - apologies, postage has gone up to NZ$14 (NZ Post tracked, at cost).
I'll message you to confirm.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Regarding the cleaning process itself -

You can clean with only water, or add a pure detergent-surfactant - which is what I use myself & recommend.

We use a non-ionic, neutral pH, pure detergent - Triton X-100 - or Polysorbate 20 is reportedly a more environmentally friendly alternative.
(I see that the latter is inexpensive & sold locally by - www.gonative.co.nz/shop/Ingredients/EmulsifiersSolubilisers/Polysorbate+20.html )
However I have yet not tried Polysorbate 20 myself.

It is not normally necessary to add any solvents like alcohol (which tends to degrade the vinyl material).

Most importantly, vinyl records cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaner, sound better - there is none of the slight tonal 'brightness' that you find when cleaning using traditional alcohol-water & brush traditional cleaners. Records sound not only quieter & more detailed, but also more dynamic & 'open', with wider tonal bandwidth & no tonal imbalance.

Feel free to ask any Qs.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Anyone got a link to a cheap P30 US cleaner?
Will troll aliexpress.

After 4 years of extensive use 2 of the transducers seem to have given up the ghost.

Anyone else with this machine experiencing similar faults or are yours still going strong after all this time?

No problem with mine, but it has had little use these last 6 months. Used regularly before that. Bought mine from AliExpress, but haven’t looked there for two or three years.

Oct 11, 2021 16:55:30 GMT 12 Citroen said:

After 4 years of extensive use 2 of the transducers seem to have given up the ghost.

If you're somewhat technically inclined, the first thing I would do is a visual inspection, take the covers off, inspect the innards.

Could it be so simple as a contact falling off with vibration?

Next, if not, how do you determine which devices have failed, if so, and how do you replace them?

Fundamental to that is what wattage and frequency are they? Might be on a label.

You can search eBay for 50w ultrasonic transducer say, or whatever variant replacement part. Better than writing off the whole machine! Have a look.

If you had 3, might they be just 35W ones? Etc. Identify & seek to replace, rather than buy a whole new device?

I am slightly surprised to see that just over two years have passed since I bought a couple of transducers from Jaycar sale stock, I'd had to search out stores that still had them.

They were AU5556 50W 42kHz Ultrasonic Transducer, now out of stock, was $12.96, save $ 62.64 ;-)

I see they still have listed AU5554 35W 42 kHz, unknown which stores, for $11.94, save $50.96.

But the two AU5556 I got then were obviously old stock, in the sense that on the wider face to be attached to the tank, in contrast to others more modern on eBay &or etc. they didn't come with mounting slugs to be welded to the tank, with bolt ends for the transducer to screw down on to, which you would need to get someone to weld such a piece that short so to allow the transducer mating surface to be flush, perhaps delicate work.

So those would have to be epoxied on solely. Some I gather use a bolt and epoxy, not sure of bolt alone.

(and so there's another possibility - have the transducers merely become detached? Thus again the need for curious inspection!)  Find out what's gone wrong! :-)

Anyway, I'd still like to build my own, a large bain-marie from TradeMe, and one can buy 2x 50W 42kHz driver boards, or even with transducers as well, for instance from eBay.

I would build my own wood cabinet around it, I already have several slow geared motors, the slowest 1rpm, and would buy a 12V pump and a filter and taps nozzles hoses as well, etc.

And build a wood enclosure for it. Plus possibly I'd thought an elevating linear motor motor mount, but now I quite like the 90 deg hinge idea on the Real Groovy one too.

And then I thought, OK, I have two transducers which I can get a driver board for, and I can also get a driver board for and with two transducers, so why don't I use 4 on the tank, and then where are the best places to place them so I went researching ...

Inconclusive results, so far, although some ... I'd be interested in any measurements from edges, on which faces, transducers are placed on anyone's commercial devices if they are willing to take their skirts off and inspect, photograph them?

Thanks! :-)

Just a back burner thought project that is yet to take shape!

Cheers!

[Edit: Here's a pic of the Jaycar pair I have stashed.]

My skill level would be to see if they have fallen off or not!

Agitation is only emanating from one of the 40Khz transducer points.

All very secure.

Thanks for the pic!

That's interesting, all on the bottom.
Well,I suppose it gets up to all the LPs then.

Clearly they are epoxied on, so might not be too easy to remove and replace, if possible, if it is the transducers themselves that have failed.
The left hand pair are wired in parallel. The RH one has its own wires - do they go to the same place? i.e. are they all in parallel?
If so, then likely transducer failure (which two have failed?)

But if the driver board has, say, I'm guessing wildly here, two channels, like a stereo amp, and the two failed ones are on one channel... driver board?
One could use an oscilloscope to verify signal, carefully - likely 100+V p-p. But if all 3 are in parallel, then obviously transducer failure.

I did a wee search on "ultrasonic transducer failure modes" but there's an awful lot of types and applications out there. Still, they do fail.
(I had an echocardiogram a week ago - very hi-tech equipment, able to see right inside my beating heart, valve opening & closing! ;=})

I wonder if the vendor of the tank would supply replacement parts? Or tell you what wattage and frequency ones were used?

Cheers!

Save money! A new use for your record cleaner. www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/male-contraceptive-testicle-bath-device-wins-dyson-award/FSF2IOG3ZWWTUD54M7WY7VYF7Y/

Fried eggs !

Would take a woman to come up with that

I think that is why you need a woman to demonstrate the proper procedure.

Oct 12, 2021 14:06:10 GMT 12 Citroen said:

My skill level would be to see if they have fallen off or not!

Agitation is only emanating from one of the 40Khz transducer points.

What's your situation with this 2/3rd tank working one now? Do you still have it i?  If so, would you consider to sell it too?

Thanks and regards;- 

I'm still wondering how much of a DIY one I can do. I had lots of great plans.


Cheers!

Just add one of these if you get it working



www.amazon.com/Record-Cleaner-Ultrasonic-Cleaning-Machine/dp/B0BSKQTBGW/ref=sr_1_14?crid=1BU31D6LVAUWV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7VbGpSR0A_vip6jJp7NlrUh6f-A-Ccxf5f9xsd1Flc8sHGOftQq2iHK0Z95BX_KUWDwLXV-tFHyhKUEG68tnaISs503JzKkfub54_2AzuehC9ZXdkzxFmlWV9EKfOs_RtKgYrMdhu5g0r9c88-xwxXHZToXl3Ir6S9buGiHpTGaXse5gf1WRQ3gAAqaLsaz8SN_BvoKwQwZD66566NJ-jXQEyTWGBnZsGj3joF26rvU.Ye886_BSr2SIUlaBD4Is5_quSfcm7lzylytn-L7KW0Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=ultrasonic+record+cleaner&qid=1714540193&sprefix=ultrasonic+record+cleaner%2Caps%2C375&sr=8-14

Wow thanks so much! It was great to meet you today.

I have an email in mind tidying up unfinished tangential conversational threads.

Mondays too, meetings 1st, 2nd, 3rd Monday of the month. Haven't made the 3rd yet!

Oct 11, 2021 22:39:36 GMT 12 RdM said:

Oct 11, 2021 16:55:30 GMT 12 Citroen said:

After 4 years of extensive use 2 of the transducers seem to have given up the ghost.

If you're somewhat technically inclined, the first thing I would do is a visual inspection, take the covers off, inspect the innards.

It's funny that for years I misread this as only one transducer not working.

It was clear from your pic that one board fed two transducers, also handled the heating and timing, and a sub board fed a 3rd transducer.
Now, having inspected and closed it back up, filled with water and turned it on, it's clear that the two transducers from the main board aren't working.

There's an anomaly on that main board, it looks like maybe a soldered in fuse has blown out.
There's another on the sub board OK, but that has maybe English underneath.

This one has maybe Chinese characters from underneath it. A slightly blurry iphone photo.
Can you translate it? There are two end caps with something missing in between.



I have hopes of restoring it. Of course, a blown fuse can indicate problems downstream. It's there for a reason.
The problem might not be merely fixed by replacing it, something caused it to blow. But it's a start ... ;+})

Cheers!

I'll try to get a more precise macro photo of the characters later.

Hopefully it's an easy fix!


Google translate says it's "insurance"

According to my Chinese interpreter it means security which given the location likely means fuse?

Cleaner Vinyl US machine


Looks like a DIY machine to me.

positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/cleanervinyl-system/

You might well ask what progress has been made ...

Yes the fuse was blown but there's always a reason for that.

The two switching transistors on that board were completely shorted.

Looking further for a possible reason, I only noted very loose cores on their 42kHz output transformers.

I took photos, but can't find them right now.  Anyway, I glued those, thought I could make an animated GIF of the slop they had in them ...

Then I ordered replacement transistors, minimum order 5 pack, okay I thought, a likely chance of a matched pair.

Inquiring after some delay I heard they were coming from the UK.

I delayed when they did but on inspection only 3 are the correct transistors, the other 2 some FETs, so a mistake in picking or bin filling ...
And on testing the 3, I get hfe 17,18,19, so not a matched pair yet.  I also organised a topside fuse holder, it was a bugger to disassemble to take out the wired fuse.

However ... due to general slowness, part medical conditions and part just so much other stuff going on and yet to organise, that's as far as I've got to date.

I need to email RS Components about their faulty order, and see if I can get some more.

I have some confidence that when I fire it up with a new matched output pair, and the glued transformer cores, that it might work OK. We'll see! ;=})

That's where I'm at, but I'll try to find the various photos I took along the way ~ for some reason escaping me tonight!

I'm dumping all  my iPhone DCIM pics to PC as I write, its storage was full, and it'll be easier to view and sort them on the PC, well Linux & Win 7 platforms.

Thanks again;-it still has great potential! 

I'm determined to resurrect it and get the addons!

At least there's been some progress!

Would hate for it to sit unused.

Jul 18, 2024 20:10:07 GMT 12 RdM said:

You might well ask what progress has been made ...

Yes the fuse was blown but there's always a reason for that.

The two switching transistors on that board were completely shorted.

Looking further for a possible reason, I only noted very loose cores on their 42kHz output transformers.

I took photos, but can't find them right now.  Anyway, I glued those, thought I could make an animated GIF of the slop they had in them ...

Then I ordered replacement transistors, minimum order 5 pack, okay I thought, a likely chance of a matched pair.

Inquiring after some delay I heard they were coming from the UK.

I delayed when they did but on inspection only 3 are the correct transistors, the other 2 some FETs, so a mistake in picking or bin filling ...
And on testing the 3, I get hfe 17,18,19, so not a matched pair yet.  I also organised a topside fuse holder, it was a bugger to disassemble to take out the wired fuse.

Old photo, temporary work on the glass table;- not yet progressed since!



And an attempted animated .gif of the slop in the loose core, the little blue loose coil was glued in place as well.





Hmm. OK it didn't take an animated gif. But the top core moved from there to level with the bottom one. I don't know what effect it had at 42 kHz on the output transistors.


I really must progress this, but I've still been very slow post concussion, & a further accidental injury last fortnight, twisted spine carrying heavy bags and a backpack.

Screaming trying to sit or stand again, or in complicated maneuvers to get into bed... it seems to have settled down into dull aches.
I didn't go to A&E/ED ... too much to do here! ;=})

(6-8 hrs wait in ED from experience, vs sitting in the sunshine doing little jobs on the deck benches here... )
Maybe I should have had it scanned, but it's feeling better now, after initial agony over 2-3 days!)


Anyway just an update. I'm looking at those motorised drives, found a slightly cheaper identical one, although I'd wanted to DIY one.
I have slow motors, it's just that I'd need to find a suitable shaft & etc.
Plus it would be nice mounted in a vertical slotted bracket so that one could just raise the assembly up, as some other more expensive types do.

(Or even use a separate vertical linear motor to raise it up.)

I'll post separately about another complete tank and accessories I saw just this afternoon...

A seemingly reasonably priced complete unit on Amazon, although the exchange rate around $1 NZD to 0.66c USD, plus the GST trap to consider.
I'm in my last few days of a 30 day free trial of Amazon Prime, which would get free shipping, if anyone else might be interested. (I'm repairing one!)




www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Records-Cleaning/dp/B0CZ3ZBRYZ/ref=pd_rhf_gw_s_pd_sbs_rvi_d_sccl_1_11/140-7026300-7888856?pd_rd_w=DIQXx&content-id=amzn1.sym.9c71db11-3b2f-49a1-9fef-afd524b20130&pf_rd_p=9c71db11-3b2f-49a1-9fef-afd524b20130&pf_rd_r=3Q03M189NHEDPBE26KKY&pd_rd_wg=aotF1&pd_rd_r=43d09ebe-b3c8-48cf-8071-4ac8a2bb619e&pd_rd_i=B0CZ3ZBRYZ&psc=1

(Sorry about the long seeming link, but I think it should work.)

The comments / reviews are worthwhile looking at - an extensive one on some modifications.
But isn't this cheaper than those of a few years ago, earlier in this long thread?

Cheers!  ~ Ross, RdM.

In my experience Amazon Prime doesn't usually ship to NZ free, only within US.

But, I don't have Prime and yet your link says sips to NZ free. That was usually the killer, with shipping costing as much as the machine.

Just need to make sure it's 220/230V and not 110V. Usually the 110V were much cheaper for some reason.

Aug 17, 2024 16:39:18 GMT 12 Citroen said:

In my experience Amazon Prime doesn't usually ship to NZ free, only within US.

But, I don't have Prime and yet your link says sips to NZ free. That was usually the killer, with shipping costing as much as the machine.

Just need to make sure it's 220/230V and not 110V. Usually the 110V were much cheaper for some reason.

Thanks, Cliff. ;=})

No, free shipping to NZ with Prime is true. I've had another item delivered free recently.  And NZ charges GST on the shipping cost as well.

My 30 days free (and I was invited to sign up for the trial, cancellation at any time.) ends tonight.  I've been looking at two more purchases.

(I'm going to fix your old one, not buy a new one!  But I like the vertical lift, and it did seem cheaper considering the accessories, so I wanted to mention it in the thread context.)

One, a measurement microphone to use with REW &or other free measurement software.  So,  XLR or USB?
USB more convenient, especially with a laptop, but more expensive. I have an M-Audio 24/96 dac, and an analogue mic pre-amp, both with phantom power, so this is best:
Dayton Audio EMM-6

A seeming identical motor & spindle to what you suggested up-thread, $10 cheaper:  I'm still a bit dubious about the quality, and will it fit the tank edge.  Comments suggest speed variability.
Record Cleaner Rack Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine

I need to decide tonight, if I'm going to cancel the free trial in time, whether one or both.

I haven't yet looked at, downloaded, or used the Prime Video and audio sections, but I have looked at ebooks, having bought a cheap early Kindle paperwhite on TM recently ...

They get served in NZ from Oz.
www.amazon.com.au/prime

One can also convert pdfs & etc to kindle format.
www.amazon.com.au/sendtokindle

Not sure yet whether that's a free service or restricted to Prime. I hope the former. I could convert lots of PDFs. I love reading in bed, and this is like a very slim book ... to hold.

And so it goes ... 

Kind and fond regards ;=)}

~ RdM

RdM any progress on the US cleaner fix?