MGTV SP EP: Best Ultrasonic Cleaner and Solutions

[@JaredLucas]

I was on the fence about buying your wax until I saw this video. I'm a mechanical engineer myself and was impressed both with your research / knowledge and your ability to explain what is really a fairly complex topic to folks without our background. Very well done! Order sent! Haha

[@shafiqjan1474]

I may be an early adopter, I got my 1st ultrasonic cleaner back in '90 or so and started learning new tricks. Back then I had access to a lubricity testing device and quickly found my favorite chain sauce. The beaker or tray in a water bath is my usual method of cleaning. A bit of dish soap in the bath helps the action and I like alcohol and citrus degreaser for the cleaning. The old machine gave up a few years ago so I happily got another and went up in tank size to fit 50t cassettes. Thank for the tips on good liquids. 👍🏼

[@russboelhauf1138]

Josh: one elusive fact about cleaning a well waxed chain is that petroleum based solvent and bio cleaners do not strip all of the wax from a chain, or anything else. The good news is that regular ammonia will remove all waxes. Also: When using citrus degreasers you need to be very careful to limit the exposure of metal parts to most of these. They will have an adverse reaction with many metal finishes and leave you with things like a blackened chain.

[@RickArendt]

@russboelhauf1138 So, would you recommend stripping all the wax periodically and doing a new immersion waxing?

[@risfortyper]

Something that helps with both the ultrasonic cleaner and shaker bottle is to include some strong neodymium magnets to help pull out ferrous material when cleaning. Tried that on my "broken in" chain with less than 100 miles on it before waxing and it was surprising how much fine black powder was stuck onto the magnet after the cleaning session.

[@moodtherapist]

If you want to save on chemicals AND machine cleaning, seal your parts in vacuum bags with the cleaning solution and then drop into the bath filled with just water!

[@jono_church]

Yup I've used bags before, I'm a big fan of jars too so I can use different cleaners or I when contamination of the tank (or the part) is a concern

[@ninjabortion]

So... sous vide? :P I would imagine that has an effect on getting it hot in a short amount of time, but it should get there eventually.

[@SILCAVelo]

Having worked in restaurant kitchens for years, I'm a huge sous vide convert, but remember, this technique is most powerful at getting stuff INTO the food;-) I've been experimenting with dropping a vacuum bag of hot melt wax and chain into a hot ultrasonic cleaner and ultrasonically waxing the chain to see if it can drive the wax in any better (will let you know in a future video!). When using a solvent bag to clean, the chain comes out of the bag still soaking in the dirty solvent, which means that there is almost certainly still dirt trapped inside the chain. Doing it on the rack in the open bath allows the particulates to fall away so that the chain can constantly sees recirculating clean solvent or water. - Josh

[@moodtherapist]

Click Bait No one suggested you could.

[@craigferguson5976]

Has anyone tried gasoline inside a zip lock freezer bag? Gas removes grease really well and is cheap.

[@orbitalpaul]

I find that heating the water in a kettle and pouring it into some cold water already in the tank gets it to just about the right temperature. Saves on the wait!

[@SILCAVelo]

Good tip!

[@daves.3895]

Thank you for making this video. I've never seen a product so thoroughly saturated by poorly reviewed cheap imports so it's been time consuming trying to find something decent.

[@edwinwilson4333]

Without a doubt, the Best Video that tells me what I want to know when searching for a Bench-top Ultrasonic cleaner... Thank You😃👍🏁

[@ianmcmahon8589]

For chainrings, you can run them partially submerged, then rotate to the next section rather than attempting to do it all in one shot. Likely not the best solution, but it works.

[@SILCAVelo]

Thanks Ian!

[@bigwave_dave8468]

Nice review. It's worth mentioning that having a cleaner that's too big is a PITA since it's harder to fill and if you are using commercial degreaser, it's wasteful (the drain valve would help reuse chemicals, though). For very low volume, I've put solvents in a small glass jar in a water bath and that works. I have a $99 harbor freight unit that's junk but still very effective.... but only if it's in a good mood and actually turns on. I use 99% alcohol to clean just-machined parts. 👍

[@Rocketrecliner]

Refreshing to see analysis and a review with direct answers, explained logic behind those answers, and links to all the products. Thank you.

[@MrGoodaches]

Most thorough and informative review of ultrasonic cleaners I’ve seen so far. Especially helpful to have the actual useful capacity explained. I do paraffin immersion waxing of the chains used on all of the bikes my wife and I ride. It certainly saves me time over life of chains and saves me money with longer chain life. But I’m expecting to save even more time by going ultrasonic for prep cleaning factory goo and the mid life off bike cleaning and rewax that each chain gets. Your vid saved me much time and likely disappointment with purchasing an ultrasonic cleaner.

[@alangriggs4420]

I use the following: Lemi-Shine (1 tsp) - Walmart Simple Green (2 tsp) - Walmart White Vinegar (2 tsp) - Walmart Tap water - Faucet Lyman 2500 - 480 seconds Adjust for how dirty your brass is.

[@industryrule-4080]

FYI, DK Sonic makes a mechanical version, the DK-600H, that's significantly less expensive and features knobs vs digital buttons.

[@kermitfrog1897]

Doesn't look like it has the multiple frequency options or degassing etc that this model has

[@ruftime]

Don’t forget you need to Degas new cleansing solution, before it will work at full effectiveness.

[@williampringle1790]

Jeeze….all the information needed to start chain waxing. Thank you Josh, I really appreciate your advice and expertise. I only knew you as that guy that bought the company Silca, but then I saw your interview on Dylan Johnson’s channel and I was very impressed with your straightforward approach to educating us. BTW, I like your vintage car t-shirts but I think Mr. Sacchi would’ve been disappointed that his Alfa Romeo Giulietta Berlina wasn’t featured on one of them. 😊. Ciao!

[@pcm9969]

Fantastic video! I was about to give up on finding solid reviews of a relatively obscure product and was going to just buy one blind. As a cyclist, this video covered everything A to Z that I was looking for, especially the information on liter capacity. I'm one of those marginal gains freaks who loves this kind of stuff. Thanks.

[@rangersmith4652]

The best ultrasonic cleaner is the one you can afford and will use. Mine is a Vevor 6-litre rated at 180W ultrasound and 200W heating with a drain valve, and it works just fine. For bike parts, I would not go smaller. I use little mesh "ball baskets" for nuts and bolts. Avoid using this for parts that are painted. After cleaning, I rinse my parts with tap water and dish soap, then just tap water. I've not used alcohol to rinse and dry a chain, but does seem like a good idea. For drying, I use an Air Force Blaster, which uses filtered and heated air at high speed. It's designed first and foremost for blowing water off motorcycles to prevent spotting. Not cheap, but works fabulously well, gets parts dry in a hurry. It can easily blow small parts (and even not-so-small ones) into corners of your shop where you will never find them, so one must use caution and plan for capturing such parts beforehand. It's also how I dry a bike if I've resorted to washing it with a hose, something I try to avoid.

[@ac4uv]

Ultra sonic- above the range for which you can hear. More than those frequencies... Above 15kHz Thank you for the

[@leektah354]

The total advertised Ultrasonic Power in watts is divided by how many transducers the unit has. Typically these cheap made in china units use 60w transducers. So an advertised 180W Ultrasonic Power unit has 3x60w transducers.

[@avip2u]

Really appreciate the specific methods & recommendations! These vids have earned Silca a loyal new customer 😁. Burning question for a future vid: for a new chain, should one remove the sticky 'factory grease' ... and how. It's very difficult to completely remove. Must be a secret solvent?!

[@Ohiokie]

I'm about to do this myself for the first time -- it's only necessary to remove that factory applied oil from the chain if you are then going to wax it.

[@stevenbailey4543]

Use mineral spirits x 2 and all the gunk will be gone

[@jayk2k]

Great vid , Thanks I have a question, about the heating , with the lower watt heaters , could you not just boil the water in a kettle , let it cool and then pour that into the unit , to help speed speed up the prep time ?

[@r.d.vaughan4541]

That is exactly what I do despite my unit having a heater. Limiting the time I need for the cleaning process means I do it more frequently.

[@richardharker2775]

Thanks for the leg work Josh. I almost bought a cheapy cleaner but hesitated as I had little knowledge about better options. After this video I now know what I should be looking for.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

This is a "cheapy cleaner" isn't it?

[@JOESRQFLUSA]

I ordered the 10 L version of this model thank you very much for your review

[@SILCAVelo]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@RT-tn4ry]

Those cleaners will take the finish off your chain !!!

[@claudesavard8171]

I would love to see an update on this video. Is it still in use. Are there any new cleaning products available. New machines to benchmark..etc.

[@degu44]

Some very helpful information, thank you.

[@safj1745]

Hey Josh, How much Shooters Choice Ultrasonic Cleaner do you add to your solution?

[@VictorCyclingJunkie]

What ratio of water to Shooter's Choice have you found to be ideal for cleaning chains in an ultrasonic cleaner?

[@MongooseReflexes]

This video is perfect, all the information I was looking for! Thank you!

[@jkeiffer]

Excellent breakdown and presentation of your findings. Really appreciate the research and video.

[@SILCAVelo]

Thanks John!

[@dflunk5381]

I purchased a 3L unit from Amazon for $80 with 100W of heating power & 120W of ultrasonic power. Happy with everything about it except I wish I could fit chainrings into it. I preheat the water with my coffee pot to speed up the heating process. I need to try your process and recommended cleaners. Thanks for the helpful suggestions!

[@aussie6639]

Put a small amount of room temp water in the bottom before you put boiling water, avoiding thermal shock to tank which WILL damage the tank quickly

[@yifankach]

KZbin how to clean LPs with ultrasonic, you can use the similar process

[@GenePavlovsky]

Or just get an immersion heater and put it in the tank, extra 300 W of heating power for $15...

[@RayGildea]

For the final step in the cleaning (denatured alcohol) is this performed in the ultrasonic cleaner or shaker bottle? If ultrasonic cleaner, with heat? What temp is optimal?

[@jjay718]

Is this still your recommended model? I am looking for an ultrasonic cleaner and there are so many to choose from. I see DK has a new updated version but not sure if its worth the extra $70.

[@justinhart7031]

Thanks for the video, I’ve been researching ultrasonic cleaners to maintain our family bike fleet and you helped narrow down the search. I haven’t read through all of the comments but in talking to small motor repairs shops that use these small ultrasonic cleaners; they say they used plastic jars with different solvents inside of their cleaners to make it easier to maintain tank cleanliness and to speed up the cleaning. I have not experience with this but intended to investigate. Thanks again.

[@SILCAVelo]

Thanks Justin, the solvent in a bag or jar works great with simple geometry parts that don't have cavities and crevices that can trap solvent. This doesn't work as well with a chain with traps solvent on the inside, so the key is to have the chain in the basket where all of the grit can fall away and the chain sees a constant influx of clean liquid or solvent. On the upside, when used at temperature, these machines work amazingly well with de-ionized water or DI water with a tiny bit of the cleaner we recommend, so it's very quick and cheap to change out the liquid frequently. - Josh

[@JonathanBlaisdell]

@@SILCAVelo What ratio of de-ionized water and cleaner(shooters choice) do you recommend using. I ordered a bottle of the "Shooters choice" cleaner you recommended and the cleaner directions stated to use a 1:2 ratio (solution to water) for firearms and 1:3 ratio for general cleaning. From your comment above regarding adding a "Tiny bit" of cleaner to the deionized water, I get the sense you might be using a little less than 1:3. Curious on your thoughts.

[@VictorCyclingJunkie]

I am interested to hear what @SILCA Velo says about the ratio of Shooters Choice:Water as well.

[@AN-kg4ei]

I have used plastic baggies also with alcohol, etc in them with the parts (bag floating in water).

[@sumporfuk]

@@JonathanBlaisdell I’m just poking my nose in here, so take this with a grain of salt. It seems to me that the use of Di-water is the key to not following the Shooters Choice recommended ratios. Di-water will do it’s fair share of cleaning in its own rite, which could reduce the amount of cleaner that’s needed. YMMV!

[@jonmeek4688]

Be careful to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the minimum amount of liquid. I have a (lab grade / expensive / frequency sweeping) Crest Ultrasonics P500 and it has a large warning label on the front about keeping the tank full. There are also warnings about always using the basket, to never set anything, even a beaker directly on the tank bottom. That said, I have seen both of those instructions ignored in various labs and the cleaners (always Crest or Branson models) kept going. Since I bought this unit personally I am being careful. My primary uses are electronics parts and, of course, bicycle parts. I (almost always) have only water in the tank and use glass containers or Zip-Lock bags to hold cleaning solution and parts which are submersed in the water. I have used the ultrasonic cleaner to drive Squirt lubricant into a chain which seemed to work (but I should have wiped the sides of the chain after removing it from the hot Squirt). I have a large jar of Super Secret Chain Lube standing by for the next clean / lube cycle.

[@SILCAVelo]

Great tip, thanks!

[@watchmanexpert]

@@SILCAVelo question i need one for clean clock movement I use on now but the heat is broken is Brandon brand I don’t want spend another 3k , u thins this DK sonic can do the job fine ? On Amazon is 600 dólar for the 6 gallon one . Thanks

[@RickArendt]

These have been a great series of videos. I am planning a 5,000 mile, Cross-Country, self-supported tour next year so keeping my drive train in top condition is obviously a priority. It will mostly be on paved roads but some crushed stone, mostly dry but... we all know how that goes. Unlike racers, I won't have the luxury of re-waxing my chain every 1,000 miles. I would certainly like to hear your thoughts on this challenge.

[@SILCAVelo]

If you start with hot wax, you can 'top off' with drip wax like our SuperSecret, which takes a few hours to fully cure, but if you do it at the end of each day, it will be ready to go the next morning. I would just keep a small microfiber cloth and wipe the chain before applying.

[@RickArendt]

@@SILCAVelo Thank you! I have waxed the new chains on the bikes that I will be using on my "Epic Adventure" using the Stripper and have the Super Secret to top off.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

I'm not interested in heating, it's easy to put pre-heated water in to one of these. You included amplitude and frequency in the list of criteria in an ultrasonic cleaner, are these both controllable in this unit?

[@sand9577]

I am not about marginal gains, wax just didn't work for me. But, I do like a clean chain before using the good ol' regular lubes. I won't put my entire groupset in there, but I will sure get my chain in there.

[@tommywilliams8359]

Thanks for the video. I bought one after watching. Excellent job.

[@full-english]

Back in my scuba days we used to use vinegar with our distilled water for cleaning. I would love to hear your thoughts on this Josh.

[@DustinLeopard1984]

So which one is the best? There is 3 machines listed in the description.

[@azarahwagner2749]

The machines are limited by the amount of ultrasonic transducer. I’ve seen a 30 litre machine with 10 transducer

[@scorpio2t]

Came here because I’m looking to clean switches on mechanical keyboards. Thanks for putting this together 👍

[@SILCAVelo]

Glad to help and totally LOVE mechanical keyboards! Are you into old ones or new ones?

[@scorpio2t]

@@SILCAVelo I’ve definitely gone deep down the rabbit hole of the kb world. I can appreciate the old and really enjoy the new tech as well. The cyberboard r2 looked really cool and there a lot more than corsairs and Logitech boards thankfully. I was thinking about getting in on the bakeneko60 when it comes out today(if they do t sell out in 43 seconds 😂) but I did get in on epomakers ak84 Kickstarter 🦾

[@paule.maurice1521]

Try Fire Arms Magazines I read about a quick clean for Police Pistols One Tank Cleans , second tank applies rust inhibitor

[@imrekovacs3841]

Interesting review of several detergents and other products used in ultrasonic cleaning of automotive parts. Spoiler: Cascade pods was their top pick for performance and was also the cheapest! Anybody else tried cascade pods or other dish washer detergents?

[@-Gunnarsson-]

Only reason I bought an ultrasonic was to clean off polishing residue from steelparts before nickel plating. But no cleaner fluid + vibbrations ruins the shine. Also makes dull spots. I even tried break cleaner in a Jar.

[@pauljogever3282]

I use your immersive wax by heating the bag in a saucepan of heated water. Could you place the bag of wax in the Ultrasonic cleaner, in a bath of water, heat it up to the correct temperature and then place a cleaned chain into wax? I am assuming the wax in the ultrasonic will penetrate into the chain better. Just a thought or is this overkill?

[@ThePaulbself]

Simple Green Airplane cleaner in the cleaner. Start with hot water to begin with and then heat it.

[@marks2254]

Are there threads in the drain valve so one could screw in a fitting and attach a hose for draining into a bottle, etc neatly? If so, what is the thread?

[@robbiefargo5008]

I've been following this method and equipment, but have really been struggling to remove the packing grease from a brand new KMC chain. It still remains sticky and doesn't sound like it has been removed from the bushings. In comparison a used chain cleaned up well and sounds like there is nothing in it. Has anyone else had this issue? I notice that Molten Speed Wax don't recommend ultrasonic for new chains and instead recommend solvents. The only thing I can think is that I am diluting the orange degreaser and ultrasonic solution too much, although following packaging guidance.

[@PlastaSin]

Use white spirit in the Ultrasonic cleaner for new KMC chains

[@stanford135i]

@silca ... what temp do you set? how much shooter's choice solution do you use? do you de-gas before putting in the chain? thanks!

[@rdrun51660]

This is just a great video, lots of facts and cool recommendations!! THANK YOU!!

[@chad.765]

If the prices are the same per gallon - is there a functional difference or advantage to the 180/190 proof (80-90%) denatured alcohol vs 99% isopropyl? Given similar prices per gallon I'd think the 99% is better evaporating and theoretically less residue?

[@slcherniak]

Got everything ready, just wondering how long should I sonicate in the wax? Until the bubbles dissipate?

[@joachimjakobsson3785]

Love this vid. I have been using US cleaning for a year now, I did exactly the mistake to buy a small one at first. I manage to return it and bought a bigger one, even if I like the new one I still would prefer a even bigger, I wished that I had found this vid then :) Ok so enough of my story. My tips; Like said in the vid, shake your stuff in petroleum, diesel or gasoline or mineral spirits (can be used several times, pour the liquid thrue a coffee filter or a rag, that will collect most of the dirt) and put your stuff in a can with preferred cleaning solution and put that jaw or can in the ultrasound machine. Awesome, use less chemicals and don’t have to clean the US. Greetings from Sweden.

[@davidrobertnewman]

If I’ve already made the switch to wax (and assuming I’ve done a good job degreasing before I did), do I still need an ultrasonic cleaner?

[@klaatu2]

Why don't you mention the brands/models of all 6 units tested????? This DK brand is consistently more expensive that other Chinese brands. There is apparently an issue with the drain leaking and destroying the unit. There is a review that dismantles to examine the electronics with less than favorable findings

[@specialblend218]

It's been 3 years now and DK brand seems to have fairly low reviews.

[@christopherYecoYoung]

You have me hooked! I am a Marginal gains fan for life! More SILCA for me

[@SILCAVelo]

Thanks! - Josh

[@michaelhotten752]

On the Degreaser you have linked, I bought some an instructions say to dilute with water, 6 to 1 at the very least. do you dilute in your shaker bottle per the Chemical Guys instructions?

[@jerseybarrier64]

Josh great video but I’m struggling on sizing between the 6 and 10L models. Is there a trade off going bigger? My hope was to sneak in a chain ring as well as cassettes and chains along with other misc items. Also I saw your link to the new style. Any reason to go with the newer versus the original style? Thank you for guiding me to a better machine than what I’ve been living with.

[@SILCAVelo]

I have to say, I'm LOVING the new style of machine. It contains a sweep function that sweeps between frequencies and the degassing feature also sweeps... it degasses faster, and seems to clean faster, highly recommend! As for size, I'd get the biggest one you can afford. Once you have it, you'll find yourself wanting to use it for everything, once we got the 15L one on our workbench, I'll never go back to smaller, I'm doing bix cassettes, chainrings and even using it to clean up fabrication and bending tools we use to make Ti bottle cages and other things at SILCA. - J

[@mygio8393]

Hi have been using my ultrasonic cleaner for 45 Years, it’s a Branson B-220H which I don’t know what kind of ultrasonic power it generates and what the frequency is, last service was done somewhere 27 years ago, the technician replaced the flat transducers and some transistors by keeping the same board, I think originally there was 2, now it’s 3 transducers, it is working fine and never needed changing, however I am wondering am I missing anything from a newer technology?, Thanks for your comments

[@watchmanexpert]

Hi question mine Brandon ultrasonic is broken , where I can take to fixed?

[@tar6805]

Great vid and info, cheers.

[@michaelgould8094]

Do you really need to use DI water if you are putting in a cleaning solution like Shooter’s Choice? It would seem that tap or distilled would work. Thanks.

[@adammiceli3535]

I would be interested in an answer to this as well. DI water isn't all that cheap, especially when you have a 6L tank to fill. What are the pros to DI water, and what are the cons to not using DI water? Thanks in advance.

[@daverees9344]

Why not put hot water in the tank instead of cold water and waiting ages for it to heat up?

[@rickpittser8412]

Well done, Josh! Thank you for such a thorough, informative video. Probably the best DIY / product eval video I have ever seen on KZbin. Exceptional!

[@ronatkinson4142]

I have not read all the comments, so hope I'm not repeating something. Just wondered how well it did on guns, and gun barrels, the inside of the barrels. It would be nice to clean your gun very good without having to spend forever.? Will the 6 l model cover most gun barrels?

[@SILCAVelo]

They key to firearms use is in the cleaning agent you use. I know lots of gun guys, including a few local manufacturers who use these or other ultrasonic cleaners for all of their stuff, but they also use firearms specific cleaning agents that are targeted toward the chemicals and soot specific to firearms. As far as size, you will have to look at the tank dimensions for your answer, but remember that most machines can only be filled to 2/3 tank height.

[@majacobs36]

Stupid question- are you using denatured alcohol in the ultrasonic cleaner after a round of degreaser or just dipping chain in DA after degreasing and then letting dry? Thanks!

[@SILCAVelo]

You could do either. I find it a little easier to do in a jar than swapping liquids in the ultrasonic, but that is what we do when we wax batches of chain here.

[@kevineldredge3752]

This question has been asked a few times here, but did not see a response-if using deionized water, about how much of the Shooter's Choice ultrasonic cleaner is needed? Assumption is that it is much less than the 2:1 ratio recommended by Shooter's choice. Thanks.

[@SILCAVelo]

I use the recommended mix or stronger.. it will get the new chain stripped in fewer cycles of the ultra-sonic. After that you can use a more dilute mixture.

[@johnhunt3076]

Josh, I see that they also offer the same US cleaner in a 4L version. Do you know if it works as well as the 6L version? If I don't need the extra volume?

[@SILCAVelo]

Yeah the 4L option would be great

[@johndaw7764]

Did you mention Time and Temp??

[@swiftusa]

Thank you for the video. I am not absolutely clear on the process of re-waxing a used chain. Do you recommend to use the ultrasonic cleaner every time before re-waxing a chain? Adam, at Zero Friction Cycling, mentions in Episode 23 of his show that it is not needed to clean an already waxed chain. He makes it sound like that the Ultra Sonic cleaning is only required during the initial prep to wax a new chain. Following my limited rational, I would think that even a waxed chain will collect dirt that needs to be removed at times, but I am not sure. Again, do you recommend the ultra sonic procedure every time before re-waxing? P.S. I am using the Secret Chain Hot Wax, Pump and Socks. :)

[@SILCAVelo]

Adam is exactly right.. you only need the ultrasonic for the very first cleaning of the chain and after that you just need boiling water to reset the chain. Also be sure to check out our chain Stripper product which will strip the chain as well when soaked in a jar as it does in an ultrasonic.

[@swiftusa]

@@SILCAVelo Thank you. Some use the ultra sonic cleaner to apply the wax by putting the pot with the melted wax into the ultrasonic cleaner; is that okay? I am trying to justify the purchase of the ultrasonic cleaner, but if its only needed for the initiation I find it a bit overkill. I did use your stripper and it worked well. I guess I could clean the cassette and chain rings with the ultrasonic cleaner. Any other bike related applications that would make the ultrasonic cleaner useful on a regular basis?

[@toddstreiff8418]

Nice job!

[@SILCAVelo]

Thanks!

[@Airknifemanufacturer]

hi do you need air knife?

[@timwang44]

Are those bio friendly?

[@davidstihler9689]

Was Josh recommending the 6L I must have missed the size he recommended. I looked online and see the 2,3,6 liter and I’m guessing he was steering toward the 6L Josh or can someone confirm, thanks

[@SILCAVelo]

You want 3L as a minimum for chain and 6L if you want to do cassettes or other larger items.

[@cecilwhite1759]

Would you guys suggest powder solution, or a liquid solution for cleaners?

[@SILCAVelo]

We typically use liquid

[@dcolum23]

Highly informative.

[@Arfonfree]

Question about capacity: I ride a trike, which has a loooong chain. It's somewhere between 3-4 times as long as a bike chain. I'm thinking I probably need a 10 liter... your thoughts?

[@SILCAVelo]

10L is probably about perfect and will give you nice room for other parts as well!

[@pharmerkdm1]

Do you have a list of all the Ultrasonic cleaners that were reviewed?

[@SILCAVelo]

Amazon didn't want us selling against the other brands, but if you search ultrasonic cleaner at Amazon, we looked at the top 6 brands that appear in their search, we also looked at multiple sizes of machines before landing on this one. We learned that most all of these machines come from the same supply base in China, so same ultrasonic transducers, heating elements, etc.. the differences really come in the amount of power in a machine of a given size as well as the ability to run multi-frequency.. this machine was the only machine that had that option, this machine also has a de-gas cycle which we didn't cover in the video but can accelerate cleaning as gas bubbles inside complex parts will seriously slow down the process. - Josh

[@Dewammus]

after ultrasonic cleaning i put the chain in the oven for 15 minutes at 70 degrees, is that ok? And don't use alcohol.

[@SILCAVelo]

Depends what solvent you are using.. you want to ensure there is no residue, so the alcohol or acetone at the end helps to evaporate any residues that might remain from the previous operations.

[@kermitfrog1897]

Are you getting a commision from these?

[@samroper2501]

A lot of chains come with some sort of friction-reducing coating (e.g. Titanium Nitride coatings on KMC chains), have you found any damage to these coatings through ultrasonic cleaning?

[@SILCAVelo]

No, ultrasonic cleaning is generally considered safe on pretty much all surfaces and coatings as there is no actual physical action on the surface.. this is the method commonly used to clean old vinyl records, cast magnesium and aluminum and other delicate surfaces. I don't know of any metal or coating that is recommended against this type of cleaning, but do know of many delicate or complex items that are recommended to ONLY be cleaned by ultrasonic. - Josh

[@jono_church]

Great vid, I have been using ultrasonic cleaning for several years now but still on the look for the "perfect" cleaners, and there hasn't been tons of bike shop related info out there. Currently back at back using simple green and an oil-specific degreaser in my parts washer for pre-clean but I will look in to those products for sure? Do you have any recommendations for temperature? I use 60 degrees C and seems hot enough, 50 was OK but sometimes didn't cut through a lot of grease or dirt quick enough

[@SILCAVelo]

Jono, Simple Green is not a safe product for chain degreasing as it can lead to a phenomenon known as hydrogen embrittlement which can cause micro cracking in the side plates of the chain. Simple Green does make a product called Extreme Simple Green which is aerospace approved and contains coupling agents which eliminate hydrogen embrittlement risks. I use 60C for temp. - Josh

[@jono_church]

@@SILCAVelo thanks for that, good to know! Luckily chains are one thing I use a separate solution in a jar to clean, (mostly use it for suspension components) but thats very useful information. I've already found places in NZ that stock shooter's choice so I will be ordering some up!

[@jono_church]

@@SILCAVelo now that that you've made me aware of it, this is highly likely to be the reason for a large number of chain failures I've seen in recent years. Not ones I've cleaned, but other people who have soaked chains in something that was probably not suitable.

[@R.O.B.9106]

@@SILCAVelo is Purple Power a safe option, or does it pose the same risks as Simple Green? Thanks!

[@SunRabbit]

In medieval times they used fine sand and urine to clean off body armour. Personally I would use toluene, and absent that, gasoline. You don't have to fill the whole tank with it, just putthe toluene in a tupperware container and put that in the water. If you're using real tupperware, you can also use acetone.

[@derv88]

So I bought a ultrasonic cleaner machine several months ago after watching this video many times but it sits on the floor unused because nowhere, and I mean nowhere can I find exactly what liquid and ratio of liquids I am to purchase and use in the machine. Sigh.

[@SILCAVelo]

Oh no! You can use just lots of different stuff in there. SILCA chain stripper works in ultrasonic, SimpleGreen Extreme Aerospace works in there, you can run straight mineral spirits in there. TONS of options and hard to screw it up too badly, just don't run standard simple green in there, most everything else is safe and will be effective.

[@1986yamahafazer69]

Thanks so much for doing the homework for us. It’s hard to choose when you’re new to these machines.

[@larsblesvik1110]

Anybody know of a similar product to Shooter's Choice, but available outside of US? Preferrably Northern Europe... I see some talk about Simple Green extreme as a good additive?

[@SILCAVelo]

Simple Green Extreme is a very good option!

[@highcarbrider]

I spoke to one of the tech heads at SRAM and they did some tests with citrus degreasers and found they casued Hydrogen embrittlement and recommend bio degreasers. I found Diesel is great for degreasing but stinks

[@SILCAVelo]

We have to be careful with the generic typing of degreasers. Simple Green is considered a 'bio' degreaser, but is perhaps the worst in terms of hydrogen embrittlement. The two we recommend are the Chemical Guys Citrus, or Simple Green Extreme Aerospace, both of which contain coupling agents that eliminate hydrogen embrittlement and are safe on various allows of steel and aluminum. Regardless, you want to minimize exposure to these chemicals and never allow a chain to soak in any degreaser for more than a few minutes. Diesel is a good degreaser, but leaves a film that can also be hard to remove. Our method is to 2 minute shake in a bottle of citrus or other approved debreaser, then rinse and ultrasonically clean, then shake in a bottle of denatured alcohol to remove all residues.

[@highcarbrider]

@@SILCAVelo Thanks for the reply 👍

[@bigboybiker]

Great timing Josh, as I’m in the market for one! Not sure if I missed it but what is the model of this one? Can I fit a Shimano 10-51 cassette in it?

[@SILCAVelo]

Click 'Show More' in the copy beneath the video for links to all the products discussed in the video. The 6L machine is too small for that cassette, but the 15L one will fit it, all models are listed and linked at the bottom of the product page for this machine.

[@DanielN999]

@@SILCAVelo The DK-600S (DK SONIC 6L), Size 6L, Product Dimensions : 13 x 13 x 7.1 inches. This should easily accommodate any cassette. Is this correct?

[@kineticmoto8813]

Why does every KZbinr think it’s ok to use water based detergeants on metal parts 🙄. Not to mention like dissolves like learned that my first year in chemical engineering. Oil based solvents and petroleum distillates only way to go. One of my favorites 2-butoxyethanol.

[@philipcollinson4834]

I used to use ultrasonic baths at work way back in the 80s to clean chains etc. I seem to remember using carbon tetrachloride with good results. Unfortunately, my post cleaning lubrication protocol wasn't up to modern standards!

[@davidward8682]

idud not see any machine names for the ultrasonic cleaner

[@SILCAVelo]

David, the specific machine we recommend is linked below the video, it's a DK Sonic. We did not name the other brands that didn't work as well.

[@realzeti]

Can I clean my derailleur in the ultrasonic cleaner?

[@SILCAVelo]

Yes, but not electronic ones, only mechanical!

[@ploegdbq]

Bear in mind: 1) The ultrasonic cleaner will clean any lubrication out of your derailleurs, so you will need to relube any hinges after you're done. Might also want to remove jockey wheels and clean them separately so the cleaner doesn't do a number on the bearings. 2) Anodized surfaces don't respond well to heat, so you might turn the heater off for anodized parts in general.

[@lodwill4007]

Wish someone would really exsplain. What biggest thing would fit. Shoe. Like size 11 or 4 barrel car berater .

[@paule.maurice1521]

I agree liters mean nothing Size in Inches matters

[@davidrowe8747]

@@paule.maurice1521 if you follow the link to the machine, it gives you dimensions of the tank and basket, in metric and imperial.

[@danielbrown6152]

Thanks

[@newsomsr2000]

Use a trash bag or a liner so it'll be easy to clean the ultrasonic cleaner you won't have to clean it Just a little tip for the cleaner itself Just don't melt the bag

[@PierceAlexanderLilholt]

What can you clean with it?

[@paule.maurice1521]

Anything that can handle getting wet

[@PierceAlexanderLilholt]

@@paule.maurice1521 What about a boat?

[@martynfenton3814]

To get to temp quick why not just boil a kettle

[@josephgarcia549]

Do you have an example of a machine that can run at all of the frequencies? Thank you!

[@AN-kg4ei]

Crest and Branson would fit into that league I believe.

[@KyleTO7]

I would never want to use a shaker bottle for cleaning coins or Jewellery. The baking soda or whatever abrasive you use would leave marks.

[@matiass66]

Hi Josh! Thanks for another great video! Love to learn from you :) I'm choosing between the unit you recommend or a single frequency unit (40khz) with other parameters same (heating power is slightly less, but I'll use a kettle so no big deal). The difference in price is 25%, so do you think is worth it to get a dual frequency?

[@SILCAVelo]

I generally clean everything using both frequencies, AND the machine we recommend has a de-gas feature that can really help you out. Whatever fluid you put in the machine will have trapped gasses.. and those gasses will act like shock absorbers until they are all gone from the fluid. With a de-gas function you can remove the gas from the liquid while it heats which will make the cleaning process WAY faster once you are hot and cleaning.

[@matiass66]

@@SILCAVelo Thanks a lot! Does the Degas function work any different than just simply running the ultrasonics for a few minutes before putting chain in? BTW I went for a machine with dual frequency, but no Degas function. I found them much cheaper on Aliexpress and they do have some EU warehouses, where I'm based.

[@quiksilver1j]

@@matiass66 the degas function pulses the ultrasonic cleaner on and off to get the bubbles out