I recently attended a ham fest and picked up a Hallicrafters SX-99 shortwave receiver. This beauty was caked with 70 years' worth of grime, so I knew it was going to need some serious cleaning. That's when I reached out to VEVOR, and they sent me their 10L Ultrasonic Cleaner to try out. In this blog post, I'll take you through the process I used to clean some old radio parts and even a few dirty wrenches, all using this handy piece of equipment.
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Setting Up the Ultrasonic Cleaner
The VEVOR Ultrasonic Cleaner comes in various sizes, but I went with the 10L model, which is perfect for cleaning larger items like radio parts or tools. For the cleaning solution, here's what I used:
- 9 quarts of water
- 2 quarts of distilled vinegar
- 1/4 cup of citric acid
- A couple of drops of dish detergent
I filled the cleaner with the water, then added the vinegar, citric acid, and dish detergent. After mixing it up, I set the temperature to 55°C (131°F) and ran it for a few minutes to dissolve the citric acid and mix everything properly.
Cleaning the Radio Parts
The first items I decided to clean were some old radio components. I had a few variable resistors, a PCB board covered in flux, a dirty screw terminal, a switch full of gunk, and some old knobs that had grime deep in the creases. These are parts that typically require a lot of elbow grease to clean manually, so I was excited to see how well the ultrasonic cleaner would do.
I placed everything in the basket that comes with the cleaner. For smaller items like screws and nuts, VEVOR includes a little mesh ball that you can use to keep them from getting lost. I set the cleaner to run for 15 minutes at 55°C, then waited to see the results.
The Results
When the timer went off, I carefully pulled out the basket, giving it a little shake to help release the excess water. The parts were still hot, but the results were immediately noticeable. Here's a breakdown of how each item fared:
- Variable Resistors & PCB Board: The flux on the PCB board had dissolved, making it much easier to work with. The aluminum parts came out looking shiny and new.
- Knobs: These were especially hard to clean by hand, but the ultrasonic cleaner did a fantastic job. A quick wipe with a rag, and they were spotless. However, it did remove the white indicator line from one knob, but that's an easy fix with a bit of paint.
- Switches & Connectors: The switch had a lot of carbon buildup, but most of it was gone after the cleaning. A quick wipe, and it looked much better. The RCA connectors and screw terminals came out looking almost brand new.
- Rusty Screws & Washers: The screws were rust-free, and the washers, which were heavily rusted, were now shiny and clean. I was impressed by how well the solution tackled the rust.
One tip: Make sure you thoroughly dry all parts after cleaning to prevent any flash rusting or moisture damage.
Bonus Round: Cleaning Dirty Wrenches
After seeing how well the ultrasonic cleaner handled the radio parts, I decided to throw in a few dirty, rusty wrenches. I set the cleaner to run for another 10 minutes. When I pulled the wrenches out, most of them looked almost brand new. Even the one wrench covered in some kind of gunk saw significant improvement. I had to scrape off some of the residue, but it was much easier to clean than before.
The rustiest wrench still had some spots of rust on it, but nothing a good overnight soak in vinegar wouldn’t fix.
Final Thoughts: Is the VEVOR Ultrasonic Cleaner Worth It?
After using the VEVOR 10L Ultrasonic Cleaner, I can confidently say it's a game-changer for anyone restoring old electronics or dealing with dirty tools. It saves a ton of time and effort. If you're regularly cleaning old parts or tools, I highly recommend it.
I’m off to clean a few more wrenches, but I hope this post was helpful for anyone considering an ultrasonic cleaner for their restoration projects!