Optimizing Your Cleaner - VWR 97043-930 Instruction Manual

Optimizing Your Cleaner

Tanks:
Cleaning - check the tank for contamination whenever you change solution. if
necessary, remove contaminants with a nonabrasive cloth and water.
Emptying - always unplug the cleaner before emptying the tank. Empty the
solution into a waste disposal unit.
Filling - always unplug the line cord before filling the tank. Fill the cleaner to the
operating level (1 inch from the top with beaker/support rack in place), using
warm tap water.
Low solution level - will cause the cleaner to fail. When you remove heavy or
bulky loads from the cleaner, the solution level may drop below the operating
level. If so, be sure to replace lost solution and degas, if necessary, depending
on the amount used.
Overload - do not rest any items on the tank bottom. Weight on the tank bottom
dampens sound energy and will cause damage to the transducer. Instead, use
a support rack and/or beaker positioning cover to support all items. Allow at
least 1 inch between the tank bottom and the beaker or receptacle for adequate
cavitation.
Covers - allow the cleaner to heat up faster, to a higher temperature, and avoid
excessive liquid evaporation.
Shell:
Cleaning-
the ultrasonic cleaner may be cleaned using a dry soft towel. Do not use
liquids to clean.
Temperature:
Heater - the heater may cause some discoloration of the tank wall. This is
normal and will not affect the performance of the unit.
Solution -
a cleaner with heater and with a cover will stabilize at 70°C approx,
running continuously. Ultrasonics will add heat to the solution.
Solution:
Solution activity- the amount of visible activity is not necessarily related to optimum
cavitation for cleaning.
Degassing - fresh solutions contain many dissolved gases(usually air),which reduce
effective ultrasonic action. Although solutions will naturally degas over time, using
Degas mode speeds up the degassing process. Solutions that have been sitting
unused for 24 hours or longer have reabsorbed some gases.
Heat - increases the chemical activity of cleaning solutions.
Surface tension - can be reduced by adding a wetting agent of surfactant to the bath.
Reduced surface tension will increase cavitation.
8