Looking for help fixing my ultrasonic cleaner

[carlor]

Hi everyone,

I'm very new to all of this and I'm working on building the tools I need to work on pocket watches. I recently purchased a Vevor 3L ultrasonic cleaner from an auction site (never again!). I just discovered that one of the transducers became detached from the base of the tank and I need to reattach it. It looks like there may have been some sort of glue applied and then caulking around the perimeter

I'm hoping someone here might know what the proper way to reattach the transducer.

Thanks,

Carlo.

 

[EscapeWheel]

First, I know nothing about how these things work, but I Googled. This website has transducers for sale and suggest you use JB Weld. See the last line under Details.

Ultrasonic Transducer 40KHz | allendale-ultrasonics.co.uk - Allendale Ultrasonics

This video shows your problem starting at about 21:00. If you look at the comments, H-J.K says this does happen. (It's about the seventeenth comment.)

Building my own Ultrasonic Cleaner - YouTube

Welcome to the board!

 

[carlor]

First, I know nothing about how these things work, but I Googled. This website has transducers for sale and suggest you use JB Weld. See the last line under Details.

Ultrasonic Transducer 40KHz | allendale-ultrasonics.co.uk - Allendale Ultrasonics

This video shows your problem starting at about 21:00. If you look at the comments, H-J.K says this does happen. (It's about the seventeenth comment.)

Building my own Ultrasonic Cleaner - YouTube

Welcome to the board!

Thanks for the links. I'll give JB Weld a go. Looking forward to hopefully fixing it and not having wasted my money.

Carlo.

 

[karlmansson]

Saw a video of a guy who built his own US cleaner with multiple follow up videos. He also did a lot of strain tests of adherence of the transducers, as this was the most common mode of failure. Two takeaways from his video:

Attaching the trancducers by a silver soldered stud was the most reliable method.
A transducer that has come loose but has been kept running is probably toast and should be replaced.

 

[karlmansson]

Saw a video of a guy who built his own US cleaner with multiple follow up videos. He also did a lot of strain tests of adherence of the transducers, as this was the most common mode of failure. Two takeaways from his video:

Attaching the trancducers by a silver soldered stud was the most reliable method, along with securing the transducers on the threads with JB Weld.
A transducer that has come loose but has been kept running is probably toast and should be replaced.

 

[karlmansson]

Whoops, meant to edit my reply but I must have replied to it instead… My entry above contains what I meant to say.

 

[carlor]

Saw a video of a guy who built his own US cleaner with multiple follow up videos. He also did a lot of strain tests of adherence of the transducers, as this was the most common mode of failure. Two takeaways from his video:

Attaching the trancducers by a silver soldered stud was the most reliable method.
A transducer that has come loose but has been kept running is probably toast and should be replaced.

Well, I didn't know how to test the transducer so I finally got around to attaching it again using JB Weld. I tried it out today by filling it up and putting in a piece of tinfoil. The ultrasonic cleaner only put holes in one side of the tinfoil, which I gather means that the transducer is toast.

Anyone know if it's OK to run the ultrasonic cleaner with just 1 transducer working?

Thanks,

Carlo.

P.S. I should have just bought a new one!

 

[WoodyR]

Well, I didn't know how to test the transducer so I finally got around to attaching it again using JB Weld. I tried it out today by filling it up and putting in a piece of tinfoil. The ultrasonic cleaner only put holes in one side of the tinfoil, which I gather means that the transducer is toast.

Anyone know if it's OK to run the ultrasonic cleaner with just 1 transducer working?

Thanks,

Carlo.

P.S. I should have just bought a new one!

I'm not an electronics expert so I won't give advice. But, I know what I'd do .... I'd nip off the power wires to the failed transducer (at the terminals on the good one), remove it and run the tank that way. I suspect the bad one failed from getting too hot (open circuit). I don't know if it still draws current but I wouldn't take any chances. YMMV.