I would like to try something that involves putting highly flammable liquid (something like gasoline)
into a ultrasonic cleaner and running it at (chinese) 50W for half an hour, with closed lid, because
highly flamable liquid evaporates like crazy.
I know it is not a brightest idea but, will it work?
Entertaining story… 20 years or so ago my dad and I would rebuild tractor, truck and combine engines and gearboxes. We always had oil saturated shop rags on hand that needed to be cleaned. Enter the old Maytag ringer washer filled with gasoline and shop rags. We always did this a great distance from any structure… just in case. Well, one afternoon something went wrong and we launched the old washer… Now, because we took care to not be near it and have it away from everything… it was kinda funny. Could have been a disaster if a disaster had not been planned for.
I would not do it, unless you plan for a disaster!
What are you trying to clean exactly?
What are you trying to do?
Well, I guess I could borrow fire extinguisher from work 
Dedome stubborn&hard to dedome leds.
To get most parts super clean, I just use Water with some dish washing detergent and put the part-to-be-cleaned in gasoline before putting it into the US.
You can also use ammonia in combination with dish washing detergent - stinks like hell but gets everything super clean without any fire hazard
Is there a short form for “dish washing detergent” like “Spüli” in german?
What’s the volume of the ultrasonic cleaner?
Keep the temp between 45-50C for vapor pressure not to increase to much and create problems.
@L4M4, it’s not to clean. He wants to remove the silicone domes completely.
I have used isopropyl alcohol 99% because the decreased surface tension helps to transmit the energy more effectively. But I watched my temps and did it outside. Just to clarify this wasn’t to remove domes, just clean dirty parts.
Baku BK-9030/9050, smallest US I could get locally, similar price as on aliexpress too.
Do not do this; it’s the fumes from the gas that are explosive, not the liquid gas itself.
I use Yamaha Carb Cleaner Dip in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove fuel varnish & residue from motorcycle carburetors. It's a concentrate that is mixed 1 part dip to two parts water.
I've never tried to light it, but I don't think it or it's vapor is flammable. It excels at removing thick, hard fuel varnish.
Don't get the stuff on your skin; it'll cause a chemical burn if not washed off quickly. I wear nitrile gloves when working with it.
It might be worth experimenting with for dedoming.
slmjim
Gasoline will leave a stank that’ll be hard to get rid of. I’d first try xylene, MEK, similar nasties which evaporate without a trace.
… and before using, place the ultrasonic cleaner out in the middle of a field behind a blast barrier. Just in case.
And keep a fire extinguisher on-hand.
It’s not gasoline but something like gasoline, except this stuff doesn’t leave any smell, literally. You don’t have it in US (just like I in Europe don’t have xylene or MEK) so, to avoid describing something you never saw I just named it “something like gasoline” because its high flammability :laughing:
And not just any field, as these dimbulbs discovered.
|
1 book of matches |
free |
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10,000 sparklers |
$500 |
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almost setting an entire field on fire… |
priceless! |
You most probably do have these solvents, just not at your Brico. Speciality store for wooden floor varnishes would keep these. Lacquers are often cleaned (tools, applicators and spills) with Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), but sometimes diluted (for evenness application) with Xylene. The first is odorous resembling ethereal and quite volatile, the second is oily, not very volatile (as compared to Ethanol/Methanol) and smelling, well nothing similar common but a distinct acrid lingering smell.
I don’t trust “home” grade cleaners to be non-sparking. But to be safe, I would have the solvent in a separate small container, in a water bath. Definitely do not fill the cleaner with the solvent directly. The container needs to be resistant to the solvent (so no polystyrene) with a loose lid to reduce evaporation but not build pressure. Just aluminum foil would work.
@ EDCba:
Would a bath within a bath still produce the ‘ultrasonic’ cleaning?
My experience with transducers were mounted directly to the canister thus vibrating at 20 to 45 kHz. The problem lays in the vapors that may ignite with a sparking electrical connection. There is also the flashpoint of the solvent vapor if this does heat up. A good ultrasonic device does not heat up the bath. The Piezo does produce heat but not enough to actually warm up the liquid after some 10 to 30 minutes (my use).
I dont think you need highly flaming liquid.
Flaming and solvent properties are not connected (or even have inverse relation).
Best hydrocarbon-based solvent available here have 50-52 octane rating. It just wont flame under 250-270 degrees C.
P.S. Small ultrasonic cleaners defenetly heat up the liquid inside.
If you have to do it, don’t cover the lid and do this in a well ventilated area.
Concentrating the evaporated gasoline is the most dangerous part of your plan.
Just let some gasoline go to waste.
That’s pretty small. Go for it… just do it outside away from structures…. as mattlward suggested.
Worse that can happen is you will have a neat story like he does. 