Ultrasonic cleaner timer hack.

[ChoppyChoppy]

It's Chinese. It's only a matter of time before mine overheats and fries itself in stock form, as it is.

I bought one, it doesn't work well at all. Dishwasher works much better, don't even need to use soap. Or the parts tank, or even brake cleaner.

BTW don't use solvent in it, it ruins the cheap plastic lid.

 

[roncoinc]

Update : both my hacked cleaners are STILL working fine,,.
how many years now ??

 

[roncoinc]

what is the link to the timer hack on the larger one? searched with no luck.

Use a momentary switch and wire like the pix for the large HF usc.

 

[roncoinc]

use only the switch to start cleaner,,use off button to shut down

 

[mutinousdoug]

Timer button board on the larger HF cleaner, item: 95563

 

[roncoinc]

for the larger unit if the board is the same on the back.

 

[roncoinc]

After photobucket screwed us there are a LOT of pix lost...

both my hacked USC's are stihl working well

 

[mutinousdoug]

Retarded mec engnr here.
What switch?
Thx,
Really!

 

[pioneerguy600]

Retarded mec engnr here.
What switch?
Thx,
Really!

Ron doesn`t come over to post on this site very often any more. He is on another site I belong to and I can ask him to come over to chat if you wish.

 

[roncoinc]

Retarded mec engnr here.
What switch?
Thx,
Really!

A momentary switch between those two wires will start the unit and bypass the timer so it will never shut off.
to turn off push the stop button.

 

[mutinousdoug]

Finally got around to installing a switch per roncoinc's photo. I had to use a "push on/push off" switch as the momentary switch only operated the cleaner while I held it on. This now works great!
Thanks everyone for all your help.

Doug

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

I just bypassed the switch by hardwiring the two solder points. Plug it in, it goes on. Unplug it, it goes off. Heater still works as usual. Set and On buttons still affect the counter until it reaches 000 but essentially do nothing else functionally. Off is non-functional.

(And the momentary switch needs to an 'on' switch in its default position.)

 

[roncoinc]

Well it appears they changed the circuitry over the years.
used to be connecting those two points the " on " circuit would " latch " on.
they must have found a cheaper way to build it .
glad you guys figured it out.
mine stihl works fine after all these years.

 

[mutinousdoug]

I can still use mine with either the timer or the on/off switch, but it's one or the other. When I'm working in the area I use the on/off switch while I'm down there and go to the 480 sec timer when I think I'd otherwise leave it on all night.

roncoinc, How long have you left your cleaner w/o adult supervision? The water in the basin gets comfortably warm when I run it for 45 min or so; that's as long as I've let it run w/o a rest.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

FWIW, I now let mine go for a couple of hours without issue. There's still the thermal switch that turns off the heater after a period of time but the unit still stays hot for quite a while (a good hour or so) afterward. The heater needs to be turned back on via the switch after it cools down below the thermal threshold (as would normally be the case). Doesn't just come back on automatically after the thermal switch deactivates. In other words, my particular approach to just bypassing the on/off switch did not affect the heater function.

 

[sansonet]

for the larger unit if the board is the same on the back.

Im trying to hack my cleaner too so I temporarily jumped (soldered together) red and white wire as on pic and looks like on/off button turns it on and timer display not counts down, it stays still wile unit is working. I only tried for few secs because Im not sure if this is proper wiring and I dont want to burn anything. If anybody can confirm its OK, I will install switch for those two wires. Or maybe there other better way to bypass timer. Here are some pics

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Not the same control board as the one being referred to here. Does your unit look like the one pictured in post #31?

 

[sansonet]

Not really like in post 31, but often color coding are the same in similar units so I tried to jump the same colored wires to see if it will give the same effect. So far it looks like it is. Also wires layout is in the same order, only difference is that I dont have green one. White wire traces to left/3rd from bottom leg on IC on pic #3
This is my model
http://www.brookstone.com/pd/ultrasonic-jewelry-cleaner-and-dvd-cleaner/606376p.html
https://www.amazon.com/Ultrasonic-Jewelry-Cleaner-DVD/dp/B002MBBZ0O

 

[LegDeLimber]

Thank you guys for putting some photos back into the thread!
Along with information about more models.

I have the basic/small unit from Harbor Freight.
probably 9~10 years old, that has quit working.
IF I decide to tear into it, I'll post what I find also.

 

[omfg.spamme]

2023 update: 2.5L harbor freight central machinery ultrasonic cleaner. The two leads marked with sharpie are the ones to connect. I used a single rocker switch.