How can I get the most out of my Parts Washer?

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by silver911rdb

LPS makes a nice line of water based cleaners. I use LPS's Precision Clean Multi purpose cleaner/degreaser. It's sold in 1,5, & 55 gal containers and can be diluted with water or run straight. With any water based cleaner if you add heat they clean better. I use the above product in my heated parts washer and i like the way it works. It doesn't clean as quickly as safety clean but it does work well and is safer for you and the environment. You might want to add a heater element to your tank if you go the water based route. Maybe heat it up a few hours before you use it.
I'm an LPS distributor (among other lines) and have worked with their area rep and that's what he recommended as a cost effective cleaner for my parts washer. He also gave me a sample of T-91 cleaner. This stuff is supposed to be as effective as the solvent based cleaners but still non-solvent based and much safer. I haven't looked up the pricing on the T-91 but I think it might be on the pricier side. You can google these 2 products for more info. i hope this info helps you out.

Do water-based cleaners have any potential rust issues in a steel tank? Does water, being in solution rather than separated when using petroleum-based solvent, negate the rust corrosion?

Thanks,
Sherwood

[silver911rdb]

I know that LPS adds rust inhibitors to prevent flash rusting so it's probably safe in a steel tank. I can't comment on other cleaners however.

[DaddyGlenn]

Originally Posted by ratpiper71T

So does this type of parts washer (GLenn OP) have a holding tank to keep vapors from filling up your garage? Or do you have to drain it after every use? I'm thinking of buying one soon but not sure of how they store the solvent.

Not an air tight seal at all. A solvent with strong vapors would have o be drained after use. The cleaner I m using now is water based and vapor free.

[Green 912]

Water based solvents can work. you need a couple things to boost them up a bit.

1. Heat. Heat water based solvents and they all work better. Get an immersion type heater and use it to heat the solvent to 160 deg or so. I have a dishwasher type power parts washer that uses water based solvent and it heats to 180. The hotter the better. If the solution has rust inhibitor it will often prevent rust better than solvent based cleaners will. With hot water based solutions the parts come out hot and a fast blow dry with some compressed air leaves them bone dry and protected with inhibitor. the inside of the parts washer is standard untreated steel. The solution sits in it year round and there is little if any rust.

2. Sodium metasilicate. This is the active ingredient on many of the water based solvents. You can get it by itself and in careful portions you can boost the cleaning power of the solution.

[911pcars]

Several companies that sell metal parts washer also sell water-based solvents, specifically Kafka's Oil Eater water-based cleaner which I also use.

Oil Eater - Industrial & Household Cleaners, Absorbents, & Cleaning Equipment

This website might be helpful:
Small Parts (Bead Blasting and Solvents)

Sherwood

[DaddyGlenn]

Originally Posted by Green 912

Water based solvents can work. you need a couple things to boost them up a bit.

1. Heat. Heat water based solvents and they all work better. Get an immersion type heater and use it to heat the solvent to 160 deg or so. ...{snip}

If I were to bore a hole in the side of my tank and install water heater element from the local hardware store and wire it to a switch. Do you think that would work?