Degritter Users

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by WntrMute2, Jun 30, 2019.

  1. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I was curious about the water cooling cycle in that I'd never seen a temperature higher than 30C on my display. I asked the Degritter Team about this and I'm posting their reply since it might be of interest, in general.

    "Thank you for the email and welcome to the Degritter club! The Degritter has an integrated automatic cooling system. There are two temperature sensors in the machine - one directly in the cleaning tank and one near the filter block (which doubles as a cooler).
    When the temperature measured on these thermistors reaches ~35 C, then the machine starts the cooling process. This is necessary to avoid any damage to the record (warping starts around ~45 C). When viewing the temperature(s) after the wash, then yes, they will already be lower than during the cleaning since the cooling system is working throughout the cycle once triggered. The record drying process cools the machine quite a bit, for example.

    Heating in the machine happens because some energy generated by the 300W ultrasonic amplifier is converted to heat as heat loss. To some extent a warm(ish) water is better, since it helps with the cleaning (the average industry/laboratory cleaner usually has a heater in it and cleans at 70-80 C).

    In summary, your machine is working as should. Happy new year and happy cleaning!"

     
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  2. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I can't seem to post pictures here but I did post a picture of a before and after filter after cleaning 32 "clean" records over at the Decware Forum. If anyone is interested in seeing what the Degritter does, check out: Forums - Cleaning vinyl
     
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  3. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Twice now I've set the record in the slot and it did not properly engage the rollers. The record didn't turn when washing. I looked inside and this would seem impossible to do. Anyone have this problem? Short of watching the start of the clean cycle, any remedies?
     
  4. Squiggsy68

    Squiggsy68 Forum Resident

    I have this happen every so often. Only way round it I've seen is to just watch at the start to make sure record is turning, after all you have to press start so it's only a case of waiting a few seconds longer to make sure it has engaged properly.
     
  5. sharkshark

    sharkshark ThatShelf

    Location:
    Toronto ON
    Email Estonia - it may be that the rollers on the bottom have to have a bit more of a gap - I had this with 200g records, and a =very= small torque with a flat head opened them up so the record could sit fully in the slot between rollers. Zero issues since.
     
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  6. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I took another look and my problem is with the top guides. Unlike the bottom rollers which have tapered sides to guide in the record, the top is just a flat roller/guide with a groove in the middle. If I'm careless I can put the record on the flat instead of the groove. Now that I'm aware of this I can be more careful.
     
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  7. r.Din

    r.Din Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    UK
    One of my top rollers is a little offset, and can cause problems if I'm not careful when slotting the record. If I'm careful, there are zero issues, so I've never been bothered about it but is there a way to open the unit and adjust this??
     
  8. Plinko

    Plinko Senior Member

    Man, this Degritter is a right pain in the neck. With all the time spent placing the record in the Degritter, then lifting the record out of the machine, then placing in a new sleeve, and then finally, filing on the record shelf, I could be doing something else!

    ;)
     
  9. sharkshark

    sharkshark ThatShelf

    Location:
    Toronto ON
    You're doing it wrong - don't forget that step where to take a sip of the liquid from the reservoir just to make sure the microparticulates aren't too sour.
     
    Plinko likes this.
  10. hitmanhart408

    hitmanhart408 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Finally placed my order yesterday. Hoping it lives up to the hype!
     
  11. Plinko

    Plinko Senior Member

    I’ve had mine for a week. In all seriousness, I am getting way more records cleaned as I can walk away or do something else while cleaning. I am getting massive value from this.

    Only issue is getting the right balance of cleaning fluid and found best to start with a smaller amount of fluid than recommended in the manual. Then add more, if needed.

    I have so many examples of problematic records being improved dramatically vs previous vacuum method. Time will tell as it’s a mechanical device and reliability is the key here.
     
  12. hobbes4444

    hobbes4444 Forum Addict

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Hit the 50 record mark and I was very surprised at the condition of the filter. Many of the records were new, some had been previously cleaned, and a handful were used purchases and not cleaned. I only used distilled water as I wanted to get a sense of how that process fared. The filter was pretty much black all the way through. Took a few minutes to clean it, changed the water and added 1.5ml of the supplied cleaner. So we'll see how those LPs sound.

    But yeah, cleaning with this couldn't be easier. My only gripe is the noise, even with the drying fan on low. But even that is a significant improvement over the Music Hall RCM which, as I mentioned previously, my dog would attack. He mostly ignores the sound from the Degritter.

    Looking forward to listening now!!
     
  13. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I've been using about 1 1/2 ml in a very full tank with no issues. When I top off the tank, due to evaporation loss, I add a bit more cleaner with the water. I see foam only when it very first starts to rotate. Otherwise the liquid gives a clear sheet over the LP.

    If I had the Degritter sooner, I would have saved myself from buying many replacement records for the older ones in my collection. I barely hear a difference between new LPs and 45 year old LPs that have both be Degritterized!
     
  14. Orbe

    Orbe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Guernsey uk
    Got mine yesterday looking forward to using it.
     
  15. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I've cleaned about 125 LP using the Heavy Cycle and I washed the filter 3 times and changed the water 3 times. The filter never looked terrible and the water was always still clear -- even after 50 cycles the latest time. I pushed the cycle number as a sort of test. The Degritter manual says to change the water weekly or after 30 cycles but it also says that if it looks cloudy to change it. What is the consensus on frequency of changing water?
     
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  16. Squiggsy68

    Squiggsy68 Forum Resident

    I guess it's whatever you're comfortable with. I tend to change the water every 40 - 50 records but then most of what I put through is either new or least EX quality used vinyl. If I had anything that was more beat up than that I would run it through my Loricraft first.

    Also I'd very rarely be able to get through cleaning more than 50 records in a week so that kind of forces my hand given the advice to not have the tank sat there for more than a week with the same water in there.
     
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  17. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Thanks. My LPs are all visually very clean so I might follow your schedule -- which is sort of what I've been doing.

    As for the 1 week limit, I'm wondering if keeping the filled tank in the fridge might extend this significantly. Distilled water shouldn't have anything in it to "go bad' so whatever can grow would need to come from the cleaned records.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2021
    Andrea_Bellucci and Squiggsy68 like this.
  18. terzinator

    terzinator boots lost in transit

    Ok, just got it this afternoon.

    Love.

    Went with heavy clean and a three-minute dry. (9:45 total.)

    Not feeling like I need it to be any faster, frankly. Play a record while the next one cleans.

    Subsequent cleanings I could see maybe doing the light setting, but for a first pass, might as well assume the records need a deep clean. (I probably buy 75% used.)

    I must say, though, I reaaaaally had to swallow hard before spending $3000 for this thing. TO. CLEAN. RECORDS.

    I mean, really, it's ridiculous. Isn't it? (Truth be told, this is more than I've spent on any one piece of audio gear.)

    But I love it so far.
     
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  19. hobbes4444

    hobbes4444 Forum Addict

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Do people use the degas function on new tank water before or after adding the cleaning solution? Does it matter?
     
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  20. terzinator

    terzinator boots lost in transit

    manual says before.

    I did NOT de-gas before first use, fyi. (Manual didn't suggest it, so...)
     
  21. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I degas twice since the tank doesn't fully drain. then I put the cleaning solution in. This was recommended by the vendor.

    I live in a dry place but 2 minutes dry on the half power setting dries 100% every time. Longer time may help cool the unit and give more Heavy cycles before the Cooling cycle kicks in though. Maybe not the best $3K I've spent but close!
     
    Matoupaschat likes this.
  22. sharkshark

    sharkshark ThatShelf

    Location:
    Toronto ON
    ...I have a 90s drying time and then just put them on a rack for a few secs.


    But, yeah, fun times :)
     
  23. hobbes4444

    hobbes4444 Forum Addict

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Hmm. Running the Degas after adding fluid could be why I get almost no foam when I clean. Will have to remember that for the next batch.
     
  24. terzinator

    terzinator boots lost in transit

    this might be a question worthy of its own thread (or something to never be spoken of again!), but I'm trying to think of a good way to tag the albums I've degritter'd.

    When I first got a spin clean, I would keep track of cleaned albums by putting them in a MoFi inner sleeve. (And a plastic outer, if it didn't have one.) But now many of my albums already have this parameter.

    I use discogs to keep track of my collection of LPs and CDs, so a few options there...
    1) I could add a comment in the "notes" field to say "DG 1/21" or similar. But that field isn't indexed/searchable.
    2) add a "folder" within my collection (I already do this to separate LP, CD, SACD). I could add "LP - cleaned" or similar.
    3) export the list, print it out, and just cross em off when I clean them (pages and pages, plus printout not great when I add albums)

    Or, I could just use a marker or sticker or something on the outer sleeve to indicate they've been cleaned.

    I know this is overthinking things, but just curious how you folks keep track of this stuff (if at all).
     
  25. hobbes4444

    hobbes4444 Forum Addict

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    I'm doing a combo of some of those. Sticker on the outer jacket, annotations in the Discogs notes field and contemplating a folder. But probably not.
     

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