Moisture droplets after L&R, isopropyl etc

[JeremyLaurenson]

I recently ran a disassembled movement through L And R #111 Ultrasonic Waterless Watch Cleaning and #3 Watch Rinsing Solution and have also been using lighter fluid Onedip and IPA to try get this thing spotless....

But I am noticing moisture droplets not evaporating at room temp.... visible under the microscope

I am not clear, but suspect not having a high enough percentage IPA could be a culprit...

But do the cleaners absorb ambient moisture over time? I have them in mason jars, and some glass jars with plastic lids.

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, JeremyLaurenson said:

I recently ran a disassembled movement through L And R #111 Ultrasonic Waterless Watch Cleaning and #3 Watch Rinsing Solution and have also been using lighter fluid Onedip and IPA to try get this thing spotless....

But I am noticing moisture droplets not evaporating at room temp.... visible under the microscope

I am not clear, but suspect not having a high enough percentage IPA could be a culprit...

But do the cleaners absorb ambient moisture over time? I have them in mason jars, and some glass jars with plastic lids.

 

You think these droplets are water ?

[HectorLooi]

The cleaning solutions are water free and do not absorb moisture. Check the concentration of your IPA. It needs to be 99% and not the medical grade 70%.

Are you using a rotary watch cleaning machine or an ultrasonic cleaner?

[JeremyLaurenson]

Using an ultrasonic, I *think* theyre water, but could also be something else. 

When putting parts onto watch paper and waiting for the IPA/Rinse to evaporate from the paper essentially 30 minutes later I still see the moisture.

 

 

[HectorLooi]

This was discussed in another thread. The droplets you see are the less volatile fraction of the cleaning fluids and dissolved oils. A small amount of fluid is trapped in the holes of the jewels when it is taken out of the fluid and when it is left to dry, it appears in a flower pattern around the holes.

It doesn't happen when you use a rotary cleaning maching because at the end of each cycle, the basket is spun at high speeds to spin off any trapped fluids.

My mentor uses an ultrasonic cleaner only but at the end of cleaning, he leaves the basket on a temperature controlled heating pad, set at 60°C, for about 30mins. And he has no issues.

I also use an ultrasonic cleaner but I spin my baskets for a minute after every cycle. This also recovers about 2cc of cleaning solution, which would otherwise be lost or goes into the next jar and contaminate the rinse solutions down the line.

Edited February 16, 2024 by HectorLooi
Typo

[JohnR725]

6 hours ago, JeremyLaurenson said:

having a high enough percentage IPA could be a culprit

repeating what others have said you need the highest proof alcohol which is 99 as opposed to the rubbing alcohol which has water

3 hours ago, JeremyLaurenson said:

When putting parts onto watch paper and waiting for the IPA/Rinse to evaporate from the paper essentially 30 minutes later I still see the moisture.

preferred thing rather than letting it sit around to evaporate would be a source of warm air. It's amazing how well things dry when you can elevate the temperature and blow air across them.

then just for clarification sake in what order he do you clean things you have it in the cleaner for how long then here is exactly how many cleaning rinse cycles how long for each and how long them alcohol before you air dry which as I said isn't really what you want to be doing.

 

[nickelsilver]

Another reason to use warm air is as solvents evaporate they cool down; a part that is cooler than ambient temperature will attract condensation.

[mikepilk]

4 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

preferred thing rather than letting it sit around to evaporate would be a source of warm air. It's amazing how well things dry when you can elevate the temperature and blow air across them.

I use a simple hair dryer to blow hot air on the parts after the final IPA rinse.

[JohnR725]

5 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I use a simple hair dryer to blow hot air on the parts after the final IPA rinse.

when I was cleaning watches at home that is exactly what I used to do. The only minor problem I had the first hairdryer worked perfectly the temperature was nice. but the second one was rather intense and I felt the temperature was much too hot. So then I got creative and modified a coffee can elevated the area that I put the watches in move the hairdryer back a little bit so it wasn't quite as hot and I usually put something on top not covering hundred percent but allowing it to get nice and warm and it works really well.

[JeremyLaurenson]

Thanks, all... I have a dryer and new 99% on the way!

Edited February 16, 2024 by JeremyLaurenson

[BillM]

Keep the IPA in a sealed glass  container. IPA absorbs water rather quickly, the plastic containers the drugstores sell IPA in allow water intrusion.  
I used to work with high dollar optics and we used pump dispensers for the solvents.  We found that we needed to change out IPA every 3 hours to control the water contamination.  Extreme for watch cleaning, but opened my eyes to  what can happen to solvents.