Watch cleaning problem

[Joeydwatchmaker]

Hello all, recently I've noticed that my watch cleaning machine is not cleaning all the parts properly. I use zenith cleaner and rinse and a l and r manual machine. When I clean the parts I put the plates in the bottom and small parts on the top. I run for 5 minutes in the cleaner, spin off for a minute or two and then 5 minutes in each two rinses with spinning off in between. When I'm all done I notice a yellow Chem, I assume cleaner, on the plates. I wind up cleaning them off by hand before I dry it, I can't figure it out, what can I be doing wrong.

 

 

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[jguitron]

Sounds like there's a problem with your solutions. Maybe contaminated with something? I once noticed a significant change from having mixed them with a few drops of water. 

 

Not sure of thebtiming of things. I usually leave my main washbfor 10 min. Spin until there's no visible fluid which is usually a few seconds and then go through 2 rinses. 

I'd start with refreshing your solutions. 

 

Cheers! 

[oldhippy]

I would get rid of that cleaner in that jar. Wash the jar out and dry it and add new fresh cleaner and see what happens. Just a thought is there anything from the cover of the jar that could be leaking into the fluid.

[Joeydwatchmaker]

I changed out the cleaner and added new, it seems like the placement of the plates in the jar are not allowing the rinse to get to them


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[jguitron]

I changed out the cleaner and added new, it seems like the placement of the plates in the jar are not allowing the rinse to get to them


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Not sure what you mean. Jars not filled enough to submerge the whole cage?




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[Joeydwatchmaker]

No they are filled correctly not sure if the parts are sticking together.


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[RyMoeller]

Do your jars have baffles in them?  Each jar in my L & R cleaner has a baffle in the bottom which creates a bit of turbulence in the cleaner as the basket spins.  These baffles, along with reverse cycle, help clean around all the parts.

@jguitron is correct that water contamination will cause problems.  I'm pretty sure Zenith cleaning solution and water are immiscible.  Also, if your cleaning fluid hasn't been changed for a while then you'll also see a film build-up on the parts.