*sobs* MY ULTRASONIC *wails* HAS DIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ame]

I went in to clean tonight...and dropped the little plastic container...didn''t see anything as far as cracks....put the water/cleaners in...put the ring in...start it up....everything going well....leave room to get my stuff together for my shower...come back....and it''s croaking and there is solution ALL OVER. So I shut it off and clean up and rinse the ring....dry it all out, try again with just a little water...nothing....it won''t do anything. The little blue light comes on, nothing.

*sobs*

My husband is mad, and I have no idea how to handle any warranty issues. I might have to buy a new one, a good one...

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh no we bought ours at the same time. Yikes that's not good. I know that cflutist commented on the professional ones she likes in DF's thread in Hangout titled my cleaning toys. Noobie likes his by Crest. Total bummer. If I get another one I am going for a heated one. Although waiting 10 minutes for it to heat up will try my patience. But perhaps it's worth it. The other thing I worry about is the metal basket, will that scratch the platinum in any way??

 

[ame]

That''s what''s got me hesitant. I might get the one from Dave Atlas. I have a big ole beef with anything metal near my stuff. I know, insane-o.

I just examined further...there is just enough crack on the bottom corner to allow water to leak.

Ryan is livid.

 

[moon river]

May it rest in peace.

 

[AndyRosse]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ame, I''m so sorry! I was just telling Pebbles the other day that I will so upset when mine "passes on."

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 2/1/2006 10:15:29 PM
Author: ame


Ryan is livid.

Why? Because it broke?

Heck, you bought a refurbished unit..... for half-price (less than $50).......and then beat the ever loving daylights out of it, and he's mad it broke? I don't get it.

Here is a recent description of typical use patterns:

I might have found the best "ame recipe"...hot water from the microwave, filled between minimum and maximum water line. In a small 'shot glass' type measurign cup, 3tsp of mr clean antibacterial and 3 tsp of sudsy ammonia, pour half of that mixture into the water, put in 1 ring. Zap on high for 1 cycle, remove ring, rinse, dump out solution, pour in more hot water to same point, put ring back in, zap one more cycle on high, remove ring, dump out container, rinse with hot water, rinse ring quickly, pour in more hot water, zap one more time. Remove ring rinse, dry off, and repeat the whole cycle with the other ring.


I cleaned all my rings 3 times from Saturday morning to tonight (Sunday).

This goes well beyond normal home consumer use.

It's the equivalent of buying a used car and putting 75,000 miles on it in the first year!

Kidding aside, if you really intend to keep using one this heavily, I'd suggest you consider a model suited for commercial use.

Sorry it died....I know how cherished mine is. I wonder if hot water may have hastened the problem?? Most cleaners only use lukewarm that I've noticed. Hmmmm.

 

[Mara]

Okay so the funny thing is before I even got to Al's post I thought...wait AME dropped the container, it got a crack in it (is it plastic after all!) and it's somehow a warranty issue and her hubby is livid? It was user error plain and simple, this unit is not industrial and if I dropped it and it got a crack in it I would not call that a warranty issue.

I know how much you use this thing and you really do need an industrial usage one, metal basket or not (I'm sure you can find something that has a plastic insert or something in the basket)...but you do something that is suited to hard-core usage and you can bang around with no worries.

Time to suck it up and get a really good one that can withstand the daily 4x usage!

Keep us posted since I'm sure at some point I will pull a clumsy and drop my basket too and then I'll be crying as well.

ETA that I will not be surprised if mine dies sooner rather than later because I do heat the water up for 1m in the microwave and it's so hot that when I put it into the US that the plastic crackles a bit but hey I know it does the job that way. No way do I have 10 minutes to wait for water to heat up every day!

 

[Kaleigh]

I so do not have 10 minutes for one to heat up either. That would kill the joy of what I have now. I guess ame put hers in over drive. Me I use it once in the morning and I''m good to go. Plus I can clean my friends rings when they stop by and waiting for a unit to heat up I guess would drive me nuts. But if they come up with one that heats up like a curling iron does, sign me up!!!

 

[cflutist]

If you don't want to wait 10 minutes, then pour hot water into the stainless steel tank and run the US without the heat. I've done that when I am in a hurry. The heating part is a separate button that you can turn on/off at will. The hot water will not hurt the stainless steel tank, much less so than it would hurt a plastic tank.

As for the stainless steel basket scratching platinum, can't speak to that since my rings with gemstones are yellow gold. However, can you imagine the liablity that jewelers would face scratching everyones rings that go into their US? When you have your ring cleaned at your jewelers it goes into that basket too unless they are using a ring tree like DF has (16 rings for a full rack LOL).

 

[Dancing Fire]

ame
sorry to hear what had happen to your US. i''m telling you girls, sooner rather then later you will all have to spend that $200 bucks for a REAL heated US. i been sitting here reading all these SI threads (LMAO) w/o replying,listening to you girls saying how great the product is.why do you think there''s so many refurbish units available? b/c they don''t last very long.

Kaleigh....about the stainless steel basket.you''re doing more damage by wearing your e-ring and w-band together on the same finger. you can always buy a ring rack for a few bucks but,you need the basket for cleaning bracelets,necklace,earrings.

cflutist....yes,i know you got a full rack (16) rings

LOL

 

[ame]

Ryan''s more pissed that I dropped the container and then managed to break the unit than I think it''s demise alone. But I do think the heat might have accelerated it...or at least made the crack spread and leak.

I am looking at the one from Dave Atlas as well as a "real" one. I think the one Dave sells is the Gem Oro Sparkle Spa. If it''s got a stainless interior...that might be a keeper. I don''t really have anywhere to set this up and leave it set up. That''s part of the problem and part of why I broke it already. There''s no place on my kitchen counters to set it, I don''t have much counter space, and there''s no counter in my bathroom at all! So...Im trying to figure that system out. And having no luck.

I don''t care if it''s heated or not honestly. I can nuke water just the same.




PS--I only clean them when they have been worn. So...that''s gone down to maybe 1 or 2 times a week...or month. Which is sad.

 

[MissAva]

I have been using mine a minimum of once a day since I got it. I does indeed have metal interior and a plastic basket for those who mind one way or the other. I bought one for my mother and she likes hers, but the best rec I have had is that I gave one to a house mother and all the girls use it (just about non-stop between all of them) and it is still working well. Yes 70$ is a lot of money but if you only have to pay it once then it is worth it IMO.
Oh I keep my under the sink when I am not using it...I cannot stand clutter.

My Ultra-Sonic

 

[diamondlil]

Date: 2/2/2006 4:31:44 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
ame
sorry to hear what had happen to your US. i''m telling you girls, sooner rather then later you will all have to spend that $200 bucks for a REAL heated US. i been sitting here reading all these SI threads (LMAO) w/o replying,listening to you girls saying how great the product is.why do you think there''s so many refurbish units available? b/c they don''t last very long.

You are probably right, DF.

Sometimes it''s true, "you get what you pay for." I''ve had several US cleaners over the years, and although I have never dropped one, they eventually vibrate themseves to pieces or just go kaput! The one I have now, although it is small and nice to look at, it is on it''s last leg. It has duct tape holding the bottom together, and sometimes I have to jiggle the switch for it to come on.

Cflutist posted a link in another thread to a site that sells the GemOro cleaners at good prices -- www.renterprises.net I could probably save a few dollars at eBay, but sometimes I''m not in the mood for the game.

 

[FireGoddess]

My first thought was also that you cracked the blue cup and liquid got into the machine or something. I have had my refurbished SI ultra for almost a year and a half now and no issues to speak of. If you bought one of the "like new" refurb units, I know that it has the same warranty as if you'd bought a brand new unit, so if there's no visible crack, why not return it under warranty and see what they say? If you're bent on getting a more expensive one that's cool, but I personally would see if the damage is covered or not.

And Ame, you do have a solitaire and eternity band don't you? I know you're hyper paranoid about the rings but it seems you're hardly getting to enjoy them, and that's defeating the purpose of having them!!!!! Once or twice a week? Or month? I wear mine more often than that and I can't wear my big pear when I have to use gloves in the lab!!

 

[AndyRosse]

DF, I don''t want to argue, but it sounds like Ame''s SI broke because she dropped it, not because it''s a cheap or inferior product. Mine is still chugging along just fine, and IMO it was the best thirty something dollars I have spent.

 

[ame]

I did drop just the little blue cup. The heat from the water made any cracks expand considerably as well as the current.

 

[noobie]

Date: 2/2/2006 9:25:30 AM
Author: ame

I am looking at the one from Dave Atlas as well as a ''real'' one. I think the one Dave sells is the Gem Oro Sparkle Spa. If it''s got a stainless interior...that might be a keeper.

The GemOro sparkle spa looks exactly like the plastic one I gave away. It was OK, but no comparision to the industrial. I don''t know if it''s better or worse than the SI.

If budget is a concern, maybe a one pint L&R or GemOro. I think they can be found for about $125. Branson makes a consumer model (available at Kassoy) for $99. I have no experience with them though.

However, once you have a US cleaner, it''s hard to go without.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/2/2006 4:44:07 PM
Author: Rascal49
DF, I don''t want to argue, but it sounds like Ame''s SI broke because she dropped it, not because it''s a cheap or inferior product. Mine is still chugging along just fine, and IMO it was the best thirty something dollars I have spent.

i know but....buy one that is made out of steel, heated or not,it will never crack.

 

[tawn]

I''m loving my SI US! I had company from WA today, and I cleaned their rings (1st anniversary)! They were so impressed that they want to buy one! I''ll sob and wail if mine breaks too!

Ame...IMHO I think you should probably just buy the industrial one! I think you just may be the girl who needs it!

 

[Mara]

Hmm maybe I should start stockpiling the US''s just in case for the future!!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/2/2006 12:25:12 AM
Author: kaleigh
I so do not have 10 minutes for one to heat up either. That would kill the joy of what I have now. I guess ame put hers in over drive. Me I use it once in the morning and I''m good to go. Plus I can clean my friends rings when they stop by and waiting for a unit to heat up I guess would drive me nuts. But if they come up with one that heats up like a curling iron does, sign me up!!!

Kaleigh
how about a jewel jet home steamer

they warm up in 3 mins. and ready to go

 

[Lorelei]

Here you go Ame, to make you feel better

 

[ame]

Aw thanks!

I have replaced the whole unit with a Gemoro 1.5QT unit from R Enterprises. I hope to have it within the next week, he''s waiting on the shipment of them to come in, which should be today.

 

[Kaleigh]

Did you order a ring rack too?? How much is it, if you don''t mind me asking???

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/3/2006 11:40:04 AM
Author: ame
Aw thanks!

I have replaced the whole unit with a Gemoro 1.5QT unit from R Enterprises. I hope to have it within the next week, he''s waiting on the shipment of them to come in, which should be today.

1.5 qt

is there such model?

 

[ame]

Date: 2/3/2006 12:16:42 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/3/2006 11:40:04 AM

Author: ame

Aw thanks!


I have replaced the whole unit with a Gemoro 1.5QT unit from R Enterprises. I hope to have it within the next week, he''s waiting on the shipment of them to come in, which should be today.

1.5 qt

is there such model?

Just came out, it looks like a more "industrial" and bigger version of the sparkle spa actually, it''s black.

kaleigh, how much was what the unit or the ring rack? I am probably going to get a ring rack. He said he was going to look at the basket and see how big the "holes are" for me.

 

[diamondlil]

Hmmm, he did not mention a 1.5 qt. to me when I ordered my GemOro yesterday. How much was the 1.5, Ame? Does it have heat?

I think the 16-ring rack was about $3.50-ish. Not a big-ticket item by any means, but I wanted to be able to hang my rings and now have them hitting each other while they are vibrating.

I have a small tea ball that I use in my US for my earrings (yes, the kind you put tea leaves in

). I told the man on the phone yesterday about this little trick, and he laughed. He said he had never heard of a tea ball before.

 

[ame]

Its JUST come out, like he found out about it late afternoon I guess. I had to call a few times because it was busy and maybe in that short span he found out about it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/3/2006 3:39:19 PM
Author: diamondlil
Hmmm, he did not mention a 1.5 qt. to me when I ordered my GemOro yesterday. How much was the 1.5, Ame? Does it have heat?

I think the 16-ring rack was about $3.50-ish. Not a big-ticket item by any means, but I wanted to be able to hang my rings and now have them hitting each other while they are vibrating.

I have a small tea ball that I use in my US for my earrings (yes, the kind you put tea leaves in

). I told the man on the phone yesterday about this little trick, and he laughed. He said he had never heard of a tea ball before.

DL
they do make something similar to that,it is a very fine SS mesh for cleaning small items in the US. i think it cost like $5.

 

[ame]

Its still metal. I wouldn''t put my stuff in it.