Tech Tip – Why Use Denatured Alcohol to Clean Injectors?

At Delta Kits, we have a team of highly trained professional technicians who possess decades of experience in the windshield repair and headlight restoration industry. The Delta Kits standard procedure for windshield repair equipment necessitates that the equipment be thoroughly cleaned and maintained to ensure optimal repair quality. One question that pops up when we talk to customers is “What kind of alcohol do I use to clean the injector and injector cylinder?”

There are three main reasons why Delta Kits recommends the use of denatured alcohol for cleaning windshield repair injectors: It has a higher flashpoint (faster dry time), it won’t cause the injector end seal to warp or swell, and it thoroughly removes uncured resin from the injector plunger and cylinder.

Having a higher flashpoint means that denatured alcohol evaporates very quickly when brought into contact with oxygen. Denatured alcohol has very little water content, which contributes to two things: fast dry time and diminutive risk of rust forming on the injector or injector cylinder. Denatured alcohol efficiently removes uncured resin, and dries quickly, allowing technicians to properly store injector plungers and cylinders.

In addition to its high flashpoint, denatured alcohol will not cause the end seal  (used in the injector cylinder) to swell. The end seals are what ensure proper and effective resin injection into a glass break; a swollen, shrunken, hardened or warped end seal could result in improper resin injection and cause leaks. The composition of the Delta Kits’ end seal is extremely resilient to denatured alcohol and common acids found in windshield repair resins. (Note: Denatured alcohol may shrink or harden competitor end seals.)

Another popular chemical used for cleaning injectors is Acetone. Simply put, we believe denatured alcohol is safer to use than Acetone because it is less toxic. It is recommended to use protective respiratory masks when using Acetone. It is stated on the label of Acetone that it can cause cancer and birth defects (studies based in California), it cannot be made non-poisonous, and prolonged exposure can lead to neurological and psychological damage, among other side effects. Denatured alcohol is less toxic and easier on the skin.

The most important aspect of properly maintaining an optimally-functioning injector is to keep it free of resin when it is not being used for a repair. Once resin cures the tool, it becomes unusable and the injectors will no longer be able to switch from pressure to vacuum cycles. To keep this from happening, Delta Kits recommends that denatured alcohol be used to properly remove remaining resin from injectors and injector cylinders prior to storage. A technician should add 2-3 ounces of denatured alcohol to a small plastic container (like Delta Kits’ 6oz. plastic cleaning jar with lid ) and place the recently-used injector plunger and cylinder inside the container. Next, replace the lid and shake the container for at least 15 seconds (it should be noted that the spring injector should be switched from its “pressure cycle” to its “vacuum cycle” positioning at least once during this cleaning procedure). This ensures that the denatured alcohol is reaching all parts of the injector and injector end seals, removing any remaining resin. It’s important to also note that injector plungers should not be turned upside down and should always be stored vertically in the relaxed (pressure) position when not in use.

Delta Kits’ recommended use of denatured alcohol is not the “only way” to clean your injectors. However, through the company’s decades of experience it has proven it dries very quickly, does not harm the end seals, and thoroughly removes remaining resin from injectors and injector cylinders. Most importantly it is safer than other popular products used for this purpose. For more information regarding Delta Kits products discussed in this article, visit www.deltakits.com, call us toll free at (800) 548-8332.

To see the proper method of cleaning an injector and injector cylinder with denatured alcohol, check out the corresponding video here.

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