Does your machine continue making dirty solvent after the first 5 initial cycles
after start-up?

• Yes
• No, it only makes dirty solvent for the first couple of cycles

Does your machine show any signs of having power? For example, on/off switch is
illuminated or the fan is running.

• Yes, the machine shows some sign(s) of having power.
• No, I've got absolutely nothing.

Does your machine’s on/off switch light up when you turn it on?

• Yes, it does.
• No, it does not.

• I'm having vacuum problems.
• I have an air pressure problem.
• Oil light comes on way too early or too often
• No oil or very little oil comes out when the "Oil Full" light comes on
• Oil comes out when the "Oil Full" light is on but it seems thin (saturated with solvent)
• The "Full Accumulator" light is on.
• The machine is making odd noise.
• The solvent coming out of the machine is hot
• I'm not seeing my problem.

Have you drained the oil from your machine recently?

• No, it's run for several hours or more since the oil was last drained.
• Yes, the oil was drained recently.

Are either of your machine’s indicator lights on? (i.e. your ‘Oil Full’ light or ‘Full Accumulator?’)

• Yes, I have a light on.
• Nope.

Is your machine making any solvent at all?

• It does make some solvent.
• The machine isn't making any solvent at all

Does the fan turn on when you turn on the machine?

• Yes, the fan does turn on.
• No, nothing there either

Please select one of the following.

• The oil that I drain after the light comes on is thin (has a lot of solvent still in it).
• No oil or very little oil comes out when I go to drain is after the light comes on.
• The oil seems normal

Do you have any vacuum problems? You may have a vacuum problem if you have a couple inches or more less than 27″ of vacuum (which is considered standard) OR if you notice significant drop in vacuum while your machine is draining, or at least attempting to drain, solvent into your parts cleaner. When the machine is draining solvent into your parts cleaner it is no longer actively generating a vacuum. But if everything is working properly, it should not lose any more than 1″ while draining solvent into your parts cleaner.

• I think I do have a vacuum problem
• The vacuum appears to be just fine.

Check and make sure that the your machine is sitting at a level above the sink. If the accumulator is at or below the level of the parts cleaner, the accumulator will not be able to drain properly causing the light to come on. Also, check and make sure that the hose that drains solvent into your parts cleaner is below the accumulator and that nothing is pinching the hose or blocking solvent from coming out.

• I checked everything but I'm still having a problem.
• I found the problem and everything is fine now.

Does the your ‘Full Accumulator’ light come on and then immediately drain some dirty solvent?

• Yes, it does
• No

WARNING!! Make sure the machine is UNPLUGGED before doing this next step. Take one of the sides of the machine off and carefully go through and check that all the terminals are on their intended contacts. Also, be sure to check that the plug that goes into the back of the accumulator is in place and that all the wires are in place.

If all the wires check out, turn the machine on and wait for it to get up to a full 27″ of vacuum. Once it has been running at full vacuum for a few minutes, CAREFULLY see if the pot is hot, or getting hot. The underside of the pot will get very hot extremely quickly once the vacuum switch has turned on (usually around 15″ of vacuum). If the pot is not getting hot, then something electrical has failed.

• The pot is getting hot.
• The pot remains completely cold after the machine has been on for a few minutes.

Please confirm the working status of the outlet the machine is plugged into. Try plugging something else into the outlet that you know works.

• The outlet wasn't working.
• The outlet works just fine. Something is definitely wrong with the machine.

From what you have indicated, it is likely that you have a vacuum problem. Your machine should either have significantly less than 27″ of vacuum and/or lose a lot of vacuum during its drain down procedure (when it drains, or at least attempts to drain, solvent into your parts cleaner. Do you have a vacuum problem?

• Yes, I definitely have a vacuum problem.
• The vacuum appears to be just fine.

Please check and make sure that your inlet line is hooked up properly. The inlet line, which delivers solvent to your machine, should be securely attached to the back of the machine and to your parts cleaner. Also, please double check that the end of the inlet line in your solvent tank is not plugged and that it is properly submerged in the solvent.

• The inlet line wasn't quite right. The machine is working fine now.
• The inlet line appears to be functioning properly and my problem has not been solved.

Does the your ‘Full Accumulator’ light come on and then immediately drain a little bit of dirty solvent?

• Yes, it does.
• I don't think so.

Which light is on?

• My "Full Accumulator" light is on.
• My "Full Oil" light is on.

Do you have a low vacuum (27″ is considered normal) or does the vacuum drop while the machine is draining solvent into your parts cleaner?

• Yes, I think I may have a vacuum problem.
• No, the vacuum seems fine.

Check and make sure that the “Oil Full” thermostat is reset and working properly. It may be necessary to take a side of the machine off and ensure that the button is hitting the thermostat reset button properly and to see if the thermostat has indeed been reset.

• I'm sure the thermostat is reset, but I still have a problem.
• The thermostat wasn't reset, now it's working fine.
• The thermostat wasn't reset, but why wasn't the light on?

Get an ohm meter and check the status of the power cord. Open up the machine and test the wires coming in from the power cord. Is there power coming in?

• Yep, there's nothing wrong with the power cord.
• A

It may be possible that the oil pipe that drains the oil has become plugged. To determine whether the pipe is plugged, bring your machine up to full vacuum at approximately 27″ of vacuum. Then turn the machine off and immediately open the valve for draining the oil. You should hear a distinct sucking sound as the machine relieves it’s vacuum through the pipe. If you do not hear this sound, the pipe is likely plugged.

• I think the drain down pipe is plugged.
• I hear the sound and am fairly certain there is no blockage.

The check valve on the hose that drains solvent into your parts cleaner may not be working properly. Take it off and blow air or run liquid through it to make sure that it is working properly. If everything seems fine with the check valve, put it back on. Make sure you put it back on the right way. If it is put on backwards you will encounter vacuum problems.

• The check valve doesn't seem to be working properly.
• The check valve works just fine.

Go through the standard procedure of draining the oil. When finished, make sure the machine has cooled sufficiently and then depress the reset button. If the machine has not cooled sufficiently (it generally needs at least 15 minutes to cool), the thermostat will not reset when you depress the button. Make sure that both the machine has cooled enough and that the thermostat reset button has been successfully reset.

Are you still having a problem with the light coming on before it makes any solvent?

• Yes, the light is still coming back on before it's made any solvent.
• No, the problem seems to be solved.

Do you have somewhere in the neighborhood of 85-90 lbs. of air pressure?

• Yes, the air pressure appears to be just fine.
• I'm showing less OR more than 85-90 lbs.

The high-limit thermostat may have been tripped. Check to see if it has been tripped or if it’s malfunctioning.

• The high-limit thermostat has not been tripped and is working fine.
• The high-limit thermostat indeed appears to be the problem.

It is possible that the machine may have been moved or bumped in such a way that a terminal has fallen off of its contact. With the machine open, carefully follow each wire to make sure that it is properly fastened on to its intended target. WARNING!! Make sure the machine is UNPLUGGED before doing this.

If everything seems to be intact, then carefully plug the machine back in and test the terminals on the on/off switch to make sure that there is power to the switch. Turn the switch on and see if power is going through the switch when on. Is the power switch working properly?

• The power switch is working fine and all the terminals are on their contacts.
• The power switch doesn't seem to be working.
• I found a terminal fallen off and everything is working fine again.

Based on how you have answered previous questions, the problem is most likely a sticky float in the accumulator. You will need to take it apart and clean the float and the shaft it is on.

• The float was stuck, everything is working now.
• The float is clean and working smoothly. But I still have a problem.

Take a minute to check that the fan on the machine is working properly. Also, take the cover off of the fan and clean the filter. It is possible to experience a vacuum problem just from having a very dirty filter on the fan. If the machine is not able to cool the solvent properly, it could potentially cause a vacuum problem. If you’ve done that and are still having a vacuum problem, continue below.

A vacuum problem is almost always going to be due to a system leak or a problem generating the initial vacuum. to help determine this, turn your machine on and let it get up to as high a vacuum as it will go. Then, while watching the vacuum gauge, turn the machine off. If the machine loses vacuum rather rapidly, you likely have a system leak. If the vacuum is low (27″ is considered normal) but seems to hold what vacuum it has just fine when the machine is turned off, you likely have a vacuum generation problem.

• I think I have a system leak.
• I think I'm having a vacuum generation problem.

Adjust the air regulator until the air gauge shows 85-90 lbs. of air pressure.

• I got it adjusted and the air supply seems to be fine now.
• I can't seem to get the air pressure into the 85-90 lbs. range.

Check and see if the vacuum switch is working properly. If it is not connected correctly or if has leaked or is broken, it may be the cause of the problem.

• The vacuum switch is working perfectly, it is not the problem.
• The vacuum switch wasn't connected well, now it's working fine.
• The vacuum switch isn't working properly and needs to be replaced.

Check and see if the circuit board is working. Make sure all its contacts are securely fastened to the board and that all the components are in place. You may also use an ohm meter to see if electricity is going through the board at all.

• I think the circuit boar is fine.
• The circuit board looks to have gone bad.

Is there any air going through the vacuum generator? If there is no air going through the vacuum generator, you shouldn’t be getting any vacuum at all. You can also find this out by feeling if there is air coming out of the muffler while the machine is on, except when it is draining, or attempting to drain, solvent into your parts cleaner. If you feel air coming out of the muffler, then there is air going through the vacuum generator.

• Air is going through the vacuum generator.
• As far as I can tell, there is nothing going through the vacuum generator.

Check your air compressor. Is the compressor putting out at least 90 lbs. of pressure?

• The air compressor is outputting plenty of pressure.
• It was putting out less pressure, that was the problem.

Check and make sure that the machine’s circuit board is working properly. Check for loose wires or components that look to have gone bad.

• I'm pretty sure the circuit board is functioning properly.
• There were some loose wires. Everything is working fine now.
• The circuit board looks to have gone bad and needs to be replaced.

Check to see if air is being supplied to the vacuum generator.

• There is air supply to the vacuum generator.
• There does not appear to be air getting to the vacuum generator.

Check to see if there are any blockages in any of the air lines supplying your machine with air.

• The air lines are just fine.
• I found a blockage and took care of it. It's working fine now.

The air regulator may be broken.

• That seems like a likely explanation.
• I think the air regulator is working just fine.

Try draining your oil and see if that fixes the problem. In general, your machine will become more and more unstable as the machine gets closer to needing to drain the oil. Usually, this won’t be a problem. But, depending on many different variables, including what chemicals may be in the solvent or oil, the machine may make a little bit of dirty solvent close to the end of it’s cycle. If you notice this, simply drain the oil and start over. If this does not solve your problem, try going through the troubleshooter again.

From what you have indicated, it is likely that you have a split plunger. The plunger is what regulates the inlet of solvent from your parts cleaner. After much use, it is possible for the plunger to fatigue and fail. If it has failed, it is necessary to take the machine apart and replace the plunger. You may need to contact us in order to order a replacement plunger.

Once you have a replacement plunger you will need to take one of the side panels off of the machine and take the lid off of the heating pot. Attached to the lid you will find a float arm with a plunger on it. Remove the necessary screws and replace the plunger.

Boil-over problems may be caused by several different variables. The most common cause is the solvent mixture itself. Excessive amounts of diesel can cause boil-overs as can even very small trace amounts of water. Some chemicals from things such as brake cleaners can also be an irritant to your StillClean machine, causing a boil-over. Your machine is designed to work best with 105 mineral spirits solvent and standard motor oils and greases. Introducing other things into the system may cause problems. Boil-overs usually occur toward the end of your machine’s cycle. So, the best thing to do if you are encountering boil-over problems is to empty the oil, even if the light hasn’t come on yet, and start a new cycle. If there is something in the solvent that is causing boil-over problems, it may take several cycles with boil-overs towards the end before the contaminant is worked out of the system.

Another very possible reason for boil-over may be a split plunger. The plunger is what regulates the inlet of solvent into the inside heating pot of your StillClean machine. After much use, it is possible for the plunger to fatigue and fail. For more information on this, go here.

A final possible reason for boil-overs is the float level. If your machine has been recently disassembled, the float level may not have been set properly. If the float level is too high, it will cause boil-over problems. This should only be the case if somebody has recently taken the machine apart or if the machine has been having lots of boil-over problems since it was purchased. It is highly unlikely that the float level became improperly adjusted without either coming that way from the factory or from being adjusted after taking the pot assembly apart.

A vacuum leak is one of the more difficult things to troubleshoot. A good vacuum is absolutely necessary for the machine to work properly. But, with so many fittings and hoses involved in the vacuum system, it can be difficult to track down the source of the leak.

To begin with, consider the possible sources of the leak. The vacuum is generated in the accumulator and goes through the system to the boiling pot. A list of possible problems includes a cracked accumulator, split hose, broken fitting, o-ring failure on accumulator or the boiling pot, a hole in the condenser (usually caused by corrosion from exposure to chlorine), or simply something like a hose losing its solid connection with a fitting.

The vacuum generator generates the vacuum in the accumulator. However, when the machine is draining solvent, the vacuum generator quits generating a vacuum. A one-way check valve just below the accumulator in the hose that goes to the boiling pot prevents the vacuum from the rest of the system decreasing while the machine is draining solvent. The machine’s vacuum gauge measures the vacuum in the rest of the system after the check valve. This is important because if the vacuum gauge shows the vacuum decreasing while the machine is draining solvent, this indicates that the leak is in the system somewhere between the check valve and the boiling pot. (note: a loss of 1″ of vacuum or less is normal during drain down and is not indicative of a leak in the system between the check valve and pot.) If, however, the vacuum remains steady during drain down, this indicates a problem with the source of the vacuum if the vacuum is consistently low. This could be due to a vacuum generator problem or a leak in the accumulator.

If you have found that the vacuum is decreasing significantly during drain down, there is a leak between the pot and the check valve. The best way to go about locating the source of the leak is to take a pair of needle nose pliers or vice-grips and start by clamping the hose just above where the hose attaches to the boiling pot and then turn the machine off momentarily. If the vacuum stays steady, then there is a leak in the pot. If the vacuum continues to decrease steadily, turn the machine back on, wait for it to get the vacuum up a bit, and then choose a place on the hose further towards the accumulator and clamp it off again. If the vacuum then remains steady, then you know that the leak lies somewhere between where you just clamped the hose and the last place you clamped the hose. Continue this process until you locate the leak.

If you have concluded that the leak is in the pot, the problem may be due to a fatigued o-ring. If you conclude that the pot is not the problem and have located the leak elsewhere, then you already know what needs to be replaced. To order replacement parts, contact us.

Remove the vacuum generator and check for air blockages or leaks. The vacuum generator is a cylindrical green piece found going through the lid of the accumulator located on the back of the machine. Make sure that its air supply hose is attached securely and that there are no leaks in the air supply to the vacuum generator. Check also that there are no particles blocking the flow of air to the vacuum generator.

If after doing the above you are unable to find any apparent leak or blockage, try replacing the vacuum generator. It does tend to degrade over time and will occasionally need replacing, though they will usually go years without failing. Sometimes chemicals in the solvent or air supply, such as chlorine, can lead to much faster corrosion and failure. To replace the vacuum generator, you will need to order a replacement. You may order one by contacting us.

From what you have indicated, you need to replace the air solenoid. To order a replacement, contact us.

You have indicated that the initial problem has been solved. Please note that sometimes there may be multiple problems and that now that you’ve got one figured out, it’s possible that you’ll need to go through the process again to nail down another problem.

You will need to contact us and order a replacement air regulator.

It appears that the problem you are encountering is beyond the scope of this troubleshooter. Please contact us and we will try to help you resolve the problem.

This is actually a common issue. Depending on what exactly is in the solvent that your machine is reclaiming, it may produce dirty solvent for the first few cycles after it has been turned on. Once the machine is warm, however, you should not encounter any more problems. Since your StillClean machine is designed to run for multiple hours at a time, the little bit of dirty solvent that was initially put back in the parts cleaner will be offset in a matter of minutes once your StillClean machine is warmed up and producing clean solvent.

It appears as if your machine shows some signs of having power. This particular section is only designed to deal with power issues. Please go back to the beginning and select another option by clicking here: Troubleshooting Start

This is most likely a problem of the machine not getting solvent somehow. This may be caused by one of several different possibilities: an unhooked/pinched inlet line, low solvent level in parts cleaner, clogged inlet screen on inlet line, swollen plunger, or too low of a float level. Go through and check that everything is hooked up properly and that the machine is able to get a steady stream of solvent from your parts cleaner. If everything checks out, it may be a swollen plunger or too low of a float level. To check on or fix one of these problems, your machine will need to be disassembled.

If the thermostat wasn’t reset and the “Oil Full” light was not on, either the light is not properly connected or it needs to be replaced altogether. If you need to replace it, you may order one by contacting us.

The high-limit thermostat is a onetime thermostat. In other words, if it’s been tripped, it will not work again and needs to be replaced. If you believe that the thermostat has been tripped, you may order a new one from us. You may order a new one by contacting us.

From what you have indicated, you need to replace the vacuum switch. To order a replacement, contact us.

One or more of the components on your circuit board may have gone bad. You may need to contact us and order a new circuit board.

From what you have indicated, you need to replace your machine’s power cord. If you need to order a replacement, contact us.

It is common for the air solenoid to make a hum while the machine is running. It is also common for this hum to come and go without any apparent reason. If, however, the solenoid has begun to chatter, there could be something wrong with the solenoid or possibly the timer. Try taking the solenoid apart to begin with and clean out any deposits you see in the air intake and outlet of the solenoid. This is most likely the problem. It could also, however, be a timer problem. If the timer on the circuit is malfunctioning, it could be turning the solenoid on and off quickly causing a chatter sound. If you believe that is the problem you will need to replace the circuit board. To order a replacement solenoid and/or circuit board, contact us.

If the solvent coming out of the machine is abnormally warm or even hot, there is probably not sufficient airflow across the cooling condenser. This can happen when the filter has become so full of dirt that there is not enough air getting through it. Try taking the filter out and cleaning it. It is a good idea to clean the filter whenever it looks a bit dirty. The other possible cause of the problem would be the fan itself. If it is not working at all or is malfunctioning, it will need to be replaced. To replace the fan or order a new filter you will need to contact us.

The pipe that drains oil from the machine can potentially become clogged and require cleaning. One way of cleaning it is to allow air pressure to do it for you. If you bring your machine up to full vacuum you can release the vacuum by turning the valve on the drain down pipe. If all of the vacuum is released within a second or two after turning the valve, then the pipe is probably clear. If you cannot seem to get it to clear through this method, it may be necessary to disassemble the pot and clean out the pipe. If you find it necessary to do this, make sure that when putting everything back together that everything has a good seal. Use teflon tape on all of the pipe threads. Failing to do so could result in vacuum leaks.

The oil you drain from your machine after each cycle should generally be dark in color and be about as thick in consistency as used oil, although it may appear thinner when it is hot. You should also retrieve approximately two quarts of used oil from the machine each time you drain the machine after it has turned the “Oil Full” light on. Depending on how dirty the solvent is that is being reclaimed, it could be possible for the machine to go through a full cycle in a matter of only a few hours.

If you believe that your machine is not functioning properly try going through the troubleshooter again here. If you are not finding the answer to your problem in the troubleshooter, you may contact us.

It appears that the one-way check valve that is on the end of the drain down hose is not functioning properly. You may need to contact us to order a replacement check valve. Once you have a replacement, simply pull the hoses off the old one and place the new one on. Make sure that it is positioned correctly so that solvent can drain out but nothing can go in through the hose.