Mildly Alkaline Spray Washer Cleaner – 55 Gallon Drum (Cortec® VpCI®-408)

Description

VpCI®-408 is a mildly alkaline, foam-free surfactant blend for high-pressure spray washers: the gentlest of Cortec’s washer cleaners, made for light to medium oil deposits, and it leaves multi-metal corrosion protection behind after the rinse. The 55-gallon drum is the format for a spray cabinet or conveyor washer that is charged and topped up on a schedule.

VpCI-408 is the answer when the plant restricts high-pH chemistry, when the load is mixed metals that a caustic would attack, or when the washer simply needs a low-foam detergent that will not cavitate the pump. It removes machining fluids, coolants and oily films from plate, sheet metal and castings at 2 to 10 % and 120 to 150 °F, and the inhibitor package gives short-term protection between the washer and the next operation. Cortec’s selection guide lists it as the non-foaming choice where high pH is restricted, and it appears among Cortec’s most popular cleaners along with VpCI-418 LM, VpCI-416 and VpCI-414. In the Cortec Product Consultation Guide VpCI-408 is rated 1 (enclosed or packaged storage) on carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, brass and solder, so parts that will sit uncovered for long should get a VpCI rust preventative after washing. A higher-solids VpCI-408 SC concentrate is available for plants that want to ship less water.

Typical applications

• High-pressure spray washers
• Removing machining fluids and coolants
• Plate, sheet metal and castings with oily films
• Pressure washing prior to painting or pickling
• Spray-cabinet, conveyor and ultrasonic parts washers
• Plants with pH limits on wash chemistry or effluent
• Mixed-metal loads including aluminum and yellow metals
• In-process cleaning between machining operations

How to apply VpCI-408

1. Pre-clean. Knock off chips and gross oil so the washer solution lasts longer.
2. Dilute. Charge the washer with water and add VpCI-408 by weight to the target strength. Start at the low end and raise concentration only if dwell and temperature will not do the job.

3. Concentration in water (by weight)	Use
   5 % (6.4 oz/gal)	Light cleaning
   10 % (12.8 oz/gal)	Medium cleaning
   20 % (25.6 oz/gal)	Heavy cleaning

4. Heat. Run the washer at 120 to 150 °F (49 to 66 °C). Hot solution cleans faster and softens oil.
5. Spray. High-pressure spray in a cabinet, conveyor washer or pressure washer; the product is foam-free at pressure. Dwell depends on soil and temperature.
6. Rinse. Rinse with water where the part goes on to paint, pickling or plating. VpCI-408 is a low-alkalinity, non-silicated cleaner and rinses easily.
7. Dry and protect. Blow off or air dry. The inhibitor film gives short-term protection; for uncovered storage follow with a VpCI rust preventative or VpCI packaging.
8. Bath maintenance. Skim tramp oil, cover the tank, and check concentration by refractometer. Non-flammable; store at room temperature and keep from freezing.

Checking concentration

Concentration (% by volume) = 7.14 × Brix + 0.02 for VpCI-408 in DI water, valid across Cortec’s 0 to 20 % chart (by weight the slope is 7.69). Target readings are about 0.3 °Brix at 2 %, 0.7 at 5 %, 1.4 at 10 % and 2.8 at 20 %; the readings are small, so use a refractometer with 0.1 °Brix resolution. A 1 % solution reads pH 8.5 to 9.5 and Cortec’s chart shows working solutions between pH 8.5 and 9.2 across the range, a flat curve that makes pH a poor concentration indicator; rely on the refractometer. Field water hardness, coolant carry-over and tramp oil shift readings, so build a site-specific reference chart with your own process water. See the refractometer and pH charts for every Cortec product.

Where it fits in the Cortec line

VpCI-408 is the mild end of Cortec’s non-foaming washer cleaners. VpCI-418 LM is the heavy-duty, silicate-free spray-washer cleaner for ferrous parts; VpCI-418 L is the silicated, aluminum-safe heavy-duty grade; the foaming VpCI-414, VpCI-415 and VpCI-416 belong in dip tanks and manual cleaning, with VpCI-416 giving up to six months of post-clean protection. VpCI-408 is a direct fit for the spray cabinets, conveyor washers and ultrasonic tanks of Build-All and Magido aqueous parts washers, and a VpCI-377 rinse-stage additive extends the protection it leaves. Browse all Cortec cleaners and degreasers.

Field notes

An excavator-gearbox parts washer in India ran a competitor’s cleaner at 5 to 6% and 65 to 70 °C with a 30 to 45 day sump life and still left oil on the parts. VpCI-414 at 0.5% at the same temperature, with no process change, cleaned better at a tenth of the concentration with no oil carryover and a 90-day sump life. (Cortec Case History #676)

An Indiana automotive-electrical plant had parts rusting before they left the building. Its replacement three-stage wash runs 5% VpCI-414 with 0.4% defoamer, a water rinse, then 10% VpCI-377 as the final stage; three months of testing showed no corrosion and the process was approved. (Cortec Case History #095)

A UK plant with hundreds of rusting machined castings built a de-rust and protect line from its existing top-loading washers: spray VpCI-422 at ambient, neutralize with 10% VpCI-419 at 70 °C, dip in BioCorr for up to 24 months of protection, then repack with VCI packaging and desiccant. No rusty parts since, and the process went group-wide. (Cortec Case History #520)

Specifications

pH	8.5–9.5 (1% aqueous solution)
Dilution	Light 6.4 oz/gal (5%); medium 12.8 oz/gal (10%); heavy 25.6 oz/gal (20%)
Operating temperature	120–150°F (49–66°C)
Non-volatile content	9–13% standard; 28–31% for the SC concentrate
Weight per gallon	8.7–8.9 lb (1.04–1.07 kg/L); SC grade 9.2–9.6 lb
Residue	Leaves no residual film; will not affect paint adhesion; requires mechanical action
Foam	Foam-free; for high-pressure spray washers
Removes	Light to medium oil deposits, machining fluids, coolants
Post-clean protection	Short-term multi-metal corrosion protection after cleaning
Metals	Carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, brass, solder
Consultation guide rating	1 – enclosed or packaged storage
Selection note	Non-foaming choice where high pH is restricted
Concentration check	Vol % = 7.14 × °Brix + 0.02 (DI water); working pH 8.5–9.2
Flammability	Non-flammable, water-based
Storage	Minimum 32 °F (0 °C), maximum 120 °F (49 °C)
Size	55 Gallon Drum
Shipping weight	508 lb (230 kg)
Availability	In stock
Cortec product number	11603122

Solvent Recycling Systems is an authorized Cortec® distributor. See the full Cortec VpCI line, browse the VpCI product selection guide, or contact us for volume pricing and lead times.