I've had mine for a few weeks. We talked with the distributor about foaming. For me it was caused by the residual left after cleaning with Disc Doctor or other fluids. What I have had to do is rinse the records which had been cleaned first with distilled water in my VPI 16.5. This has solved the foam issue for me. With records that have been cleaned already, I can go a couple of hundred records without any issue. We did a test with a second machine which had no foaming problems. Foam started to appear only after I started cleaning my cleaned records which had not been prerinsed. The rinsing doesn't take much time. I use Disk Doctor brushes to apply the distilled water. I rinse the brushes every other record that I rinse. If I am cleaning records that have not been previously cleaned - such as new records - then there is no foaming issue.
This is consistent with my findings. Records previously cleaned with Disc Doctor cause it, but not rapidly. Those previously cleaned with Mint or VPI very little effect, but those cleaned with Premier affect the solution quite a lot.
As far as the brushes not moving in sync, my guess is that the brushes that are not moving are not totally seated onto the pins that hold them. It can be a bit tricky to get them aligned and seated completely.
My unit will periodically not start the rear two brushes unless I tap on the black gear right next to them (bottom rear of water compartment). It happens very frequently with new solution, but not so much after a couple of dozen records have been cleaned. Unfortunately, you have to get into a habit of waiting after the cycle starts to make sure the rear brushes start. This is not an issue of seating, it's binding somewhere and I haven't taken it apart to figure out where.
As far as having water droplets, I find that if the reservoir tank is full to the top, then I get some water droplets - no big deal - I use a microfiber cloth to wipe dry. However, if I just fill to the point where the light turns green from red and then add about a cup more fluid, then I don't have drop problems.
I find this too, but the drops aren't caused by only the high solution level. I find that records that are 'cupped' (not flat, but bowed slightly in or out at the center) will also cause this. Whenever I see drops, I just set the wet side up on the Mofi sleeve and let it air dry.
To check whether the ultrasonic cleaner part is working, turn off the lights in the room at night and look into the machine during a cleaning cycle - to the right, under the wiper blades. There are a series of different colored lights that turn on during the cycle - fairly faint - that means it is working.
Nice to know! I've often wondered if ultrasonic was working. Sometimes you can see a little steam-like mist emanate from that area when the water is done filling (if the light is just right). I've taken that to be caused by the ultrasonic agitation of the water.
I've cleaned about 1000 records so far. So easy!!
Hope this helps.
Larry
Good info, Larry. Thanks.
--Bill