Electrolysis (Rust Removal)

Stangrcr1

Stangrcr1

New Member
#21
#21
If you have a high amp charger like my old Dayton 100amp, then you can make the solution strong and the water turns to foam as it works. And it works much faster.

My charger is one of the old ones that weights 80lbs and most of that is the transformer.

Stainless steel works best as the anode and lasts much longer than mild steel/iron. I check the local GoodWill and get whatever stainless pans/bowls/serving trays they have. I also have a couple stainless rods that I have used.

55 gallon plastic drum with the top cut off for bigger stuff and 5 gallon buckets or a plastic washtub for small stuff.

Haven't tried evaporust, but sounds interesting.
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#22
#22
Casey Davis said:
Really no story... I asked a couple of employees where I could find sodium carbonate and nobody seemed to know, then I kept asking because I really didn't want to go to Walmart. So, I finally find it and pick up some Acetone and other things and head up front. Management was waiting for me and I had to sit there while they waited on an officer to respond. I had already convinced them through me YouTube history on my phone what the stuff was for... Just idiot whistle blowers thinking their doing society a favor by trying to wreck my evening.
I did tell the woman manager that she doesn't have the right to demand any answers from me... Kinda pissed me off the way it started up front with shoppers looking on.
I got what I need though and I'm glad they didn't have to take down personal information, because I didn't want to give them any.
Click to expand...
Them lamebrains should be better informed tort law. Holding someone against their will without official and due cause could cost them dearly....in 10k increments.
 
Rapidrob

Rapidrob

#24
#24
I use Arm & Hammer WASHING SODA for most projects. If the part is really rusty I will ad Phosphoric Acid. Most bathroom cleaners contain this.
It is not fast. But it removes all traces of rust. Most of my projects take about 72 hours to a week to remove all of the rust.
It's cheap to do compared to the chemical rust removers.
 
Casey Davis

Casey Davis

New Member
#25
#25
Well, I came home to find my gas tank project 50% complete. The process really does a good job at breaking loose the rust and I'm happy so far. Now, round two...another 24hrs and I'll be flushing it with Coca-Cola and getting ready for paint prep.
 
Rapidrob

Rapidrob

#27
#27

Hidden rust you could not see in the pores of the steel



After 18 hours in the tank. You can see where the rust was removed. All I have done is remove the brown scum that forms on the surface of the steel with 0000-steel wool.
 
Casey Davis

Casey Davis

New Member
#30
#30
I'll get picks when finished.
I like Evaporust as well, but the 5 gallon bucket I have has lost it's power. I let the tank soak in it before trying this... This just seams to break up more of the rust on this particular project. I'll try anything that works...
 
Oldsalt

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#31
#31
Safety:

Use goggles. Lye and hydrochloric acid [muriatic acid] and etc can cause blindness. Although washing detergent will work for fast acting you might want to use these. Rubber gloves and goggles are cheap.

You can be injured/dead messing around with a battery charger and 110 V. and water. The 110V shorts to the battery charger case and you are standing in water...something could happen. Be careful, unplug the charger when doing anything with the system.

Your tank should be OUTSIDE. Certain acids can produce harmful vapors. Stand up-wind.

Leave the battery charger inside to protect from rain and run the cables outside. If you put the charger outside DON'T completely cover it to protect it from the rain...it might overheat.

Tank MUST be lightly [not air tight] covered. Children and pets MUST be protected from the system.

Have clean water on hand in case there are splashes or spills that need to be cleaned up quickly.

NEVER use salt in the solution! Sodium chloride WILL generate chlorine gas! Can kill or injure.

The electrolysis process supplies electrons to hydrogen ions in water changing them to hydrogen gas. VERY flammable and has no odor and can't be seen. It has the WIDEST explosive range of any fuel gas.

Use mild steel [will turn solution to a muddy color] or use graphite for the electrode. Blocks of graphite is hard to get and I have used up most of what I highgraded from the Hanford nuclear site. It is the best.

NEVER use stainless steel for electrodes. The solution stays nicer than with mild steel and they last a lot longer, however, the solution WILL turn yellow signifying that the chrome in the stainless steel has produced a chromate. Hexavalent chromium is seriously poisonous. Chrome is a heavy metal. I am not much of a tree hugger and take 50% of the BS spread around by the EPA as not worth listening to. However, take my word on this one, hex chrome is bad stuff and cannot be easily gotten rid of. It will poison the soil if dumped and poison it for a long time. Don't ruin your property and don't dump it down the drain. In short...forget using stainless.

Honest, none of my above ramblings are meant to scare anyone...they are just common sense. I really like it because it does a better job on most things without media blasting and it does it while I sleep.
 
Casey Davis

Casey Davis

New Member
#32
#32
I was going to use a threaded stainless rod, but ended up choosing the coat hanger option for the anode. When I replaced the anode last night after about 20 hrs. into the process, the coat hanger was almost unrecognizable. I replaced it and hope I get home tonight to find the process complete.
 
Rapidrob

Rapidrob

#33
#33
I use old cans cut into wide,long strips. The more area you can provide for the electrons to be attracted to, the better it works.
As for you " electricity and water don't mix" guys, unless you dump the power supply into the water there is no chance of you being shocked.
If you reverse the leads and use a different solution, you get a plating machine.
:biggrin:
 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#36
#36
I wonder if you plugged the power supply (battery charger) into a ground fault if that would remove or lessen the danger if it did short........:confused:

Where's all the site electricians....:glare:....Square Chopper!!! :hammer:
 
Square_Chopper

Square_Chopper

Active Member
#39
#39
Well, since it was brought up, I'll throw in two more pennies and say that ALL garage / workshop outlets should be GFI's. It's a national electrical code requirement for a good reason. Just sayin'....
 
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