First try at electrolysis

[930dreamer]

I thought I'd give this a try today.

Second Video @ 8 hours.

Third Video @ 22 hours.

Pair of visegrips, forgot to take a before pic, Dooh.

 

[Bull]

Hey, nice to put a face and a voice with the name!

Thanks for taking the time to do that. Hard to beat a video for instructive effectiveness.

 

[Outlawmws]

Getting more rebar around the periphery will speed the process. Electrolysis is mostly a line of site process. Good start!

 

[DrkMtnDew]

one of these day i will give this a try... seems to get good results. good vid thanks...

 

[930dreamer]

Getting more rebar around the periphery will speed the process. Electrolysis is mostly a line of site process. Good start!

Would a metal basket work/slow down the process?

 

[kissmeimgerman]

very cool, I too need to try this on a few things...

 

[930dreamer]

Finished product, I went over it with a brass wheel.

 

[spongerich]

Getting more rebar around the periphery will speed the process. Electrolysis is mostly a line of site process. Good start!

A "dumber" battery charger helps too. So called smart chargers seem to step down to trickle charge mode when there's no battery attached. You should see lots more bubbles... I usually end up with a good layer of rusty foamy goo at the top after 30 min or so.

I have a bunch of stuff to put in the tank next weekend... taking a video is a great idea.

 

[v7guy]

I found that I got the best results using some sheet metal. It probably worked about the times better.

Really is a nice way to remove rust isn't it?

 

[mooman]

Question. What do you do with the left over liquid?

 

[Outlawmws]

A "dumber" battery charger helps too. So called smart chargers seem to step down to trickle charge mode when there's no battery attached. You should see lots more bubbles... I usually end up with a good layer of rusty foamy goo at the top after 30 min or so.

I have a bunch of stuff to put in the tank next weekend... taking a video is a great idea.

I do also, but it is a bit dependent on the thickness of the rust layer, and if it is the soft crumbly kind, of the hard dark staining type. Cast iron seems to be more prone to the sea of foam also.

I made a scraper/dipper to clear the worst of it as the process goes, and found a corner of a plastic box lid, with a tiny hole in the corner worked reasonably well, as it would hold the worst of the foam, while draining off the water.

 

[Outlawmws]

Question. What do you do with the left over liquid?

The leftover electrolyte is pretty benign. You can let it settle and just pour it out, leaving the residue which will have a lot of paint and rust sludge, and toss that; you can dry it on newspapers or just bag it and dump it...

The water part you pour off has some iron and is slightly alkaline, so depending on your garden needs can be just poured off or down the drain. Or you can pour off the clear part and use it again.

 

[Outlawmws]

Would a metal basket work/slow down the process?

Not sure how you mean this. a metal basket to hold the parts? that would probably slow or defeat the process. a loose basket might, but keep in mind, you only want plain iron/steel, in the bath. no plating or SS as now you are potentially making toxic waste, and potentially toxic gas/solution.

A larger metal basket as the sacrificial anode should be fine. My primary setup for the anode was some 6" wide 1/4" plate welded up in a "U" shape to fit a 5 gallon bucket. works well for most things.

One word of warning on gasses. Those bubbles you see forming are Hydrogen, so this is definitely an outside process, not inside anywhere enclosed.

 

[johnnybentwrench]

Forgot what you add cleaning soda, baking soda ??

Thanks for uploading it. @ Bull sticky??

 

[Outlawmws]

Forgot what you add cleaning soda, baking soda ??

Thanks for uploading it. @ Bull sticky??

Baking soda will work, Arm and Hammer washing soda is supposed to be better. I use Spa/pool chemical, PH (+) - Sodium Carbonate.

Basically you are looking for an alkaline solution. The washing soda and Spa chem is nice because it also degreases if there is some oil residue. Less so for the baking soda.

 

[north]

Getting more rebar around the periphery will speed the process. Electrolysis is mostly a line of site process. Good start!

I noticed this today. I started experimenting with electrolysis last week doing one wrench at a time. Today I put in three wrenches and the one farthest from the anode had no visible action so I put in a second anode across from the first one and the action picked up big time.

I use crystal soda.

 

[930dreamer]

I noticed this today. I started experimenting with electrolysis last week doing one wrench at a time. Today I put in three wrenches and the one farthest from the anode had no visible action so I put in a second anode across from the first one and the action picked up big time.

I use crystal soda.

I went from one then two and finally three anodes in a 5 gallon bucket. Placing them in a triangle with the tool etc in the middle worked great.

With the charger on 24V/15 amp the water and tool become warm to the touch. I want to do a Mercedes fuel tank next, I need to find a large tote.

 

[fergus]

I used my old wheelbarrow for my Jeep tank. I use flat steel stock for electrodes...1" wide...works pretty good...easy to scrape off the crud in between sessions with a razor, then hit with wire wheel.

 

[boomerangg22]

I went from one then two and finally three anodes in a 5 gallon bucket. Placing them in a triangle with the tool etc in the middle worked great.

With the charger on 24V/15 amp the water and tool become warm to the touch. I want to do a Mercedes fuel tank next, I need to find a large tote.

I've seen some people using a kids small swimming pool (the hard plastic kind)for thier larger stuff.

 

[Outlawmws]

I went from one then two and finally three anodes in a 5 gallon bucket. Placing them in a triangle with the tool etc in the middle worked great.

With the charger on 24V/15 amp the water and tool become warm to the touch. I want to do a Mercedes fuel tank next, I need to find a large tote.

This is one instance where "More Power" is not better. you will actually get better results with a lower, slower run.

I moved from my 20A Silver Beauty to a 1A trickle charger for small parts.

The people that are recovering cannons and what not off of sunken shipwrecks are taking upwards of two years of long slow recovery. Not saying to take that long for a tool, but my little 1 A charger gets small tools done in a few hours..

 

[north]

I have a 4 amp charger and it seem to work ok. One thing, do you folks start out with a clean solution for each run?

 

[930dreamer]

I have a 4 amp charger and it seem to work ok. One thing, do you folks start out with a clean solution for each run?

I didn't change the solution, just added more baking soda and continued.

 

[Steven67fr]

I use pool ph+ chemicals. I use a large plastic bucket with about 4-6 steel stakes c clamped around the perimeter. All the stakes are connected with cable. I use a "non smart" charger on the 50 amp start setting. In my experience it seems that more anodes and a higher current greatly speed the process. I would imagine that one could use any dc power supply (welder maybe) to put out 150 amps or more and greatly speed the process.

Do you guys have any ideas?

 

[hydramatic]

I use the glass bead unit at work...nice.

 

[willy3486]

I use this method a lot. I usually use a 5 gallon bucket to hold the water. I use baking soda since I couldn't originally find the washing soda. I use a industrial power supply. I tried a battery charger and it was to slow for my liking. I have this other industrial power supply so I tried it. I had great luck with it and it cleans fast. I used this method to clean a lot of my tool parts when I was redoing old tools for my shop. If I have something rusted up to where the bolts won't loosen and can dip it, I do this method. It will get the bolts loose better than anything.

 

[Outlawmws]

I use pool ph+ chemicals. I use a large plastic bucket with about 4-6 steel stakes c clamped around the perimeter. All the stakes are connected with cable. I use a "non smart" charger on the 50 amp start setting. In my experience it seems that more anodes and a higher current greatly speed the process. I would imagine that one could use any dc power supply (welder maybe) to put out 150 amps or more and greatly speed the process.

Do you guys have any ideas?

Read post # 20

 

[Outlawmws]

I have a 4 amp charger and it seem to work ok. One thing, do you folks start out with a clean solution for each run?

No, you may need to add water (you don't need to add more chemical. all you are doing is replacing water that evaporated), and once in a while scrape/brush the worst of the gunk off the sacrificial anodes

 

[Outlawmws]

I didn't change the solution, just added more baking soda and continued.

You don't need to add more chemical. all you need to do is replace water that evaporated

 

[930dreamer]

You don't need to add more chemical. all you need to do is replace water that evaporated

Good to know, should the anodes in the water be ground down to clean metal?

 

[north]

No, you may need to add water (you don't need to add more chemical. all you are doing is replacing water that evaporated), and once in a while scrape/brush the worst of the gunk off the sacrificial anodes

Ok, thanks. I had some 'fresh' runs and some with the same solution and couldn't see any difference although I haven't had that many runs yet.

 

[Outlawmws]

Good to know, should the anodes in the water be ground down to clean metal?

I give them a quick hit with a wire brush or wire wheel to get the gross stuff off and go again. Shiny metal isn't needed, but a thick layer of gunge will slow things down.

 

[Outlawmws]

p.s. you do want/need a good clean connections however. Both for the wire a part is hanging on, and where you connect to the anode. Rust is a pretty fair insulator...

 

[930dreamer]

I went to the Restore Store today, they have a dozen or so containers of PH + for $4 each. I'm still looking for a large tote for the MB fuel tank.

 

[930dreamer]

I'm looking for a stock tank or kiddie pool to put a MB fuel tank in. I need the whole tank submerged because I want to ensure the return line gets cleaned. The anodes don't need to go into the tank do they? Thanks

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm looking for a stock tank or kiddie pool to put a MB fuel tank in. I need the whole tank submerged because I want to ensure the return line gets cleaned. The anodes don't need to go into the tank do they? Thanks

Yes; we derust the interior of motorcycle tanks with a short piece of rebar in the fill hole (insulated and vented...) and capping off the outlets.

In your case you are doing both inside and out and will need to have something inside to do the complete job. you may want to take the sender/fuel pup plate off (You should anyway to get to bare tank) and run it in there, as well as a grid outside.

 

[930dreamer]

I'm only worried about the inside.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm only worried about the inside.

In that case you can stop looking for a tank to put it in.

Get it blocked into a stable position (remembering its going to be HEAVY when full of water)

Tape/insulate the opening you are going to use. This might be the fill pipe opening.

Cut a piece of rebar to maximize how much is inside the tank. (Diagonally from the fill spout?)

Insulate the tip of the rebar so you can have it contact the bottom/side of the tanks when the electrolysis is running without shorting out

Remember which is anode and which is cathode when you hook up the power source!

Plan on a long run. as you have a lot of surface area, and not a lot of anode surface. you may need to add water.

Clean the anode several times as you go.

After you are done, dump the water out and dump in a quart of more of alcohol, and slosh thoroughly. (This is to remove the water)

Dump out the Alcohol and get a quart or more of kerosene in there and slosh thoroughly (This step is to "oil" the surfaces with something that won't contaminate the fuel too badly)

Seal it completely until you are ready to install and fill with fuel (Completely)

Best to fill asap after de-rusting the tank.

 

[930dreamer]

Here's a short vid on the MB fuel tank.
(4) anodes total, (3) outside the fuel tank and (1) inside.

 

[930dreamer]

MB tank after 20 hours.

 

[Outlawmws]

Is that tank galvanized?