Electrolysis question?

[DieselSaves]

I have a '83 SO KR557 I picked up years ago to restore. I think I'm finally going to tackle it this winter. I have seen the good threads on cleaning drawers with electrolysis and I'd like to try that as most of the drawers are missing lots of paint from some sort of chemical damage. I intend to do a full repaint.

I have a large poly watering trough, hundred gallons or so. I think I can fit most of the drawers in at once. My question is in regards to the size of the anode. Does the sacrificial metal in the tank have to be larger in mass or surface area than the parts being cleaned? I also am looking for the soda to water ratio.

Here's the before. The pics make it look nice.

 

[drivesitfar]

I am setting up a pretty good size E tank myself for my 100 plus pound vises using the largest plastic storage container Costco sells (black with yellow lid). that said from what I have heard and read i'm going to put a piece of rebar in the container in each corner and maybe one or two in the middle on the sides that are all wired together. here are a couple pictures i'm attaching to help give you an idea of what i'm talking about.

good luck

 

[930dreamer]

I'd use enough anodes to circle around the drawers, I use a 1/2 cup for my 5 gallon bucket. One of my projects was a Mercedes gas tank in a poly container, I used two in the back, two in front and one inside the sender hole. It turned out great.

 

[DieselSaves]

Thanks for the advice. I like the multiple rebar stakes idea. We have lots of short ends laying around.

 

[drivesitfar]

some of the guys also use a large piece of thin scrap metal and put it in a U shape around the project. did you see that in one of the pictures it was using a few cement form stakes that already have holes in them.

i'm thinking of zip tying the pieces in through the container above the water line and running the wire along the outside edge connecting each piece of metal below the lip on my set up.

some methods also have a few cement blocks or bricks keeping the project off the bottom if you are not able to hang it from above.

good luck and please post pictures when you get yours set up and with something brewing inside it.

 

[DieselSaves]

good luck and please post pictures when you get yours set up and with something brewing inside it.

Thanks and will do.

 

[zkling]

Ideally you want to maximize your current density (amps per in^2) of the tank. Large flat surface anodes in direct path work the best, but you need the raw amps to run them. The mix ratio of the solution helps to control the current (via resistance) of the solution. I have it all written down in a book at home, I'll have to dig it out.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

I am setting up a pretty good size E tank myself for my 100 plus pound vises using the largest plastic storage container Costco sells (black with yellow lid). that said from what I have heard and read i'm going to put a piece of rebar in the container in each corner and maybe one or two in the middle on the sides that are all wired together. here are a couple pictures i'm attaching to help give you an idea of what i'm talking about.

good luck

I did something similar for vises and the like but used a 55 gal plastic drum on a pallet with casters to move it around. Believe I used 20-25 1/2 regard measuring 32" around the circumference and have 6 more pieces in x formations hovering at the bottom.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I just cut up a piece of scrap rebar and used that. The more you have and space around the better. I took some short pieces of scrap wire and just tied from one to the next in a U shape.

The mix ratio isn't too critical from what I'm told. Buying the washing soda at the grocery store is only like $2 or $3... I mixed like 1/3 of the box in a 20 gallon container, I think it was more than enough and probably didn't need to be that strong.

Also I discovered that when I used a battery in parallel with the charger I got a better reaction process. (i.e. use some battery cables to go from your battery to the part & rods, then connect your charger to the battery.) After you are done be sure to let the battery charge by itself.