Overkill for electrolysis purposes?

[maxhall1023]

Hey guys recently started restoring old power and hand tools. So far I haven't gotten any that have significant rust but I'm always on the lookout for items for future projects. I found this beast of a battery charger that should do the trick. I guess my question is, is this thing overkill and could I even use it to its full potential or could this lead to damage to the part that I'm trying to de-rust if I crank up the voltage too high?

https://worcester.craigslist.org/tls/5722884137.html

 

[dadsEH]

That sucker will remove rust without being plugged in !!!!

 

[gdpolk]

Heck, I'd buy it at that price just to have an awesome piece of equipment. That could be used to trickle charge any battery you'll ever run across from tiny marine batteries to big tractor batteries, can be used to juice electrolysis, "jump start your car", and just be awesome. Most homeowner grade battery chargers run $50-100 for a decent one. That's in the ballpark in pricing of even smaller, less capable units and you'll never need more than it can do.

If you don't buy it I may see if he can ship it.

 

[ptschram]

Buy it!

 

[930dreamer]

X2 on picking that up, that's a keeper.

 

[Empty Pockets]

If I was there, I would already be an owner, no questions about it

 

[Warrenator]

Great looking unit. When I do electrolysis, the current can be high or low depending on how many electrodes, and how much sodium carbonate is in the water, as well as the charge rate (2 or 6 amps on the little charger I currently use.) Even though you have a big charger there you can select a slower rate of charge, and that nice big ammeter shows exactly what is happening.

I over currented my old power supply and basically melted it. The water got quite warm. But that was a power supply for a 12 volt radio, no current limiter like a battery charger. Also no ammeter, so I just saw lots of bubbles and figured it was going great. Oooooops. I think less than 10 amps is fine for electrolysis unless you are doing something huge.

 

[My Old Tools]

Yep, should work just fine.

 

[zkling]

Love it, no frills.

 

[smalltown]

I use an older charger that seems to run about 2.5 AMPS. The wife bought me a newer charger that will not work with the electrolysis as it apparently needs to sense some current flow before it will start up. So I use the older charger for my electrolysis projects.

 

[Outlawmws]

For small E-tank work definitely overkill for a GREAT battery charger, or LARGE E-tank use, BUY IT. (one guy was doing a truck frame and set up essentially a "mini low swimming pool" or oversize waterbed frame, plastic lined, laid in rebar, set the frame in on bricks, then more rebar supported over it, and used a DC arc welder... so in that case, that charger would have been perfect.

For any E-tank, however, low and slow is best. so for 5 gallon bucket use, overkill, (even Rubbermaid tub use...)

 

[maxhall1023]

thanks everyone, hoping that the guy that is supposed to take a look at it Monday is a no show so I can put this thing to use.