electrolysis/rust removal question

[Hylourgos]

Two questions about electrolysis, for either those who know about electricity or those who have tried it.:

1) I'm gearing up to try this out on a number of old planes (about 10). In the interest of saving time, can I hook up multiple leads (positive, if I remember) to multiple items in the same tank, or will that dilute the effect and slow down the process? I plan on running multiple anodes around the parts, if that matters.

2) No one around here carries washing soda. I plan on mixing baking soda, tsp, and Borax instead. Any problems with that?

Thanks, H.

[Doug Winterburn]

Do *not* hook up the positive to the stuff you are trying to derust. Positive to sacrificial anode, negative to your good stuff. You can hook up multiple items as long as the connections are solid. Avoid getting the charger clamps in the solution.

Washing soda is available at all the major supermarkets in the laundry area. The box looks very similar to the baking soda boxes found in the baking area. Mix about a tablespoon to a gallon of water.

[SwampBug]

Keep looking, I finally found some at a Kroger's supermarket , may be one in your area.

[--Shiva--]

in 40 mile diameter of where I live NO grocery store carries it... BUT, the pool places have it in 5 or 10# containers... --Shiva--

[Hylourgos]

Oops, I knew I was probably getting that wrong without my crib sheet at the computer....

Believe it or not, I can't find it around here (Sewanee TN). I've tried Piggly Wiggly and the Dollar General (nearby Monteagle), and even WalMart in Decherd didn't have it. I looked carefully, it wasn't there. The only similar product by Arm&Hammer there is called "Fabricare" and is not the same as A&H Washing soda. It may be just as good for my purposes--anyone know what % sodium carbonate it has? Or any other good source of 80%+ sodium carbonate?

Otherwise, as things stand that is, it seems I'll have to resort to my second-string mix. Problems with it anticipated by anyone?

[Bob Gramza]

: > > Two questions about electrolysis, for either those who know about : > > electricity or those who have tried it.: : > >

: > > 1) I'm gearing up to try this out on a number of old planes (about : > > 10). In the interest of saving time, can I hook up multiple leads : > > (positive, if I remember) to multiple items in the same tank, or will : > > that dilute the effect and slow down the process? I plan on running : > > multiple anodes around the parts, if that matters. : >

: > Do *not* hook up the positive to the stuff you are trying to derust. : > Positive to sacrificial anode, negative to your good stuff. : : Oops, I knew I was probably getting that wrong without my crib sheet : at the computer.... : : > You can hook : > up multiple items as long as the connections are solid. Avoid getting the : > charger clamps in the solution. : >

: > >

: > > 2) No one around here carries washing soda. I plan on mixing baking : > > soda, tsp, and Borax instead. Any problems with that? : >

: > Washing soda is available at all the major supermarkets in the laundry : > area. The box looks very similar to the baking soda boxes found in the : > baking area. Mix about a tablespoon to a gallon of water. : : Believe it or not, I can't find it around here (Sewanee TN). I've : tried Piggly Wiggly and the Dollar General (nearby Monteagle), and : even WalMart in Decherd didn't have it. I looked carefully, it wasn't : there. The only similar product by Arm&Hammer there is called : "Fabricare" and is not the same as A&H Washing soda. It may be just as : good for my purposes--anyone know what % sodium carbonate it has? Or : any other good source of 80%+ sodium carbonate? : : Otherwise, as things stand that is, it seems I'll have to resort to my : second-string mix. Problems with it anticipated by anyone? : : > > Thanks, : > > H.

I throw in a tablet of regular detergent in the water. Works fine for me.

[Charlie Self]

Shiva notes:

Or:

Self

"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." Sir Winston Churchill

[The Guy]

The only similar product by Arm&Hammer there is called

I could not locate washing soda in my neck of the woods either so I used granulated dish washer detergent. Washing soda is sodium carbonate, the major ingredient in granulated DW detergent is also sodium carbonate. It works OK for me.

Tim

[Paul]

I just did five bodies in washing soda (sodium carbonate) which is found usually in an obscure corner of the washing section of the supermarket. Not a profitable item I guess! Baking soda will work (sodium bicarbonate). Cathode (-) to the good stuff. Anode (+) is sacrificial. Cathode cranks out hydrogen which is a "reducing" environment and will not allow corrosion of your good stuff. Oxygen comes off at Anode. Ordinary iron/steel anodes will rust away like crazy. I use a stainless steel sheet for anode. Won't corrode so badly. Keeps everything a little cleaner in the tub but this is not necessary. Just happened to have an old perforated stainless sheet from the grill. Nice big surface area too. You will need to get your current up to a level high enough to loosen the garbage as well as the rust. I get to about 8-10 amps at 12 volts. Warms the tub up too. I put a small 12 volt cooling fan on top of the charger to increase ventilation as it is running at it's "rated max" (10 amps). (Surge max on mine is 15 amps for a short period. I do NOT run at that). Your current (amps) is affected by concentration of soda, surface area of electrodes and distance betwen the electrodes. If you have a large surface area of planes in the tub it's no good having a puny anode surface area. Try to get them roughly matched. Anyhow, be careful not to exceed your 12 V DC source in terms of current. Don't use a battery as source. A short can go to excessive amperages and cause serious damage or harm. Also, the hydrogen and oxygen offgassing provides a dandy explosive mixture. ventilation strongly advised! When the cooking is done, wash off immediately and bake in low oven immediately to drive all the moisture from the porous iron. Take care. Paul

[Silvan]

It seems to be a regional thing. A lot of folks are convinced it's under every rock, so it probably is where they live.

When I couldn't find any, I used some of SWMBO's Oxy-Clean. It worked just great.