Electrolysis- newbie question

J

JHicks

Member
Hello all
Is it possible to leave a piece in the electrolysis tank for to long?
I run my battery charger at either 12volt/2amp or 12volt/15amp because those are the 2 settings I have except for the 12volt/125amp engine start and I am not going there.
I don't really see any difference between the 2 settings that I use and length of time in the tank is really not an issue for me, I am not in a hurry.
I would really hate to ruin a piece answering this question.
Thanks
Joe
 
I have seen reports of those who leave a piece running in electro nearly 24 hours. It doesn't appear to be harmful, but I don't think I would ever want to leave the apparatus operating unattended or not regularly monitored. I find electro is going to do what it needs to or is able to do in a much shorter period of time. I think 2 amps is fine for just rust, and 10 seems better for crud removal.
 
I accidentally left an old Stanley plane body in the tank for a few weeks, it did not do any damage to the body. It is best to get it clean and get it out of the tank as quickly as you can though.
 
Thanks guys.
I agree Doug, I have found that the process is going to do all it can do in about 6 hrs. Any more soaking time does not seem to remove any more of the black stuff (carbon?), especially the stuff in the pits on the outside of the pans. in this case, "persistence is futile".
Found another pan today; saw a handle sticking out of a pile of steel, and had to jump into a scrap-metal dumpster to retrieve it. Never too old to go diving!! Getting in was easy, getting out was a bit more interesting!
I think this new one has the record for most built up crud that I have seen so far. It went right into the E-tank when I got home, and 90% of the crud came off within the 1st 2hrs.
It's been in for about 5 hours now. I have checked it 3 times, and the last check did not look any different than the one before.
 
I came across this post, and am new at Electrolysis as well. Many swear this is the holy grail to clean pans, but I am having trouble getting all the crud off as well. As some spots on outside/inside and the lettering won't budge on what was a very encrusted Gris

(5 rebars in 17" diameter tank set up). As I am in New England its a little cold; could that be the issue? as a lot more crud came off on the one day that was 60 degrees. Or perhaps flat metal anode would work better? I have had this piece in for 30 + hours (taking out to scrape down every so often) pulling between 2 and 8 amps on the meter. Any guidance would be welcomed

I had switched from cleaning cycle from oven which I thinks works great except I was worried about the smell, stinging eyes, breathing the smoke with my non vented hood and risking cracks. I may go back to this method and rig up my small airmover with a duct attached to my window and use E after to remove any residual rust.
 
While smaller anodes like rebar may work fine initially, I think the small surface area will encrust more quickly than will a larger surface like sheet metal. Once the anode starts to encrust, cleaning efficiency drops. I don't think temp is an issue, as it is with lye.
 
I imagine! Yeah I had planned to try a smaller version with flat metal as suggested (thanks Doug).... too cold in my neck of the woods as well.

PS I can only assume this is JR the CF, thx for all the great videos. I am slowly learning!
 
AlexM. said:
I imagine!
PS I can only assume this is JR the CF, thx for all the great videos. I am slowly learning!
Click to expand...

You can assume this, I am a snow man in the NEK of VT, and I do not do videos.:covri:

Doug, might need to change my name, 2nd time with this assuming.
 
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