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Using NaOH for electrolyte
- Thread starter ShawnE
- Start date
Right, I knew about the potential boom for doing it indoors...but thought maybe there was something different with using Lye like you're doing. Anyway, sounds like it's the same, but as long as you're mitigating the potential boom with good ventilation, carry on...
I've considered doing this in my basement with an exhaust fan of some sort. Certainly, it might work, but it makes me too nervous to try without some easy way to test the hydrogen/oxygen concentrations in the room.
This can't fail! :icon_thumbsup:
Jeffrey R.
Well-known member
I have been away, and back on the road again today. So I see that you live on the edge Shawn.:covri:
Years ago, I knew old timer a gas pipe fitter that would check his work after the gas was turned on.
Light a match.:headpop:
I know that I will not put me E-tank in side, just to much fumes coming off. I can see them if the light is just right. I have to put my lye tank in for the winter, but it has a nice cover and it is on it at all times. It will be coming out this week?? The temp was 31 deg. last night, will see.
Update on my E-tank.
My NaOH water is still clean. I'll never go back to washing soda. My anodes stay clean with no pitting. I will still keep my lye tank for cleaning, and the E-tank for rust.
I do have a new issue. I have had to replace the board over the top of my tank, as it burnt through. I have cleaned rust off cast iron, iron , and old tin.
Painted, ready for a new home.
Years ago, I knew old timer a gas pipe fitter that would check his work after the gas was turned on.
Light a match.:headpop:
I know that I will not put me E-tank in side, just to much fumes coming off. I can see them if the light is just right. I have to put my lye tank in for the winter, but it has a nice cover and it is on it at all times. It will be coming out this week?? The temp was 31 deg. last night, will see.
Update on my E-tank.
My NaOH water is still clean. I'll never go back to washing soda. My anodes stay clean with no pitting. I will still keep my lye tank for cleaning, and the E-tank for rust.
I do have a new issue. I have had to replace the board over the top of my tank, as it burnt through. I have cleaned rust off cast iron, iron , and old tin.
Painted, ready for a new home.
Last edited:
As I said earlier, I do it with good ventilation indoors. There is much less H2 evolved than you might expect, but good ventilation is highly recommended.
About burning through the board, You are putting a fair amount of current through a poor connection. Try and clean your connections, It also looks like your wire size could be larger. I also think that you will see faster results with more anode area.
The stove looks very nice :icon_thumbsup:
If you want to see some pictures of my test cell results, they are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/105980170291882110053/CastIron02#6138084356065412082
This is a combination lye & e-tank. Notice the condition of the anodes in the last pictures.
I'll do a small write up about the results, conclusions and techniques in the next few days.
About burning through the board, You are putting a fair amount of current through a poor connection. Try and clean your connections, It also looks like your wire size could be larger. I also think that you will see faster results with more anode area.
The stove looks very nice :icon_thumbsup:
If you want to see some pictures of my test cell results, they are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/105980170291882110053/CastIron02#6138084356065412082
This is a combination lye & e-tank. Notice the condition of the anodes in the last pictures.
I'll do a small write up about the results, conclusions and techniques in the next few days.
JefferyR,
Have you tried larger anodes? I plan on building a larger e-tank of at least 55 gal, probably larger, as I need to run my MGB heads and wheels in it, maybe the block as well.
Mild steel anodes are cheap. You might look into a local rem (remnant) seller. If you don't know one, ask a local machinist.
Have you tried larger anodes? I plan on building a larger e-tank of at least 55 gal, probably larger, as I need to run my MGB heads and wheels in it, maybe the block as well.
Mild steel anodes are cheap. You might look into a local rem (remnant) seller. If you don't know one, ask a local machinist.
Jeffrey R.
Well-known member
ShawnE, I am sure that you are putting safety first. I do not think with the size of my E-tank that it would be wise to do it inside. If I am standing in the wrong direction around my E-tank, the fumes does get to you quick.
Sometime I will clean a small piece of tin and need the small wire. I agree with the fact that a fair amount of current through a small wire with poor connection is not the best. If all I need to do is change the piece of wood, well I have a saw mill, go and cut some wood.
Also I am working on getting longer anodes.Like to go with 4.
Your photos look like your tank is doing its job.:icon_thumbsup:
As for my self, with the volume that I do and fact that my pieces go into my E-tank clean for the Most Part of the old crud. It will be primarily be used for rust removal. Also when it comes out of my E-tank it will be cleaner than if I did the crud cleaning in there also. Clean freak
My lye tank is nice and black, but it will still take off your skin if you want to steal one of my pieces in there. You look at the photo of my E-tank, how clean the water is. I have put 12 pieces of cast iron + the wood stove + 8 pieces of early tin ware + one piece of iron.
My tank is 55 gal.
Sometime I will clean a small piece of tin and need the small wire. I agree with the fact that a fair amount of current through a small wire with poor connection is not the best. If all I need to do is change the piece of wood, well I have a saw mill, go and cut some wood.
Also I am working on getting longer anodes.Like to go with 4.
Your photos look like your tank is doing its job.:icon_thumbsup:
As for my self, with the volume that I do and fact that my pieces go into my E-tank clean for the Most Part of the old crud. It will be primarily be used for rust removal. Also when it comes out of my E-tank it will be cleaner than if I did the crud cleaning in there also. Clean freak
My lye tank is nice and black, but it will still take off your skin if you want to steal one of my pieces in there. You look at the photo of my E-tank, how clean the water is. I have put 12 pieces of cast iron + the wood stove + 8 pieces of early tin ware + one piece of iron.
My tank is 55 gal.
JefferyR,
To each their own. I decided to run a combination lye / e-tank. This gives me a single tank to maintain. I can understand if you want to run individual tanks. I don't run enough pieces to matter, but even if I did, I still would run a combo tank. I don't care how dirty the tank solution is, just how clean the part is. FWIW, I found that to decrease the time in the tank, I pull the part and give it quick scrub with a stiff plastic brush after an hour or so to loosen up the surface crud. This gives me a better surface area for electrolysis, as well as giving me a better idea as to how much longer it will take to finish the process.
Again, to each their own. This is just the process that I've developed for myself. I still think that it is better than the Na2CO3 (washing soda) process / graphite plates that has been promoted else where.
Like I said in an earlier post, I'll do a writeup as to my results and reasoning. Constructive criticisms are encouraged.
To each their own. I decided to run a combination lye / e-tank. This gives me a single tank to maintain. I can understand if you want to run individual tanks. I don't run enough pieces to matter, but even if I did, I still would run a combo tank. I don't care how dirty the tank solution is, just how clean the part is. FWIW, I found that to decrease the time in the tank, I pull the part and give it quick scrub with a stiff plastic brush after an hour or so to loosen up the surface crud. This gives me a better surface area for electrolysis, as well as giving me a better idea as to how much longer it will take to finish the process.
Again, to each their own. This is just the process that I've developed for myself. I still think that it is better than the Na2CO3 (washing soda) process / graphite plates that has been promoted else where.
Like I said in an earlier post, I'll do a writeup as to my results and reasoning. Constructive criticisms are encouraged.
Jeffrey R.
Well-known member
ShawnE,
What works for me will not work for everyone else, and I am fine with that. Like I wrote yesterday with the volume that I deal with, this needs to work for me. Case in point. Try to fit all this in your E-tank at one time.
Well, it all went in my lye tank at the same time. When one or 2 pieces came out of the lye tank, they get washed, and if need to they go into the E-tank they go then. I had the whole pile cleaned and seasoned in a week, less the Wagner waffle set cleaned but not seasoned. Try cleaning and seasoning all this with just an E-tank in a week.
I am sure that the way you have your setup will work for most all folks, just like a plastic bag and oven cleaner works for others. Hopefully this will show folks two ways to clean cast iron, high volume, low volume with safety first. At the end of the day we both have clean iron.
I was going to stay with the washing soda process and go with a set of graphite plates. But since setting my E-tank with NaOH, I just need to get 4 longer anodes, or 2 curved plate. Also I not only clean skillets , etc. I will add in a wood stove. Well, I have another one to clean. Ever clean a set of ice tongs, well that is just the tip of the ice burg. :icon_rofl:
I found that to decrease the time in both tanks, I pull the part and give it quick scrub with a tooth brush size SS wire brush. Fine wire, no scratches.
"FWIW" ??
What works for me will not work for everyone else, and I am fine with that. Like I wrote yesterday with the volume that I deal with, this needs to work for me. Case in point. Try to fit all this in your E-tank at one time.
Well, it all went in my lye tank at the same time. When one or 2 pieces came out of the lye tank, they get washed, and if need to they go into the E-tank they go then. I had the whole pile cleaned and seasoned in a week, less the Wagner waffle set cleaned but not seasoned. Try cleaning and seasoning all this with just an E-tank in a week.
I am sure that the way you have your setup will work for most all folks, just like a plastic bag and oven cleaner works for others. Hopefully this will show folks two ways to clean cast iron, high volume, low volume with safety first. At the end of the day we both have clean iron.
I was going to stay with the washing soda process and go with a set of graphite plates. But since setting my E-tank with NaOH, I just need to get 4 longer anodes, or 2 curved plate. Also I not only clean skillets , etc. I will add in a wood stove. Well, I have another one to clean. Ever clean a set of ice tongs, well that is just the tip of the ice burg. :icon_rofl:
I found that to decrease the time in both tanks, I pull the part and give it quick scrub with a tooth brush size SS wire brush. Fine wire, no scratches.
"FWIW" ??