electrolysis cleaning
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
DC current will clean the piece and erode the sacrificial steel (polarity correct).
Reversing this will have reverse effect ... clean steel and erode the piece.
AC line current will clean both and erode both (60 times per second).
I don't think you want the second effect. Stick with DC.
Reversing this will have reverse effect ... clean steel and erode the piece.
AC line current will clean both and erode both (60 times per second).
I don't think you want the second effect. Stick with DC.
Last edited by NHvette; Nov 15, 2006 at 01:29 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Wisp
If you heat the water to about 60 degrees it is much more effective.... We use it for old engines parts and rubber gaskets..... and I use it for my Vette parts
So it's rubber safe then? That's good to know.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Loveland Colo
Along a similar line, here's an alternative to painting for those newly cleaned parts....
http://www.bellarmor.com/about_parkerizing.php
http://www.jouster.com/articles30m1/parkerizing.html
http://www.bellarmor.com/about_parkerizing.php
http://www.jouster.com/articles30m1/parkerizing.html
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by JustForFun
i read where one guy used a 1600 gallon homemade tub, and uses it to clean auto frames and large equipment...its powered by a large dc welder
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Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Originally Posted by NHvette
DC current will clean the piece and erode the sacrificial steel (polarity correct).
Reversing this will have reverse effect ... clean steel and erode the piece.
AC line current will clean both and erode both (60 times per second).
I don't think you want the second effect. Stick with DC.
Reversing this will have reverse effect ... clean steel and erode the piece.
AC line current will clean both and erode both (60 times per second).
I don't think you want the second effect. Stick with DC.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta Ga
i can tell you this....i put my tie-rod assemblies in the tub. hour later went back and got them out. rust and grim gone. loosened the end bolts and twisted all 4 tie rods out by hand. every part ive tried in there comes out great. even the belly pan for the 72, it removed rust/dirt/and 90% of the paint. IM SOLD
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 2
From: Sherwood Park AB
Originally Posted by NHvette
DC current will clean the piece and erode the sacrificial steel (polarity correct).
Reversing this will have reverse effect ... clean steel and erode the piece.
AC line current will clean both and erode both (60 times per second).
I don't think you want the second effect. Stick with DC.
Reversing this will have reverse effect ... clean steel and erode the piece.
AC line current will clean both and erode both (60 times per second).
I don't think you want the second effect. Stick with DC.
Faraday's law is what determines the weight loss. The weight of material is directly proportional to the current. 1 amp of current discharging off steel will remove 20 lbs of steel in 1 year. 2 amps will remove 40 lbs, etc...
The anode undergoes an Oxidation reaction, losing Fe++, the electrons that go through the metallic path (wire) to the cathode (part to be cleaned). The cathode is negatively charged, and wants to grab some OH+ molecules and add electrons to them, removing the oxide from the iron; rust (FeOH)
The electrolyte (baking soda water) is an ionized solution capable of conduction electricity. Anions move from the cathode to anode, NaHCO3 (baking soda) has Na+ ions and HCO3- anions.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by rexx78
Yup, AC changes polarity. A rectifier can be used to change the AC to DC, it consists of a step down transformer, and a diode bridge.
Faraday's law is what determines the weight loss. The weight of material is directly proportional to the current. 1 amp of current discharging off steel will remove 20 lbs of steel in 1 year. 2 amps will remove 40 lbs, etc...
The anode undergoes an Oxidation reaction, losing Fe++, the electrons that go through the metallic path (wire) to the cathode (part to be cleaned). The cathode is negatively charged, and wants to grab some OH+ molecules and add electrons to them, removing the oxide from the iron; rust (FeOH)
The electrolyte (baking soda water) is an ionized solution capable of conduction electricity. Anions move from the cathode to anode, NaHCO3 (baking soda) has Na+ ions and HCO3- anions.
Faraday's law is what determines the weight loss. The weight of material is directly proportional to the current. 1 amp of current discharging off steel will remove 20 lbs of steel in 1 year. 2 amps will remove 40 lbs, etc...
The anode undergoes an Oxidation reaction, losing Fe++, the electrons that go through the metallic path (wire) to the cathode (part to be cleaned). The cathode is negatively charged, and wants to grab some OH+ molecules and add electrons to them, removing the oxide from the iron; rust (FeOH)
The electrolyte (baking soda water) is an ionized solution capable of conduction electricity. Anions move from the cathode to anode, NaHCO3 (baking soda) has Na+ ions and HCO3- anions.
Wow.
So will it work on an aluminum manifold?
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 87,927
Likes: 156
From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
I found what I thought was a good web page on line. 
http://www.instructables.com/id/E17U...2A5Z/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/E17U...2A5Z/?ALLSTEPS
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jughead
I found what I thought was a good web page on line.
http://www.instructables.com/id/E17U...2A5Z/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/E17U...2A5Z/?ALLSTEPS
Good pictures. See how the guy used multiple steel spikes all around for an evenly spaced reaction? I like his creativity.
