Electrolysis questions

I am going to try to do this to some of my tractor parts.

I have read somewhere that using a car battery will help the process. I do have a car battery that I can use with my charger. I am not sure how I would hook these up? Did I read something wrong.

Does temp matter?
I can set this up in my garage but it is not heated.
Are there any fumes from this process? Can I just set it up in my basement? I was going to start with a plastic trash can.

No fumes if you use the washing soda. IF you use salt a byproduct is chlorine gas. Both produce one part Oxygen and two parts Hydrogen but nobody has blown themselves up....yet. The quantities are rather small and the hydrogen rises. Temp will affect it but if the basement is heated to any degree it should not be a problem. I don't use a car battery just a good old style charger. I have heard of using a DC welder but I have no experience with that method.

Just remember that the voltage go one way from the charger and the other from the battery. So if you use a battery hooked to the charger you will need to change the polarity on the system.
Walt

Dude, it's a great way for removing rust. I have been doing it since 2000. Have done most every part on 4 Allis's this way. You have to love any system that will allow you to remove a nut this rusted for 70 years on a plow, and screw it off with pliers after cleaning



If you have a decent charger (manual style, not an automatic), forget the battery.I've used them in the circut before, just not worth the effort.

Washing soda does produce a small amount of hydrogen, still not something to do indoors.

Temp does speed things up a bit, but here in Georgia, I have parts going most all year long. I do most of mine in either my 250 gallon tank, or in a plastic 55 gallon drum, but any plastic container will work. I've used kiddie wading pools to do rear wheels, and used four picnic table benches in a square, linded with plastic to do a huge fender.

I don't drain them unless it plans to stay below freezing for several days and nights. Even if a little bit of ice happens, it doesn't hurt anything. If you use a trash can just remember they get very unsturdy with a good load of water in them and may split. 8 lbs to the gallon is a load for cheap plastic! Your best speed comes from good commections, 8-10 amps or so of power, and lots of surface area of anode (I use old bush hog blades) *** most important is positive to anode, ground to your part*** do it backwards and your part goes away! (ask how I know that!)


here's some good reading too, sorry to get so long winded, but yell if you need help!
here's some reading when you don't have anything to do-

All do the same, but each has some different twist.

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/nsaeta/electrolysis.html

http://www3.telus.net/public/aschoepp/electrolyticrust.html

http://www.intricatearticles.com/personal/rustfaq.html

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting

http://users.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/nsaeta/electrolysis.html

http://www.fboerger.com/restorationtips.html

WHAT!!! Positive is positive and negative is negative on both the battery and the charger. There is not a polarity issue.

Hook the part to the Negative terminal and the sacrifical piece to the Positive termianal.

Jeff

In the electrolisis process you are dis-associating water. Thus, two gasses are put off, oxygen and hydrogen. This can be done in your garage. The oxygen is not an issue, and the hydrogen is not an issue either. I'll just float up and out of your garage. Also there is not enough consentration to worry about.

Also, there is no concern about clorine gas. You will not be generating any of that. You should not use table salt in the process for chemical reaction reasons in the metal, but any clorine coming off the bath water is evaporating off (and 100,000 time less quanity than a hotel pool)

This is a great system. You should not use Stainless Steel as the positive terminal the Crome in the metal will form nasty compounds in the bath water, though in small quantites, but we still do not need these tossed into the water system.

Jeff

Jeff