Electrolysis rust removal question

W

wrndln

Well-known member
I would like to finally do some electrolysis rust removal using washing soda and a battery charger. I have not had the time until now. I live in Minnesota, so doing it outside this time of year is not really an option and I would like to do some of it before it warms up outside - late March or April. The questions I have pertain to the water temperature of the solution with washing soda. Does the water temperature make any difference in how well the rust removal works? I know some hydrogen (a hazard in large amounts) is released when doing the electrolysis, but it would seem that is would be very little and not a real hazard. The next question is: Would doing the electrolysis be a hazard if it is done indoors in a basement or garage. I know to be 100% totally safe it should be done outside, but is there really a reasonable risk of doing it inside. There are no open flames or sparks where it would be done. I plan to use a 10 amp 12 V charger and a carbon anode rod. If anyone has done electrolysis and can answer the questions above, I would appreciate your input.
 
Temp of the solution has a small effect on the efficiency, the colder the solution, the less efficient it is. In Australia we don't get the temps like you get it the northern area of USA, so I don't know at what temp the solution becomes non effective., but mine has always worked above 0C (32F). The amount of hydrogen is small and I have produced sparks near the top of the solution and never caused any explosion or pop of any type. I would still not do it inside the house just to be sure though. A power supply that is adjustable is a better option over a battery charger, as the charger will be running at max current and eventually burn out, mine did, so I went and bought a supply that I can control the supply and run it at around 50% max output. A lower current will take longer but also decreases the effect of part shadows, which means the anode does not have to be in line of sight.
 
Temp has very little to do with it. I just derusted a steering column in my outside tank. I had to break the ice to submerge the column. I left it in for 3 days and it was fine. Fortunately the outside temp was about 32 so the tank didn't freeze solid. As far as inside is concerned I used to have mine in the shop. As far as I can tell there is no fire danger at all, but after awhile I started noticing that I felt like I was having an asthma attach, so I moved it outside. I wouldn't put it in the house but a well vented shop may be O.K.. Maybe put it in the shop in the winter and outside in the spring. I've been using this process for about 15 years. I swear by it.
 
OBTW, I use a 12 volt battery charger. It has an internal regulator. The bigger and denser the item the higher the rate of charge. The steering column was only pulling about 4 amps. An engine block would pull about 12 amps.
 
I like to use a battery for the power but keep a charger hooked up to it. It keeps the battery charged and the output for the electrolysis is more steady. Some of the electronic chargers don't work too well alone be cause they won't charge without some feedback.
 
Larry Seemann said:
Temp has very little to do with it. I just derusted a steering column in my outside tank. I had to break the ice to submerge the column. I left it in for 3 days and it was fine. Fortunately the outside temp was about 32 so the tank didn't freeze solid. As far as inside is concerned I used to have mine in the shop. As far as I can tell there is no fire danger at all, but after awhile I started noticing that I felt like I was having an asthma attach, so I moved it outside. I wouldn't put it in the house but a well vented shop may be O.K.. Maybe put it in the shop in the winter and outside in the spring. I've been using this process for about 15 years. I swear by it.
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Larry, Could we have exact details please. Like quantities of washing soda to water (Distilled or not distilled) Polarity, time of immersion? All the stuff that makes it work.
T.I.A. Terry
 
All the links and info are great as I too am getting ready to strip some rust for the first time using this method. I have one question concerning the leads. I understand that the negative can go right into the water and attach to the rusty part. What I don't understand is the type of connection needed to attach to the donor metal. As I have some larger pieces to strip I plan to surround the item with rebar using a kiddy pool for my tank. What do I use to attach the rebar in line to circle the item and then go above water to attach to the positive lead of my power supply, copper wire? If copper what size? Maybe I've missed this info somewhere.
 
Stretch cab,
I don't think the metal connecting multiple anode rods is real critical. I would probably use 12, 14 or 16 gauge copper wire as it is one of the best conductors available. Just strip some old household Romex and use it. I have heard carbon/graphite rods work better than steel rods. They are more expensive but I think they last a very long time.
 
i used a low amp trickle charge, terminals already provided, then plugged into a gfi, i only used 5/8" rebar and the loop i created with a vertical leg that stuck above the waterline that the positive end of the charger gripped to . twenty gallons of tap water and couple of heaping scoops of washing soda, arm and hammer. sodium carbonate. not baking soda, you can make baking powder by broiling baking soda.

negative gripped to a central location of the part being cleaned.
do not use nickel or stainless steel anywhere near this electrical solution that is where your hydrogen gas is created .
remind yourself to disconnect all your electrical before retrieving your part for examination, keep a ventilated lid on it and make everyone aware of the reaction you are attempting. pets and children are attracted to water. be safe and nobody gets hurt.
i am pleased with this process and all attempts resulted in like new products.
a real time machine.
 
Vince's post has thrown a wrench into my plans of using rebar. While I understand that it will work fine the carbon electrodes seem a better deal. Where would you buy the carbon electrodes?
 
Carbon or graphite rods are available on eBay. They are from $5 to $10 plus shipping for 1/2" to 3/4" diameter by 12" long rods.
 
Vince has it down but if you've got the stuff in the shop to make it work why spend the money ? go bigger for less.
 
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This is my one and only time using electrolysis. I didn't have (nor know about) carbon rods. I used some 3/8" steel rods from an old bed spring. I used a bunch of aligator clips to fasten the 4 rods together. As you can see, I bent the rods into a U shape, so there are actually 8 rods in the water on all sides of my very rusted Cub Cadet wheel. Someone had used calcium cloride for weight and caused the inside of the rim to have a very thick flaky coating of rust. I think I had my 6 amp battery charger set on 12 volts and the process took a couple days. It did an excellent job of removing the rust and paint.

I had to scrape the junk off the rods a couple times to keep the current flowing better. I used my mom's fiberglass laundry tub, and where the steel rods touched the tub bottom it left burn marks. Next time I'll know better and use rubber on the rod ends.

After a hot water rinse and blow dry I gave the wheel a light sandblast and a coat of red oxide primer, then IH white.
 
Stretch Cab said:
Vince's post has thrown a wrench into my plans of using rebar. While I understand that it will work fine the carbon electrodes seem a better deal. Where would you buy the carbon electrodes?
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I bought a box of 3/8" dia x 16" long weld blow-out rods at a welding supply store, box of 50 was $16.00. They have a very thin layer of copper on them but it peels off very easy. I drill a 5/64" hole about a 1/2" from one end and put a piece of 14 gauge solid copper wire through the hole, it is a snug fit, to be able to connect several of these together and hook to the charger.
 
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