Thread: Electrolysis danger!!!!

I've got a phone charger set up for my de-rust baths. They're a dime a dozen and breed like old mobiles.

That's a good idea and a positive use for otherwise useless landfill.

I've got a few old cordless tool chargers which would do the same job. Does anyone know which wire is positive with those chargers, the one with the white trace, or the plain wire?

here is what i have done so far. I removed most of the paint however there are still some left and i would probably have to use some sort of paint stripper. After electrolysis i found a lot of japanning missing.

btw tis was what it looked like b4

Originally Posted by haosiliu235

here is what i have done so far. I removed most of the paint however there are still some left and i would probably have to use some sort of paint stripper. After electrolysis i found a lot of japanning missing.

If the japanning is properly attached to the cast-iron, it should not be moved by the electrolysis.
However, if there is any rust under the japanning, the electrolysis will dissolve the bond between the japanning and of the cast-iron and the japanning will just fall off.
It was after having this happen to one of the planes that I put into an electrolysis bath that I decided to have a go at japanning for myself. It isn't too hard (so long as you have the consent of whoever owns the oven at your place).

Interesting!!

Originally Posted by RayG

McKenzie's Baking Soda? Isn't that sodium bicarbonate? If that's really what you have been using,
you might like to try sodium carbonate, different stuff, they sell it in Bunnies in the pool chemical dept, labelled "Soda Ash"

Also, just to be clear, Stainless doesn't actually produce poisonous fumes, there is a tiny amount of hexavalent chromium that over time ends up in the electrolyte, and that's the nasty stuff, not fumes.

Regards
Ray

I use Bi-carb soda. Small amounts of hydrogen gas is also released or so I've been told. SO thats why I ventilate well.

Does anyone know if I can use a charger from a powertool in place of a car battery charger? I currently don't have a car charger and don't particularly want to purchase one if I don't have to.

The tool chargers commonly have one black wire and one black wire with a white trace. Which wire is the positive?

I have several tools desperately awaiting de-rusting.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Does anyone know if I can use a charger from a powertool in place of a car battery charger? I currently don't have a car charger and don't particularly want to purchase one if I don't have to.

The tool chargers commonly have one black wire and one black wire with a white trace. Which wire is the positive?

I have several tools desperately awaiting de-rusting.

Not sure about the powertool charger but see no reason why it wouldnt work. I bought a cheap car charger from Bunnings a while back. I think it was $15 and that works fine. If you have several tools that need de-rusting might be worth buying a cheap car charger like the one I got.

It depends on the charger. Some are like recent battery chargers in that they won't switch on unless the load resistance is between certain values. Chargers with 3 wires also have a sensing circuit that detects if the batteries are getting too hot while charging. You can't really damage them by trying them out - whatever you do - plenty of ventilation and turn off before making (dis)connections.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Does anyone know if I can use a charger from a powertool in place of a car battery charger? I currently don't have a car charger and don't particularly want to purchase one if I don't have to.

The tool chargers commonly have one black wire and one black wire with a white trace. Which wire is the positive?

I have several tools desperately awaiting de-rusting.

G'day Woodwould,

I'll drag out my converted phone charger and have a look for you. It won't be until later in the day however.

G'day Woodwould,

Turns out what I thought was a converted phone charger is an old Dickie Smith 6volt battery charger. Electrolysis isn't a have to be done in a rush kind off thing as I leave them in the soup for a fair while.

I know nothing about electrics, SIL's hubby wired this up for me and it's done planes, bibs and braces, old twist bits and a stack of other stuff. Which reminds me I've got an old gummed up Dawn F clamp to put in the soup.

Thanks Waldo for getting back with this. How many amps is your charger (or does anyone know if it matters)? I've got a 9 volt, 1 amp charger whose origins elude me.

I followed the white trace to the inner terminal of the jack plug, so I presume that makes it the positive. I looked at the wire with the white trace in your second picture, but it disapears when it reaches the fork in the wires, so I couldn't determine which terminal it goes to.

I'll give it a go this weekend.

Originally Posted by haosiliu235

so those normal car battery charger will not work...? It has become very very complicated!!!

Maybe a battery to keep the charger happy.

What is needed is amps for a period of time; an early definition of current was defined by the amount of silver transferred by electrolysis over time.

Two dissimilar metals immersed in an electrolyte creates a wet cell, the voltage across its electrodes depends on (basically) the reactiive characteristics of the metals: a Silver/Copper combination has a smaller difference than Zinc/Carbon (Carbon behaves as a metal here).

The power source must provide enough volts to overpower this wet cell. For most probable cases, about 3V is enough.

An electrolyte is created by dissolving a chemical that will ionise in water in water. These chemicals include any salt (eg Sodium Chloride, Cupric Sulphate), acid (sulphuric acid, used in car batteries, citric acid found in any citric fruit, acetic acid found in vinegar), and bases & alkali such as Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda), Ammonia

Some are dangerous, and some may produce dangerous byproducts - hydrogen gas is one, and some may have injurious effects on the workpiece - Cupric Sulphate deposits copper. If you want copper plating, of course that's fine

As I recall, a weak solution of salt produces hydrogen and oxygen under electrolysis - a strong solution is required to produce chlorine gas.

Here is a handy reference, it confirms my previous para:
http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCeSoft...CSOL/PAGE1.HTM
and these
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroplating

If you produce chlorine gas, be sure your nose will tell you! It "has a pungent odour," and it will attack your eyes.