Fellas I've done this before, and it works well. You can set your battery charger on the 6 amp or 2 amp settings. Both work, though 6 amps works faster. One thing I would suggest that is not mentioned in this video: you need to shut off the charger every couple hours and scrub BOTH your cathode (the parts you are cleaning) and your sacrificial anode. The anode especially gets nasty and built up with crud. The cleaner it is, the faster the process works. Stopping every couple hours also allows you to check your progress. You don't need the fancy ring of anodes with multiple pieces of rebar sticking down into the bucket as shown in the video. A single piece of steel with a large surface area works just as well as an anode. As long as you can arrange the anode and cathode in the bucket or tub so that they aren't touching, any size and shape is fine. If you're working with a large part, there's nothing wrong with using chunks of wood to prop it up in the tub full of electrolyte. Hanging parts in the tub is fine, but it's not necessary. Just make sure you prop up the parts you are cleaning so they cannot fall and make electrical contact with the anode. Also, keep your clips from the battery charger out of the electrolyte solution, or the positive clip will become part of the sacrificial anode, and you may not have a clip left afterward! Washing soda works well, and baking soda works just as well. I typically use the old baking soda that sits in my fridge to absorb odors. When I have a batch of parts to clean, I replace the box of soda in the fridge with a new one, and use the old one to make my electrolyte solution. Given enough time, and a little elbow grease, this process will result in parts that are absolutely free of rust, with nothing left but clean steel. Did I mention elbow grease? The electrolysis just loosens the rust. You still need to use muscle and a wire brush to scrub it off.
Great hands on info Cowboy. Not knowing first hand myself...Is there a possibility of magnetizing the parts by running current through them?
How come there were no pit marks in the "rusty" nuts and bolts after they were clean? When I wire brush old bolts they are always rough not smooth looking like his...
There were no pits because they guy making the video couldn't be bothered to focus his camera so that we could SEE the pits. You are correct: there are always going to be pits where rust has actually removed steel. If you're just removing surface rust, though, the results can be very smooth. It all depends on how bad the rust was before you started.
I am trying this now but only get bubbles at 100amps. I didn't get much of a reaction at 2amp/12v - 15amp/6v or 15amp/12v. Any ideas what I am doing wrong?
Sounds like you may not have the right sacrificial anode. I just use an old piece of sheet metal bent in a circle about the same size as the bucket. Works like a charm!
You can get sodium carbonate at any place that sells swimming pool supplies. It is the same thing as washing soda and is easier to find.
I am using Arm and Hammer washing soda, as well as a 55 gallon plastic drum. I purchased a big charger since a blacksmith friend suggested "more power means getting things done quicker" I made a ring of reinforcing rod, welded 8 tabs to it, then took 8 pieces of re-rod and welded a 3/8" bolt to each one so as they "wear" can be easily replaced. So far it seems to be working pretty good. After a few hours at either 40 amps or 10 amps I take 'em out hose off any loose debris and they sand blast so easy I had my 11 year old grandson doing it. Evidently electrolysis needs "line of sight" to transfer the rust, so if you have a sheet of metal you could line the tank with that would be even better (my friend has a 8 foot wide ring roller so it is easy for him to do). If it wasn't mentioned, don't use stainless as an anode since it produces some nasty by products.
I have successfully used this technique, and the only caution I have, is don't use this to remove rust from a bicycle chain, or anything else that has thin components that will be stressed. I found the answer to this problem, was to boil the chain, or other sensitive part in old light oil, such as automatic transmission fluid. This softens the rust and doesn't sacrifice or change the characteristics of the metal.
I was reading that copper wire in the water some how throws this process off. I dumped my water cleaned my anodes and raised the copper wire above the water line. I am now getting tiny bubbles at 15a/6v. Thank you
59Apachegail I am using 10 or 12 gauge copper wire with no problem, for anyone doing this you need to have good electrical continuity with the part being derusted, I grind off a place and bolt it up tight.
Was doing this last week on old rusty chrome parts i plan to use for cores along with other bits. I used an old 60s slotcar/train set power supply and it worked well. I did some small parts as well so i made up a basket to put them in out of steal mesh that i hang in the water. Freaked my missus out by telling her the bubbles are all hydrogen and think exploding zeppelins. once she got over that it wouldn't explode i proceeded to freak her out about the caustic nasty stuff that is made if you use stainless steel. I also did some old brake rotors just to see how well it would come up and it came up real well. the little gaps that are to small otherwise to do are looking good. I like that you can just leave it to do its thing as once the rust is gone it just stops.
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