Electrolysis Update. Help?

[Skamaniac]

Sorry if this photo is too big. If someone could tell me how to make the posted photos smaller I'd appreciate it.

I built this electrolysis device (or as I call it, my electrolificator). I used Rubbermaid tub with old rebar in each corner (didn't have a metal cutting blade to shorten them) attached to the tub with u-bolts. The u-bolts are connected electrically with a wire running between each one and tightened down with washers and nuts. On top is a board with three eye-bolts connected together with a wire like the rebar.

In the tub is a water and washing soda mix. A rusted relic is wrapped with wire and hung from each eye bolt. A battery charger is connected to the device with the positive to the rebar and the negative to the relics via the eye-bolts.

My charger is one of those newfangled circuit protected ones that automatically shut off if it senses an abnormal connection, so I had to hook the charger to a lawn tractor battery and hook the battery to the device using jumper cables.

I'm cooking the axe head I found last week so we'll see how it looks in a day or so.

[Mudder]

It certainly looks like it will get the job done.

[pulltabsteve]

Nice to see that you are doing it outside. The gasses created can be very explosive. >:\

[scottie12]

I would be interested to know how well it worked.

[Tony Two-Cent]

Wow, that's a big'un!

Let us know how it turns out!

[carl2112]

if it works some before and after pics would be great to see?

[Skamaniac]

OK, I might need some help. This device works, but not well. Rust is ever so slowly coming off the pieces. From articles I've read and youtube videos I got the idea that a lot of rust sludge should be forming on the water. Not the case. There is some rust settling on the bottom of the tub. The project is bebbling, but it looks like most of the bubbles are from the wire the objects are hanging from, not the objects themselves.

Questions for you electrically minded folks or anyone who's built one before: Is rebar a good anode? Is 4 too many? Would a sheet of metal work better as an anode? Is the tub too big? Do I need a different hanging wire (using old coat hanger) Does the photo show anything I'm doing wrong? Am I just too darn impatient? Thanks for any advice.

[idprospector]

Hi, If you are not getting bubbles off of the ax head then you may not have a good connection between the hanger and your axe head. Find a super rusty scrap piece and clean it to bare metal on a small spot and test it. you should see bubbles on the scrap piece.

[Lodge Scent]

I've only done it on a small scale, but I think idprospector is right. You need a good connection to your relic. Rust doesn't conduct electricity as well as you would expect. If you don't mind cruding up your jumper cable, try clamping that right to a cleaned spot on the ax head. I am not sure how effective rebar is as compared to stainless, but the rigs I have seen they use stainless as the anode. On my small scale set up, I have noticed that line of site seems to make a differnce. That is you want the relic directly in from of the anode. But in your set up where you have a rebar in each corner, line of sight doesn't factor in I wouldn't think.

Good luck!

[Skamaniac]

Thanks idprospector and Lodge Scent | I think the negative connection was the problem. I set up a second negative lead to the axe head and made made sure it had a nice solid connection to a place where the rust was already gone. More rust dropped off in 4 hours than in the previous week. Shouldn't be long now!

[RobW]

Can we see some before and after pics thinkingabout:

[Skamaniac]

I will post photo on my next days off.