Electrolysis Tank instead of hot tanking question

[Ripsnorter]

I imagine many of you already know about this, in fact I might have gotten the idea from here.

For those that don't, here's two good links.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electro ... aka-Magic/

http://users.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/nsae ... lysis.html

I'm getting ready to make a 100 gallon one, however I'm wondering, from any of you that have ever done this, can you safely put a manual transmission in it? Top cover off, drained of oil, but gears etc still intact.

From all the reading I've done it seems like it will be fine provided I use a low current. The only time problems occur is when you use too high of a current or allow it to sit in there for very long periods of time.

I'm trying it on a bell housing first, but wanted input.

[Ranchero50]

A 100 gallon tank is going to take a welder to power it and you'll need to vent it correctly so the hydrogen gas buildup doesn't go boom...

I used a 5 gallon one, basic plastic bucket with a 10A battery charger as a power source. 1 tbsp of baking soda per gallon of water and used stainless plates as an anode. I used ot to clean up my lathe when I bought it and it worked well as long as you can get the stainless near the corrosion. I usually ran arouns 6 amps and it was pretty happy, lots of bubbles and only had one fire cracker like explosion when the anode bumped the metal and shorted out.

I don't see any real benefit to dunking an assembled transmission in it because the oil will contaminate the mix and just make a big mess. The parts need scotchbrited to remove the black oxides and immediately oiled to prevent flash corrosion. A stripped case or bellhousing will clean up but it's going to take some time. The electrolosis works well for small rusty parts with fine details. I'd sandblast a case and bell housing.

[averagef250]

Are you in SW WA? If you aren't too far from Portland, American Metal Cleaning is right over the bridge and will clean anything you bring them to look like new for less than you can do it for yourself. They have tanks to hold things up to 25' long and many tons.

I just had them do a Cummins NV5600 case for me that came from the East coast with 1/4" of scale rust on it. Looks like brand new now.

[Ripsnorter]

I'm about an hour north of Portland, so it's a 2 hour round trip for me.

Is it possible to have them clean something with the gears in it?

I've never had anything tanked but I was under the impression it had to be disassembled to do it.

What did they charge you to do the case?

[Ripsnorter]

Nevermind, just called them.

$13 per cylinder for a block, $20 if it has rust.

Can't do a tranny with gears, I would have been absolutely shocked if you could.

Thanks for the tip though

[flyboy71]

A 100 gallon tank is going to take a welder to power it and you'll need to vent it correctly so the hydrogen gas buildup doesn't go boom...

Ive considered using the neighbors pool while they're on vacation and de-rusting my frame. I just can't figure out how to cut the power pole so the lines land neatly in the water.

[Ripsnorter]

well, I used it to clean up my bellhousing and a few other things.

I did just use 12v, and it wasn't fast, but it did work.

From all the reading I've been doing about it, you want to be sure and use a car battery with the charger in tandem rather than just the charger. The reason being that the battery will clean up the output to a clean DC, whereas there can be some bleeding of dirty AC as well as DC with just the charger. I'm no electrician but I read that in some cases using just the charger can make it work in reverse part of the time, with the rust etc actually flowing to the part you're cleaning rather than vice versa.

I read on multiple sites that using Stainless as the sacrificial anode is bad, both because stainless is not as conductive, and the stainless has the "potential" to give off hazardous gases during the process.

The larger the tank, the more water you use and the further your anodes are from your part, the more current it takes. the 100 gallon tank I used was pushing it, it did work, but worked slowly. Probably the only reason it worked at all is because I was using a battery and using steel instead of stainless. Any larger and I'd have to use a welder or at least some sort of 120V DC.

One of the reasons I didn't use a welder for the 100 gallon tank is the danger of hydrogen embrittlement, which supposedly is mostly a danger when using high currents for too long of a time. A low current and soaking longer is safer for the metal.