Electrolysis To Clean Iron
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When talking about currents, “conventional” anode to cathode is generally what is assumed – and that goes way back to when electricity was discovered. Conventional however is wrong when talking about current – but mathematically, it doesn’t matter.
Current in reality flows from negative to positive. When you have your anode and cathode in the electrolytic solution and turn the power on – current flows from the piece you’re cleaning to the sacrificial iron. Current isn’t doing the damage. It is what it is. This is the reason you have to clean your sacrificial iron, it gets dirty right?
However, it’s the “ions” from the sacrificial iron that travel in solution from the positive to negative. Once ions start leaving metal for example, it gets “eaten”. The electrolyte solution is the ticket here. Not easy to find a diagram that works.
Quick video on how to use a computer power supply to set up an electrolysis tank. You can replace this with a manual battery charger if you wish.
This video is not very helpful compared to the title given it.
For a real life example on ‘ Electrolysis To Clean Iron’, you should do a new video and rename this one about your computer charger. With all the visits this page gets, frankly its disappointingly incomplete information. You assume people know already the HOW to clean via electrolysis. Most visting do not.
In the new video, point out that pure washing soda only and not baking soda is to be used and why.
You should include the ratio of soda to water. Noting that if using water from taps, hard water takes more soda and soft water less. Most city water ph can be looked up online. Ideally just use distilled water which has nuetral ph for base formula. Note what ever you choose, you can screen out/clean, store and reuse your solution a few times at least.
That after wards its a good idea to clean off your sacraficial iron with grinder/ hand drill brillow brush attachment before reuse for best next results. Then explain what to look for in cleaning process to conclude you need more or less soda after 4, or 8 hours depending on how much at once you are cleaning.
Then mention spacing of items as if they are suspended too close you can get a shadow effect where one item more exposed recieved better cleaning while its shape covered ion movement to another item causing outer edges clean and less so in shadow area.
That a manual battery charger not an automatic charger should be used. You want to select and stay with 12v. Automatic ones may choose 12v but they also cut out well before job is done.
Put it all together in a video.
Now that would be useful info.
Or just include these links.
http://antique-engine.ns.ca/electrolysis.html
https://www.castironcollector.com/electrolysis.php