1 hour ago, JHCC said:

Trying out electrolytic paint removal. 

Update: a bust. Realized after a couple of hours that there was no current going through the clips. I’ll have to take apart the charger tomorrow to see if there is a loose connection or something similar that can be fixed.

 

 JHCC, You need to use a manual charger, not one of those new fangled micro presser units. ( I can't tell which type you have there) I like to hang my parts from a wire to get better circulation of the electrolyte. Usually a piece of scrap PVC pipe or stick of wood on top of the container. I use washing soda for the electrolyte. About a tablespoon per gallon will do.  I am not sure which piece you are trying to clean, but the Neg. (black) clip should be on the part you are cleaning, and the Pos. (red) should be on the sacrificial electrode.

 If you need anything more, let me know, I have a lot of experience on this topic.            Life is Good                 Dave

Thanks, Dave. I’ve used this charger before for electrolytic etching, but this time, there is literally no current in the clips. 

6 hours ago, Dave51B said:

You need to use a manual charger, not one of those new fangled micro presser units.

Not sure how to tell the difference, but on this one, you press a button to select the amperage and another for the voltage. I guess that’s manual. 

6 hours ago, Dave51B said:

the Neg. (black) clip should be on the part you are cleaning, and the Pos. (red) should be on the sacrificial electrode.

They were. 

1 hour ago, JHCC said:

Not sure how to tell the difference, but on this one, you press a button to select the amperage and another for the voltage. I guess that’s manual. 

 I just went to Schumacher web site and if I looked at the right charger.....it notes that it is a microprocessor....check it out and see. If it is it won't work.  Good luck            Dave  

Well, it’s apparently not designed to be disassembled, so I can’t get to the innards. I’ll check later to see if it still works as a battery charger; if not, I’ll just get a new one. 

X2 on Dave's comment about using a manual charger. The newer automatic ones sense if a battery is connected. If not, they won't charge.  An electrolyte setup doesn't qualify as a battery.  Some have a switch to select manual or automatic, but I have never used one. Schumacher makes some nice manual ones or get an older manual at a yard or garage sale.

Could a guy just use a 12v battery in line with the charger, or maybe the battery by itself?

I’ve read some tutorials that recommend this anyway, and that’s one option I’m considering. 

When the inline battery reaches a full charge, the charger will go into a maintenance or trickle charger rate...not enough to do electrolyte de-rusting. I don't know what Dave uses, but I run 6 to 10 amps on my manual charger until the piece is finished and that may take hours, way longer than a battery would take to charge then shut off using an automatic charger.

Would it make a difference if the battery was connected in series or in parallel? What if you use an old battery that won’t hold a charge?

Should be able to find the manual chargers fairly inexpensive on CL or at a pawn shop. I find them cheap at fleamarkets yard sales and auctions as well. My smaller manual charger has been collecting dust since I picked up a bigger better one at an estate sale so it's going to be dedicated for the electrolysis tank. 

My cheap manual charger has seen more use in the last 3 years than the first 20 years. 

1 hour ago, JHCC said:

What if you use an old battery that won’t hold a charge?

The answer appears to be Yes. At very least, we have electrolysis, as evidenced by the bubbles around the cathode. 

 I've used manual chargers from a motorcycle charger to 30 amp.  I don't know about adding a battery inline to fool the microprocessor. I never had the need. The amount of amps drawn is in relation to the size of the part being cleaned and the size of your sacrificial electrode, and a bit on the concentration of your solution. I don't worry to much about how nasty the electrolyte gets, just skim the crud off and go on. most of the crude will end up on the bottom of the tank. That's the reason for suspending the parts. Also remember this is pretty much a line of site cleaning and the white bubbles are filled with flammable hydrogen if that matters to ya. You may need to clean your sacrificial electrodes every so often. Just a hand wire brush will do. You will have one handy anyway to check when yer part is clean.

 I just saw that the battery inline is working for ya JHCC....cool beans                 Life is Good                          Dave

14 minutes ago, Dave51B said:

most of the crude will end up on the bottom of the tank.

One of the reasons that I'm trying this is to remove suspected lead paint from WI bars salvaged from a building renovation. If this works, my plan is to allow the electrolyte solution to dry, wipe the sediment out of the bucket with a damp paper towel, allow that to dry, and then dispose of it in the municipal trash pickup. I've already confirmed with the city that dry lead paint residue is allowable in the trash.

I could just use a commercial stripper, but I breathed enough methylene chloride for a lifetime back in my days in the art restoration studio. 

And five hours later, things look good. Clean piece on the left, comparable uncleaned piece on the right:

Well, to my surprise, the battery actually charged. So, I’ve switched out the workpiece with this hefty old bolt, disconnected the charger, and left the battery connected to the electrolysis setup. We’ll see if it does anything in its own; if nothing else, it should discharge enough to need recharging tomorrow. 

Trade ya a junk battery for that good one.   

Think I'm inspired enough that tomorrow "IF" I get a chance, I'm going to set up my tank and start. I have a bottle of PH+ that a friend gave me to use, so I might as well get to it. I have enough rusty/ painty metal to keep that tub busy for a Long time. 

I wasn't kidding when I said the old battery charger has been collecting dust lol. I just dug it out. Poor thing needs cleaned up. 

 OK guys, you do realize now that the iron is clean, it will rerust almost fast enough to watch. Enjoy...      Dave

I do. That's why oil or wax would be applied immediately after drying. Tho that is an excellent point to make. 

Maybe, but it won’t repaint!

1 hour ago, Daswulf said:

Trade ya a junk battery for that good one.   

Think I'm inspired enough that tomorrow "IF" I get a chance, I'm going to set up my tank and start. I have a bottle of PH+ that a friend gave me to use, so I might as well get to it. I have enough rusty/ painty metal to keep that tub busy for a Long time. 

I wasn't kidding when I said the old battery charger has been collecting dust lol. I just dug it out. Poor thing needs cleaned up. 

 

That old manual 10 amp charger should do the trick.  Hook it up and get going....

Will do Arkie. Just as soon as I paint the living room........  2 tone 

 

All the charger, parallel, series, etc. issues aside. PAINT removal? Rust is reduced to iron via electrolysis what's the paint turn into. Something interesting maybe?

Frosty The Lucky.