Advice on power source electrolysis rust removal

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afe66

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#243874 6-Jan-2019 18:37

Bought a myford ml7 lathe from trademe estate sale.
Comes with various accessories which are a little rusted.

You tube suggests using a car battery charger is the way to go for electrolysis. So I went off to Repco and picked up their cheapest charger at $50 on sale.

All setup but no current flows as safety features expect 2V difference to allow the current to flow so nothing is happening.

I see old phone chargers have also been suggested by the ones I have list various say features too.

So what have geekzoners used as power supply ???

In meantime using citric acid from bargin bin.

PeterReader

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#2155386 6-Jan-2019 18:37

Hmmmm. Here we go.

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richms

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#2155391 6-Jan-2019 18:38

I would use an actual bench powersupply.

Richard rich.ms

elpenguino

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#2155415 6-Jan-2019 19:28

You want a power supply with 'current limiting'. Whether thats adjustable or not.

I suppose the amount of current you want depends on how much electrolysis you want to do - you could always start with small amount of current and amp it up from there.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

afe66

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#2155427 6-Jan-2019 20:10

YouTube video said 12V limited to 2A on the car battery charger.

The repco unit was 2.7A limited but after it didn't work I looked at the manual and under the faq it mentioned that charging current wont flow unless 2V difference. Two bits if steel in calcium carbonate solution wont create a potential difference of 2V so unit wont release the current.

Aredwood

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#2155461 6-Jan-2019 21:38

Use chemical rust removal instead. As electrolysis will remove base metal as well.

Have had good results with https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/crc-rust-remover-946ml/p/183841

If you do still use the electrolysis method, don't use stainless steel for the electrodes. As the chrome will be leached out of the stainless steel, which will make the water highly poisonous. And it will produce hydrogen gas which is highly explosive.