Salt for electrolosis

pplinker

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Watched a u-tube video that said to use salt. Then another said you could use baking soda but washing soda is better. Don't have and can't find washing soda so I used baking soda. Put a real big handful in the 2 quart container.

Using baking soda, the battery charger was set on 2 amps but it was reading 6 amps. It was bubbling and vapor was rising but it didn't clean the rusty lock after 2 hours.

I dumped the baking soda water and put about a TBS of salt and stirred it up by spraying it full of water with the kitchen sink sprayer. Hooked it all back up and now the charger reads 2 amps. The water is getting all red colored like it is working after just 10 minutes

Will post a picture of the lock when it is done.
 
Electrolysis in salt (sodium chloride, table salt) will create chlorine gas at the anode. It would be low concentration so it wouldn't be likely to hurt you. But it is corrosive on its own. Chlorine does react with iron. In baking soda or washing soda, the anode will release oxygen.
 
Thank you both, Arthur and Itsaring. Will get some washing soda.
 
I don’t mean to sound negative at all but salt creates rust so I’m not sure why anyone would suggest to use it during an electrolysis process. I use washing powder and water only and I use steel rebar as the anode.
 
I don’t mean to sound negative at all but salt creates rust so I’m not sure why anyone would suggest to use it during an electrolysis process. I use washing powder and water only and I use steel rebar as the anode.

The guy showed what a good job it did taking the rust off. Then pulled up the positive lead connected to the stainless steel butter knife and the end of the knife was gone!


Since others will see this thread hope this helps on the salt issue. You can find the stainless issue on another page. Just google chromium exposure for starts.
http://www.metaldetectingworld.com/make_electrolyte_p15.shtml

Thank you, I read the part about salt, washing soda and baking soda. I found the washing soda at Krogers, $3.99/box.

Showing a picture of the lock. Too pitted up to read anything on it and seems as clean as it's going to get.
 

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Thank you! I found Indian head pennies at the same site last summer.
 
Would almost kill to know how it got to where you found it.
If locks could talk....

HH

Sent from my LGLS775 using Tapatalk
 
Nice lock! Looks like it came out pretty good to me.
 
The best solution to use is 2 parts SEA salt to 1 part baking soda. The best anode to use is a piece of CARBON. I have gotten some carbon welding rods that I use.
 
I think it's an old railroad lock. I learned that watching Pawn Stars :roll: I have one, with the key even, so it was interesting to find that out.
 
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