Disposable Sacrificial Anode

5 mile · Feb 8, 2017

I have used small roughly 4x4in pieces of metal as my sacrificial anodes. At least two, 180 degrees apart.

They get gunked up pretty fast and cleaning them (which you have to do or replace them) gets old, time consuming, and messy.

Has anyone tried tin can or coffee can? Granted the inside of a tin can is coated, but the outside with label removed I dont believe is, use that side toward the cathode. (part youre trying to clean).

We all have lots of cans and could secure it just using alligator clamps, no need to drill, nut n bolt, crimp...and then having to re-do all that because the anode WILL get gunked up and efficiency goes way down and takes longer to remove rust from what youre trying to clean, or wont clean at all.

Country Dirt Kid · Feb 8, 2017

You can order carbon electro rods for a couple of bucks. The tank stays clean with no scum

flyin-lowe · Feb 9, 2017

I use stainless steel and have cleaned hundreds of pieces and it is still good. The stainless wont break down and if it gets dirty you can hang a piece in the tank and hook it up backwards, using the electrolysis to clean the original annode.

Chipk · Feb 11, 2017

flyin-lowe said:
I use stainless steel and have cleaned hundreds of pieces and it is still good. The stainless wont break down and if it gets dirty you can hang a piece in the tank and hook it up backwards, using the electrolysis to clean the original annode.

All I hear is DON'T USE STAINLESS. Isnt there a problem with disposing of the by products?

flyin-lowe · Feb 11, 2017

I have been a member of the Griswold and Wagner society for years. There are members of that group who have large scale electrolysis units and he used them for years. Members have sent samples in and said there is never a sign of the chromium that is often mentioned. I have read and been told that a normal electrolysis unit does not generate anywhere near enough heat or energy to put off the gasses. If welding or torching SS yes there is a definite cause for concern. As far as the byproduct I set my system up the first time and ran it for over a year. I sold that house and moved in 2012 and set it back up in my attached garage at my current house. It has been in there for going on 5 years now. I add to it as evaporation happens but other then that i have never changed the solution and i have still never had to clean the stainless.

Heres a link to a thread, many of them use stainless barrels. Mine is plastic with a piece of SS sheetmetal wrapped inside.
http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1131658808/0

bruinvikes · Feb 11, 2017

flyin-lowe said:
I have been a member of the Griswold and Wagner society for years. There are members of that group who have large scale electrolysis units and he used them for years. Members have sent samples in and said there is never a sign of the chromium that is often mentioned. I have read and been told that a normal electrolysis unit does not generate anywhere near enough heat or energy to put off the gasses. If welding or torching SS yes there is a definite cause for concern. As far as the byproduct I set my system up the first time and ran it for over a year. I sold that house and moved in 2012 and set it back up in my attached garage at my current house. It has been in there for going on 5 years now. I add to it as evaporation happens but other then that i have never changed the solution and i have still never had to clean the stainless.

Heres a link to a thread, many of them use stainless barrels. Mine is plastic with a piece of SS sheetmetal wrapped inside.
http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1131658808/0

Thank you for sharing that link. The pics of the setups were very good.

Disposable Sacrificial Anode

5 mile

Country Dirt Kid

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flyin-lowe

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Chipk

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flyin-lowe

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bruinvikes

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