Author Topic: Second electro tank up and running (Read 10007 times)

Chuck Rogers · « **on:** November 23, 2008, 02:24:23 PM »

Seemed like I wasn't getting anywhere cleaning and seasoning my iron so I set up a second tank. A 55 gal plastic drum and 35 amp battery charger. My other tank is only about 20 - 25 gallons with only 6 amp battery charger. I had some trouble with the larger pcs so bigger was a must. I'm only using mild steel for the anode. I want to change it over to stainless ASAP. We have a local company that deals strictly with stainless. I figure a sheet of 16 guage with 1/4" perforations would do the job. I'll be pricing some this week. I had heard that stainless wouldn't corrode like the mild steel does but wanted to get some other opinions before I drop that kind of coin on this stuff. Any info would be great. Thanks in advance.

Scott Sanders · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2008, 02:34:27 PM »

You cant go too wrong with the stainless. The better grade stainless you can get, the better it will work. The 1/4" perferations are not necessary as a solid piece will work just fine.....unless that is what your dealer has....it will work too.

Scott

Chuck Rogers · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2008, 02:44:56 PM »

They list 304 stainless. I was hoping that I could roll the sheet up like a cylinder, place it in the 55 gal drum and let it expand out to line the entire inside of the drum. I'm just not sure that the stainless will do this. I'll have to check. The steel I'm using now gets corroded after 3 pcs go through the tank. Then I have to pull them, wire brush and put them back in. I'm not sure if it's something I'm doing wrong or not. I'm hoping the stainless only needs to be wiped off. I can do that with a brush on a pole with out removing them. Again, any help would be great.

Sam Roberts · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2008, 04:32:41 PM »

If you can, by all means put a piece of stainless in the bottom also. I used 2 pieces of stainless for mine, cut a couple of notches in one piece, where it would bend/fold in a somewhat circular fashion, and bolted them together with stainless screws. I also put 6 or 7 PVC couplings (on end) under the bottom piece where all the sludge would not cover it. It will roll up where you can put it in the barrel and release it. A word of advice - It takes a pretty good hoss to roll it up. Once you get it rolled up, tie it with a piece of cord until you get it placed in the barrel. If you're like me, someone has put some kryptonite, no matter where you're working outside, and that stainless steel will cut you in a second.
Sam

Scott Sanders · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2008, 04:39:16 PM »

Charles....sounds like you've got the right idea. If you wanted, you could figure out how big the stainless will expand to and then drill matching holes on the ends and bolt it together with stainless nut and bolts. I am not sure how effective putting the stainless steel piece on the bottom will be. With the amount of crud that falls off of your dirty iron, it will very quickly cover the bottom, and unless you clean the bottom frequently, it will not be exposed to your iron. As for cleaning the stainless steel, that is exactly what I do with my "Perry's stainless steel barrel".....I just use a brush on a paint roller pole. I do it fairly often as it is so easy to do. Now, cleaning the bottom of the barrel, that's another story...I haven't done that yet, as I'm guessing I would have to empty out the soup to get to the crud at the bottom. You might also check scrap metal yards for stainless steel. You might be able to get a better price on it. Have fun, and crank out more iron. BTW, congrats on some of those nice finds you are coming up with.....just a little green with envy here.... [smiley=crying1.gif] [smiley=crying1.gif]

Scott

Scott Sanders · « **Reply #5 on:** November 23, 2008, 04:48:04 PM »

LOL.....Sam was posting the same time I was... ;D....That is a good idea Sam...putting spacers under the bottom piece....That way, when cleaning with the brush, you just have to sweep it off to the side. Always more than one way to skin a cat..( just an old saying all you cat lovers out there)

Scott

Chuck Rogers · « **Reply #6 on:** November 23, 2008, 04:48:35 PM »

Thanks to all for the advice. It looks like we are all on the same page, except for the bottom piece. I didn't think of that. And the pvc couplers, good thinkin there Sam. I should be able to form the bottom with my snips and a hand bender. I actually have some 4" pvc pipe that I could cut to whatever length I need.
One more question though. How do you hook your negative to the piece of iron? I'm currently twisting the wire to the handle, or whatever is available. It's a pain.

Sandy Glenn · « **Reply #7 on:** November 23, 2008, 04:54:44 PM »

Quote

One more question though. How do you hook your negative to the piece of iron? I'm currently twisting the wire to the handle, or whatever is available. It's a pain.

I use C clamps and/or S hooks.

Chuck Rogers · « **Reply #8 on:** November 23, 2008, 04:56:34 PM »

We do have a scrap yard where I take metal for recycling / cash. I could give that a try. And reversing the polarity is easy enough. DUH, I never thought of it.
Will the SS eventually disolve or what? The stuff I'm using now is going fast. And yes, I was typing while you guys were posting. Me be a slow typer. ;D ;D

Scott Sanders · « **Reply #9 on:** November 23, 2008, 05:17:26 PM »

Since we have been using stainless steel, I have not heard of anyone saying that they have eaten up a piece of SS, whereas, the sheet or scrap steel, there have been many who have said it desintigrates fast. As for the attachment to the iron, I use c-clamps and vise grips. I'll attach a picture of what I had made for my system, but sometimes I do a little overkill....it does work great though.

Scott

Scott Sanders · « **Reply #10 on:** November 23, 2008, 05:23:24 PM »

Here's the "Electrorector Rustereater" before I filled it up with solution.....

Scott

Scott Sanders · « **Reply #11 on:** November 23, 2008, 06:35:30 PM »

PS......The barrel in my previous post is stainless steel. I hook the negative to the bolt at the bottom of the square channel arm, and the positive to a beam clamp attached to the top edge of the barrel. I didn't have the heart to drill a hole through it.......SS

Sam Roberts · « **Reply #12 on:** November 23, 2008, 08:09:32 PM »

Quote

One more question though. How do you hook your negative to the piece of iron?

There is no right or wrong way of hooking up your piece to the negative terminal of your charger. I like Steve's and I like Sandy's. I bought 4 Bessy, 3" "C" clamps, drilled a 1/8 hole in the long arm, then connected 10GA stranded copper with a nut and bolt. On the other end I connected a spring, 3" battery clamp. Across the top of the barrel I have a piece of angle iron to which the negative terminal of the battery charger is clamped. If you need to raise or lower the piece you're gonna work on, wrap the wire around the angle iron then use the spring clamp to hold it in place.

Tom Penkava · « **Reply #13 on:** November 23, 2008, 08:18:28 PM »

Quote

One more question though. How do you hook your negative to the piece of iron? I'm currently twisting the wire to the handle, or whatever is available. It's a pain.

Here is a pic, I have since moved the pipe further away from the pos terminal and eliminated the neg cable. Neg charger goes on the pipe and I just use a piece of #9 wire with hooks on each end, small hook for the pan and larger hook to hang on the pipe. Works so good had to turn the amp setting down on the charger.

Chuck Rogers · « **Reply #14 on:** November 23, 2008, 09:15:03 PM »

A lot of great ideas. Thanks for all the help. I was thinking about a SS tank instead of the plastic to eliminate the liner. My concern was the SS lasting, but as I have read, there doesn't seem to be a problem. Now all I have to do is rob a bank to buy one ;) ;D. I have seen them at the scrap yard, but never thought I'd need one. I'm sure it won't be cheap. I'll have to see what I can find I guess. keeping my fingers crossed.

C. Perry Rapier · « **Reply #15 on:** November 25, 2008, 05:25:27 PM »

I have read this whole thread and everyones comments. Scott, as you know, I sold you that kickass barrel you're using. Glad its still doing you good.

Charles, I have NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, worn out a piece of SS, not even ate out a hole in a piece. And I have a drum like Scott, but don't even use it. I use a large plastic barrel with sheets of SS in it.

And Charles, do not go out of your way to get something with holes. If you think about it, with holes, you got less SS, and if less is good, then use a real small piece of SS. And Charles, your idea of putting the surround sound in your barrel and a piece at the bottom, that will work fine.

And go to your local recycling center to get sheets of SS, its cheap. I have spent 12.00 (twelve dollars) on SS. When I hear folks say they want to buy a big piece of SS, thats good, if you want to, then do that, but you don't need to. And there are all kinds of places to get what Michelle is talking about.

Go to a restaurant equipment auction and I guarantee you, that you can find something that will work, if you want a tub like Michelle and Scott are talking about here.

Just some of my thoughts, Charles no holes. And when I use the two opposing sheets of SS, when one side gets cruddy, I turn it around and I got a whole new sheet in about 30 seconds, when both sides are nasty, I just pick them up, hit them a few licks and promises with a SS chore boy, and I am good for 300 more pieces, piece of cake. ;)

Chris Stairs · « **Reply #16 on:** November 25, 2008, 06:24:58 PM »

Perry,

That is good news for anyone looking to have an electro setup. No fancy big SS tanks needed. Just a cheapo plastic barrel and a scrap piece or two of stainless for an electrode. And here I thought I could name my price for a big ol' stainless tank.

:'(

C. Perry Rapier · « **Reply #17 on:** November 25, 2008, 11:42:59 PM »

Chris, you got it. ;) AND, I know for certain that you can still name your price for a big SS tank. Most folks make a mountain out of a mole hill when they talk about making an electro set up.

IF, you live on a farm, or got a garage, and its got some good junk in it, and you got a plastic barrel, and a sheet of SS, and a battery charger, and some PH Plus, then you can make an electro, AND, if you want to make an electro, you don't even need the SS, forget about it, just find an old piece of junk, anything that will conduct electricity will work.

All that other stuff you see people writing about on here, all that is fine tuning their systems, once you get them going, then you can fine tune them, make them bigger, faster, and stronger.

Just sharing my thoughts here.

Chuck Rogers · « **Reply #18 on:** November 27, 2008, 08:49:03 PM »

I went to the scrap yard on Wednesday afternoon but they were already closed for the holidays. I'll being going there again on Monday. I was able to take a look around while I was there and the was plenty of sheet stock SS and a few tanks :) :)but I didn't want to dig around and have someone think I was trying to make off with it. Looks promising as long as the price is right.
Chris, You are right, I'm not the charles type. I have the celtic heritage which I feel a strong connection to but actually I'm what I like to call a "mutt". A little bit of everything. ;D

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Author Topic: Second electro tank up and running (Read 10007 times)