Electrolysis question

[misipirelichtr]

While trying to get home via Delta last week, I read somewhere that only the older battery chargers will work in an electrolysis set up - that the new digital chargers do not work properly in an electrolysis set up.  Is this true, or just someone's personal preference?

Carl, thanks for adding the conservation reference section.

[CarlS]

I think the new ones work fine as long as they are simple.  For safety reasons some of the new chargers are made smart so that before they start charging they have to sense some charge from what they are hooked to.  I guess the idea is a battery is never truly dead.  This keeps the contacts from shorting out when touched together, both ends dropped on a metal surface, etc.  I bought a cheap one at Northern Tool last year to set up some larger tanks and it is doing quite well.

[misipirelichtr]

thanks Carl.  It's about time to replace the 1980 era Sears charger

[CarlS]

I'd say you got your money's worth out of that!  I've got one that I've been using for about 15 years and one that I've had for well over 20 and they still go strong.  One is Napa and one is Sears.

[emike123]

I have not had near the longevity you guys experience with your battery chargers.  I have bought the $39.95 Schumacher brand ones (with 3 settings of 6v 2am, 12v 2 amp, and 12v 6 amps) at O'Reilly auto parts and both burned out in a couple years.  I don't do a lot of electrolysis, but when I do, I tend to run a lot of stuff back to back to back and these ultimately short out. 

I think they have a built in mechanism to cut off if the charge is too high.  This is usually from the metal objects on the positive and negative leads being too close together and current too strong.  This may be what Carl calls "smart," but it is really a pain in the neck.  I try to modulate the charge around 2amps usually, sometimes less, so I do not need this feature which is not as far as I can tell advertised in these units.  Eventually they stop working altogether but before that they work for a while strangely enough if you turn them upside down or sideways so again it must be some internal workings giving way.   I am reluctant to buy a more expensive, "smarter" charger, but will definitely go with another brand next time.

[CarlS]

Mike,

No by smart I meant the charger must sense a current on the charger leads before it applies any current of its own.  That way it knows it is hooked to a battery before it starts doing its thing.  On these so called smart ones you can touch the leads together and they won't spark.  The only way you can get this type to produce a current flow is to hook them to a battery with some small charge of its own.  They won't work for electrolysis even new out of the box.   Essentially it is designed to protect careless people from having an accident.  They didn't really design them to clean iron with.

I also have a Schumacher brand charger but have only had it about 1.5 years.  So far so good.

What you described is overload protection.  And yes, as you describe, if you put the items in the tank with too much proximity to the metal surface there isn't enough water resistance to the flow of electricity to keep the amperage within range and it will cause the overload protection to kick the power off until it cools down.  Then it'll run a little while and kick off again and start the cycle over and over.  I have the issue with my smaller tanks when I try to run 30-lbers in them as the diameter gets them too close to the 11-inch tank.  Plus they have more surface area to conduct from than a smaller shell.  But they clean real fast!

I've been saying for a long time that I was going to buy a big DC power supply.  BigIronMan has one that he uses to run a bunch of tanks.  Granted they are running salt water shells and he's cut the current very low with a light bulb on each tank but it has been doing its job for a bunch of years and runs continuously. 

[divedigger]

I bought one of them Pyramid power supplies just like bigironman's and hooked it up to 7 tanks for long term saltwater reduction and that sucker locked up over night and ain't worked since. I use Schumacher's very basic charger for cleaning and Mastec variable and Schumacher 1 amp motorcycle charger for saltwater reduction. The best power supply I own is one made for me about 15 years ago by John in Wilmington. It has been plugged in for 15 years and is still cooking. I also built one that worked but I know nothing about electricity and that thing scared me. I did use it on a 60 lb Parrott and 4 Hardings and they are all still holding up.But I dont use it anymore.

[jonpatterson]

I just picked up an old Sears DieHard charger at an auction for $10. If looking for something old and outdated, besides looking in the mirror,  I have found auctions are a good way to go. I also got a reasonably current table saw for $1. 

[divedigger]

jinxed myself. the power supply that I have used for so many years is deader than Abraham Lincoln. Waiting on a variable voltage and amperage unit to come in the mail now

[emike123]

Its those Schumacher units, I told you.  Carl's will crap out in a few months too!  They last a couple years then give up the ghost.  Unfortunately, they dominate the market.  Been trying to find a non digital replacement and not having much luck.  Maybe $35 every 2-3 years is the price I have to pay.

[CarlS]

I think it's the user.   

[divedigger]

Ha ha ha ha