Hott Stuff ...

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Something is always cooking in Old Iron's E tanks - day in and day out.

Last night, I went to remove one of the anode rods from the tank and

eeeeeee owwwwwww

burned my finger.

So I snapped a few pics to prove a point we talked about recently - do corroded electrical connections heat up and burn connectors.

Here is the less than perfect connection of a battery charger + clamp on one of the anodes - note the pocked surface of the rod and the less than perfect condition of the old charger clamp.

here is the amount of current flowing thru the connection

I took out my trusty IR thermometer and pointed it at the surface of the battery charger clamp

here's why my finger hurts !!

and that's with just 5 amps current !

[horsefeathers 15]

Old Iron, Anode rod+ cathode- fnger! 150.6 F now thats gotta' hurt! Maybe some peanutbutter 'n aloe vera would help! How is it that every time I'am around electricity I'am the least path of resistance? I gotta' learn to stand up for myself Ignorance of the law (ohms law ) is no excuse! I've been held in comtempt of that court before! HORSEFEATHERS!

[tgranthamfd 29]

I knew they got warm when they got crudded up but I didn't know they got that hot. I have had my barrel get kind of soft near the bottom and pooch out a little. I have also noticed when changing rods and cleaning the barrel, that some spots looked as if the rod had burned into the plastic. Not bad just barely.

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Ignorance of the law (ohms law ) is no excuse!

That's a good one :omg:

[eibbed 63]

save old iron,

Thanks alot for the heads up. I use my e-tank almost daily and I too had no idea that an anode could get that hot. I will definitely use more caution when working with it.

Dave

[hotrodmerc 1]

Improper connections cause resistance and that will build up alot of heat fast. Always take the time to make good clean connections. It will sure cut down on the problems.

[rmaynard 16,297]

Other interesting e-tank "revelations".

Once the washing soda has been used up or settles to the bottom, and the bulk of your solution is mainly water, current stops flowing.

Once all the rust is gone, current stop flowing.

When the anodes get gunked up, current stops flowing.

I have found that with fresh solution, clean anode rods and a good rusty piece of steel, I will draw about 8 to 10 amps. After about 3 or 4 hours, the solution in the tank get up to about 100 degrees. As the rust is converted, the amperage starts to drop, and the solution cools. At this point I clean my rods, stir up the solution and let it go a little longer. When it reads zero on the meter, I know that it is "done".

I'm using a 200 amp battery charger for the power. The heat is no problem for me. I find that the hotter it gets, the better it cleans.

Only thing I have to be careful of is a direct short.

Am I doing something wrong? It gets hot, but it works great.

Bob