Save_old_iron design challenge

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

I was talking to my cousin "Eight Ball" Iron

about my E tank experiences.

With all that's cooking around Old Iron's house lately, it seems like I'm always spending time cleaning up the re- bar anode rods in my e-tanks.

"Eight Ball" said give the lads a challenge - have them design a re bar cleaner !!

Soooo..

think of this - design a box, with a hole in it, a hole that you could put a dirty rebar into and have it scrubbed clean.

I'm thinking a box with a cheap angle grinder spring loaded against a hole in which you would insert the corroded rebar. Turn on the grinder. inset and twist the rebar and the corrosion on the rebar would be scrapped off the rod and deposited in the attached trash container.

Sounds simple. But for several projects all going on at once and all involving E cooking . this could be a great addition to our tool arsenal.

[rmaynard 16,292]

I simply use a long handled grill cleaning brush. Just brush them in-place. Does two chores at one time, cleans the gunk off the re-bar and stirs up the mix at the same time.

...or did you want something more complex?

Bob

[CasualObserver 3,411]

Bob, if you're not cleaning your rebar outside of your tank, then you're leaving all that rust in there to clutter up your anode the next time you turn it on. And since it's already broken free and in particle form, it will get there a lot faster than anything coming off the part your trying to clean. It will also more uniformly cover any and all open circuit points on your anode cutting down/off it's effectiveness. Your part will take at least twice as long to get done.

Chuck... I picture a cleaner, kind of along the lines of a golf ball washer. Maybe a tall skinny box lined with cheap harbor freight wire brushes. you just jab the rods down in, twist and pull back out. Repeat if necessary, rinse and put back in service. You'd have to build in some sort of guides inside maybe staggered to keep the rod centered. Put a clean out tray at the bottom sort of like an old wood cook stove.

[rmaynard 16,292]

Bob, if you're not cleaning your rebar outside of your tank, then you're leaving all that rust in there to clutter up your anode the next time you turn it on. And since it's already broken free and in particle form, it will get there a lot faster than anything coming off the part your trying to clean. It will also more uniformly cover any and all open circuit points on your anode cutting down/off it's effectiveness. Your part will take at least twice as long to get done.

You are absolutely correct. I find that I can clean the anodes, stir up the solution, and continue the process for that one piece. After I no longer see an immediate bubbling when the power is applied, I dump the tank, mix new, clean the re-bar and start all over again. Solution is cheap.

Bob

[stevasaurus 23,275]

Rather then using re-bar...I had some flat stock laying around. Just takes a good scraper once in a while and back in business.

Oh...and I wire nut and crimp the heck out of all the connections.

I'm sorry....but hold my beer while you watch this...

[rickv1957 74]

Steve,that ol boy is pretty sharp,he likes that juice!! Rick

[W9JAB 156]

:D

I was thinking of something on the order of

a bowling ball cleaner, I don't know if they

even got them anymore, probably be removed

so kids don't put their heads in it.

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

I simply use a long handled grill cleaning brush. Just brush them in-place. Does two chores at one time, cleans the gunk off the re-bar and stirs up the mix at the same time.

...or did you want something more complex?

Bob

My reason for working on "power cleaning" of the anodes relates to the benefit achieved by maintaining the highest current flow possible.

On some sections of the rebar, the accumulation builds up and can solidify to near rock hard consistency. This accumulation cannot be simply brushed off. I usually need to take a hammer to the buildup to crack it off the rebar !

Maybe I have some chemicals in my well water that do this I don't know.

After breaking off this accumulation and running the rebar across a bench mounted grinder with a wire wheel attached, everything returns to good as new in the E tank.

[W9JAB 156]

Do you have to use rebar? Would any conductive rod work like stainless or aluminum?

As for water you may have a lot of TDS'S (totally dissolved solids) in your well water

it would probably be worth it to get distilled water to use in the tank, but that will have

less conductivity.

[stevasaurus 23,275]

Do not use other metals in this process...only Ferris iron or regular steel.

If you Goggle "electrolysis" it will explain why,