power for electrolytic cleaning

[peterd51]

Hi,

in threads last year we discussed this system using car-battery chargers.

Does anyone else think it would it be possible to use an old, and hence cheap, MIG or Arc welder as a power supply? Possibly with some hefty resistors in to limit the current to 10 - 20 Amps?

There's often a cheapo Arc set on the local car-boot...but what sort of voltage would be on the end of the wire as an example please? I recall reading 90v and I guess this will be too high. Also maybe 30A minimum?

How about a cheapo MIG, probably lower powered? Does anything think this is a no-go idea please?

Regards
Peter

 

[Debs.]

Electrolysis; doesn`t it have to be DC?......so, a std. 'arc' welder would be out, if that were the case.

 

[rtcosic]

Knew I'd seen large scale cleaning using a DC welder

 

[Iain Westland]

I am reading the previous threads on this and variac was being banded around so ac might be an option. Back after a long read, interested in this, could be useful at work ...

iain

 

[tigler]

Actually the current required is quite low , about 1ma per sq cm. Voltage source should be about 12 VDC , and to limit the current use car bulbs.

 

[GeorgeB]

in threads last year we discussed this system using car-battery chargers. Does anyone else think it would it be possible to use an old, and hence cheap, MIG or Arc welder as a power supply? Possibly with some hefty resistors in to limit the current to 10 - 20 Amps?

A standard, cheap, transformer-based arc welder puts out about 48v and a minimum of 45A. That's about 4 times the voltage and 10 times the current of most car battery chargers. I'd be interested to know if the extra voltage does the job quicker for de-rusting. I'm not sure the electrolysis process would draw anything like the maximum of 45A available from the arc welder. My 5A car battery charger indicates it's using only about 1A when I use it for electrolysis.