Electrolysis cleaning for rusty pans

[iconic matz]

I tried cleaning a small pan with oven cleaner and a lot of scrubbing. It looked okay but still had rust pits that I could not reach. I decided to try electrolysis instead and I was shocked by how much hidden gunk it pulled out. Now I am working on a larger roasting pan and the water has turned a hazy red color. I am not sure if I need to swap the water out for a fresh batch yet. Has anyone noticed if dirty water slows down the process or should I just let it keep running. It helps to make sure your sacrificial metal piece has plenty of surface area to keep the current strong. Would you recommend cleaning the electrodes before the water gets this dark. not sure. Please help!

 

[yvoxxxx]

I usually keep the water until it gets thick with sludge. The red color is just iron oxide moving through the liquid. It looks gross but the process still works fine. You might want to pull the pan out and give it a quick rinse to see the progress. If the metal looks better then keep going with the same water.

 

[checkm8]

I tried cleaning a small pan with oven cleaner and a lot of scrubbing. It looked okay but still had rust pits that I could not reach. I decided to try electrolysis instead and I was shocked by how much hidden gunk it pulled out. Now I am working on a larger roasting pan and the water has turned a hazy red color. I am not sure if I need to swap the water out for a fresh batch yet. Has anyone noticed if dirty water slows down the process or should I just let it keep running. It helps to make sure your sacrificial metal piece has plenty of surface area to keep the current strong. Would you recommend cleaning the electrodes before the water gets this dark. not sure. Please help!

It's normal to see red water and it should not cause any issues. If that piece of metal is covered in gunk the current will drop off. Just scrape it clean every few hours to keep things moving. Make sure that connections are still tight.

 

[gentleGIANT]

@iconic matz don't forget to check your power source. If the water gets too gunky, the battery charger might trip. If you’re still seeing bubbles coming up from the pan, you’re good to go. I don’t bother changing the water until the pan’s completely hidden. It is a messy job so I try to do it as little as possible.

 

[timtamtim078]

If you are seeing a lot of rust pits you might need to leave it in there for a full day. Just make sure you keep an eye on it.

 

[iconic matz]

Thanks everyone! Yeah, it was a messy job but very satisfying when I saw those clean pans.

 

[StaticInTheWires]

You can keep running it the red haze is normal (rust/iron in suspension). It only really slows down when the current drops or the water gets so loaded it stops bubbling much. If the process is still active, leave it. If it slows, swap the water and scrape/clean the sacrificial electrode (it builds up crud fast and that’s what kills efficiency)