I've just started Electrolysis'ing my new rear end parts, and due to a lack of power have only got one part half done

I don't want to leave it on overnight as the powersupply is getting hot due to it running at its limit, so what shall I do with the half done component?

Leave it in the Water/Soda mix overnight with the current turned off?

Or...

Take it out and squirt it with WD40 or teh like as parts will be down to bare steel and will rust again in no time!

Thanks

If it's only half done then surely you're gonna do the electrolysis again anyway to remove rust...

So if it starts to rust again who cares...?

But there are some machined areas I want to protect........

Bring the bits inside!!! Airing cupboard would work well

Andy

Completely submerged they should be fine -- you need oxygen for rust to take hold, fair bit less available (though there is some) in the water than in open air.

Cheers, Ted

Use a smaller anode or submerge the one you have less to decrease the current. You will find the current drops of considerably as the anode gets munged up with nasty stuff anyway.

I left my cortina hubs and uprights pickle overnight with a battery charger as the current source. Started on ~4 Amps and was down to under 1 Amp by the morning.

I wouldn't recommend leaving it in the water unless you have at least a small amount of current still flowing as there is certainly oxygen in the water (that's how fish breath after all...). Why not connect up an old 1.5V battery just to keep the steel from oxidising or as was said above, remove most of the anode to reduce the current flow.

When you do lift it out once the process is complete, give it a good scrub with a wire brush to get the black iron oxide off (I found a brass brush to be best to get into the pores left by the process). Rinse under very hot water (to give it a head start when you dry it), dry it thoroughly, degrease it and paint it with an acid etch primer as soon as possible.

Cheers,
Craig.

Cheers all,

I'm loving this easy way of de-rusting stuff! I'm well into it now.

Cheers

Hope all your bits are fine!

To be safe i'd probably dry the half done bit as if it were finished (i used a low oven for a few minutes). Then wd40 the machined surfaces. Then finish the electrolysis when you can.

Having said that though - my mate started to electrolysis a whole front upright/hub/brake assy to help dissmantle it, forgot about it for a few days leaving it submerged and switched off, then finished the electrolysis and there was no rust damage to any machined surfaces.

Liam