Cleaning a Hydroxy Cell.

[Bob]

I've tried Muratic Acid in my cell at 100% for 30 minutes and it worked WONDERS...
but my cell was so dirty it flat quit produceing anything  sept a bubble now and then !
...
a more reasonable aproach and Much safer is a 50/50 mix of water and Muratic Acid in the cell for a period of 10 to 15 minutes ...
flush and inspect if it needs more then repete the proccess.
 Wess Tells me that this Muratic Acid is Realy mean stuff, not only will the liquid eat flesh at an amazeing rait but the fumes from the acid will too !...READ THE LABLE! 
Use rubber cloves and eye protection and  go with the caution of a person filling a Hypergolic Rocket engine.... because this stuff is realy mean it will hurt or mame you in a hart beat... breathe it in and your in big truble !  you can drown by your lungs secreating a liquid to protect themselves from the burn... so you can drown standing up ! ...
(My Dad spent time on a hanging rack in Arrow Jet general because of Fume poisioning...
haing upside down with stuff running out his mouth into a bucket... because his lungs were scorched by acid..... this acid will do the same to you if you breath it in ! SO DON'T !)
...
although the Muratic acid works fantastically it can desolve your insulators and render your cell useless !  so test it first on the insulator meterial ...if the Muratic acid eats the insulator you best not clean it that way !...
I cleaned my cell and was very happy with the output afterword !
and then Randy tested some of the same insulator meterial I have in my cell and he said it ate it up.... I dunno why My cells still work but I ain't going to complain !
HAHAHAHHA
...
Needless to say be super carefull... do this outside and keep pets away from it !
if this stuff trickels down the drive way into the flower bed  your Wife will go mid-evil on your body and pummel you with lots of ...Pun..pun..pun.. she'll HIT YOU !
....
... and yes Muratic acid is spelled wrong.. dunno how to spell it right OK !
you can get it at most hardware stores in the Pool supplies section...
use it carefully .... its Hydrocloric acid  and it desolves Limestone  in seconds...
think what it will do if you splashed it in your face !
...
Bob........

[Error Loading User Name]

There are things out there called 'ultrasonic cleaners', you fill it with water and toss whatever inside, shut the lid, and some weird sound waves do some juju and out pops clean items. I use one for my throwing knives (they get really dirty during practice, no, not with blood) and they get them all sparkling. Dunno if it would apply to generators (probably need a nice drying off and disassemble them before you put them in) but it might be worth a try.

[hg2]

  I guess that would be ok if you already own one but they start at $200 and range up to $500.I think I'll stick with the acid,it's still only a couple bucks per gallon.

[Bob]

Exactly Hg2  I don't think I'll go out and buy one for cleaning my cells, though I admit it would be realy handy ! HAHAHAHAHA the acid works good for me ....I've no complaints yet  from useing it.
...ya just gott'a be carefull on how ya dispose of it... and keep critters away from it !
...
Bob......

[stl_hemi]

Can I buy this stuff at a pool supply place? Or Like Lowes and HD?
I've never noticed this stuff their before. I know it's on the job site cause I've seen the blick layers acid washing the brick on clean-up of the house. But those dipshit's don't wear a mask or gloves when they do that and in the summer they don't even have shirts on when they do it.

[Bob]

YAH ! I got my Muratic Acid ( or how ever ya spell it) at Lowes Hardware... in the swimming pool department... they use it in swimming pools.
I got 2- 1 gal jugs for $8.00  And I still have 1 gal full left.
...
Bob.......

[stl_hemi]

What kind of material (tub) should I put this stuff in to soak? Protective aswell? Gloves, Mask and gogles?
Disposal of the solution?

I'm going to have to do this in January.

[Bob]

I used the container I made for the cell 4" ABS sewerpipe....
I did not use gloves or eye protection but I was extreamily carefull not to splash or get ANY of that shit on me.... gloves and eye protection is a great idea
I simply poured the stuff on the ground and watered it down to delute it... but thats probly not the best way to dispose of it.... saveing it for the next use is probly the wizest move as there is no reason not to save it! plastic jugs as long as their tough enough to take the acid... perhaps old CLEANED out bleach bottles ? I dunno

A coffee can would probly work to clean the cell with but don't leave it in the can too long or it will probly eat through it ! <GRIN>
...
good luck ...read the lable first ! its scarry stuff !
...

Bob........

[hydrotinkerer]

I keep my used muriatic acid in a clean antifreeze bottle. It has been in the bottle for a month now and it hasn't eaten it, So I guess its ok.

[stl_hemi]

I wussed out on the acid. Just sanded the plates down instead. Didn't want anymore burns on my body from chemicals nor did I want to harm my family if a issue arose. And I'm trying very hard to have Green lifestyle around the house. koh ain't on the green list but it's better than naoh.

[Bob]

well try Koolaid... thats purdy GREEN ...more yellow than green but if you want to go for Color you can find Lime Koolaid and try it ! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
....
 I understand about the Acid it can be scary stuff especially when Kids and pets are concerned !  not something you want around the house in all truthfullness!
...
but Lemonaid Koolaid does make a good Electrolyte in a "Randy cell MKI" thats what I've been useing and have no complaints... and it even has that lemony fresh sent too ! HAHAHHAHA
... but I don't think I'll drink it after its been used !
I used 24 packs to a gallon of water for my 2 randy cells and got 2~2.5 LPM at about 30amps
with the cells in series.
...
Bob........
 

[stl_hemi]

I've got drycells. hg2 already told me he tried koolaid to no luck. I was going to try that aswell.
It might be diffrant though since my mini's are alot smaller than hg2's 9x9 tero. ok a 1/4th of the size of his.

[Manta]

Anyone tried this ?

If the coating only appears on pos plates (or neg plates) then,  after taking care to discharge the residual voltage on the cell,  connect it the other way round. I'm thinking this may remove the coating as the current flows the other way through the cell. Agreed,  you will have to reverse it again later when the new build up occurs, but,if it works,  it could be easier that flushing it out.

Manta

[Bob]

Manta:
 Yes I tried that but it didn't work very well at all... it did clean it up SOME... but not very much.... in all honnesty it was probly way too dirty !
....
Bob.....

[WyndFryst]

There was a substance called Nalgene, I think it was. We kept stuff for our chemistry lab in high school in it. Big brown things. Perhaps you should look it up for storage.

[Bob]

Dipping things in cosmoline a Waxy/oily thick liquid that coats parts and military hardware has been used for eons to protect things from the elements... and it WORKS... but in this case it would just make the matter worse...
 Perhaps Ultrasonic Cleaning would work...I dunno I don't have a ultrasonic cleaner to try a cell in
I have a feeling it would work very well !
...
I Silver plated my normal steel cell plates and that lasted for about 4 test runs and then the green goo came back ! LOL...I suspect that the coating was micro thin and wasn't very good at that...because I just hung the cell in some Light electrolyte and a silver fork as the anode... and left it on the trickel charger for a day or two... I suspect that if I had done that for a few weeks at a bit higher amperage it might give the steel plates a silver coating that would have been useable for some time into the future ...
but as far as cleaning the cells after the electrolyte turns to a Dark brown all I have found that works is Muratic acid and then High pressure water...
and Muratic Acid will attack the insulators if left in too long ... so other than that a complete tear down buffing with the wire wheel and re assembly is the only real cure... and that is a major Hassel !
....
Bob.......