Iron bloom(red stuff)

[hydrotinkerer]

I did a test and didn't know it. I built a smack hybrid performed ok. I always had a problem with red stuff after about a week of running.
The gen put out .7lpm at 15amps. The temp would run 125-140*F. I also used switch plates from Lowes. All of them had a grade on them of 304.

I got irritated at it because of having to clean after about a week. I took it apart and built a dry cell out of the same plates.
This gen puts out .6lpm at 5.5amps. The temp on it runs 105*F tops. The dry cells been running for 2 almost 3 weeks and no red stuff.

I used the same parts in each gen. The only difference between the two gens are the housings and the temperature they run. I believe the "red stuff" either came from the heat leaching iron from the plates or from the housings. I have a hard time thinking it came from the housing. Any ideas?

 

[randy]

All right I gotta ask "what's a dry cell"

[Bob]

My guess is its junk leaching out of the plates or bolts in the water... if you got it all out in the first round of tests then that explains why it quit making more...
I have had times of green goo and one instance of red goo  and many instances of COFFEE brown electrolite....
I am fairly certain its from the KOH as I switched to Lemonaid and got rid of it completely
...switched back to KOH  and the coffee brown came back too...even after a Muriac Acid bath.
so now I have lemonaid Koolaid in the cell and its workin great again !
...
try a Muriac Acid bath at 100% for 10 to 20 minutes...it helped my cells a bunch!
got rid of all the discoleration and made them shinnie once again !... their dirty because of the KOH again but I havn't got arround to giveing them another bath !
... that stuff works good ! ( the acid!...how ever ya spell it! HAHAHAH)
...
Bob......

[Justin Frye]

so does the koolaid give off any kind of discoloration or goo? should i use this instead of koh because the koolaid is readily available.  i also want to know what a dry cell is.





-justin

[hydrotinkerer]

Dry cell is just what some of the other forums call a Tero, Modified tero, Flooded tero etc. I have put together 4 different sizes and they work great. The smallest is 4.75x3, 19 plates and the largest is 10.5x7.5, 7 plates.

Where do you get muratic(hydrochloric)acid? I'll try cleaning my plates with it. I wonder if it would help to clean a brand new set of plates with muratic acid before they are ever used?

[Bob]

Justin :in my experience Lemonaid Koolaid is just as good as KOH, and it has some better points to it that KOH cannot boast... it smells good, its non toxic and it makes no goo at all and does not discolor the water except a slight yellow color ...
  where the KOH is VERY toxic, discolors to a dark coffee brown and coats the plates it won't produce a goo unless the metal leaches it into the water... then it will badly.
but if the plates and all are conditioned well the KOH runs clean as well....
it will foam a bit but so will Lemmonaid....
I sujest you use the Lemonaid because it is available and it produces no goo and keeps the plates clean... I can't say that for KOH so that is why I switched back to lemonaid myself !
....
from a super clean acid cleaned cell I put in KOH and the next day it was coffee colored water...
so I drained it out and noticed the cell plates were already gold anodized colored on every other one...  what I JUST GOT RID OF ! so realy I should clean the cell again... as the KOH dirtyied it up badly !
...

 Hydrotinkier: I think it would help new plates a bunch !
I picked up 2 gallons of Muratic Acid for $8.98 at Lowes hardware in their Pool supply section... they use it often in swimming pools !
...
Gotcha' on the Tero-Cell/Dry cell  connection thank you !
..


Bob

[Justin Frye]

sounds like lemon koolaid it is. how much should i use for say a gallon of water?






-justin

[randy]

go get about $5 worth, dump about 5 packets in, activate cell and let it warm up, then add until you reach your target amps, take your time and let it mix well, the amount you need depends on the build configuration of the cell. I've read that many other electrolytes loose their output, but I haven't seen a drop in about 3000 miles. although I had a problem with the vehicles electrical system, I bought a dual rectifier kit for my stock alternator and installed it, but I failed to upgrade the stock fuse link, it burnt out and took out the ignition module in the distributor, my next step "when I get time" is to completely isolate the hydroxy system from the vehicles electrical system.

[Bob]

Did you not install the 200amp altenator Randy ? or just pu grade the one in the truck ?
... is that the next step in ISOLATING the system ? install its own Altenator ?
... good idea !
...
Bob.......

[randy]

that shiny 200 amp alternator is still in the box it came in, in order to control the heat I'm only running those 6 cells at 40-45 amps, it seems to be very stable in that configuration, when I get time I'll build another unit just like it and power the same way, I intend to install the 200 amp alternator to power cells independent of the trucks electrical system, WHEN I GET THE TIME hahahhahah

[hydrotinkerer]

Bob, Thanks for the info on the muratic acid.

[Bob]

Ahhh... Ok gotcha Randy !
sounds like you're going to need some sort of a Cooler when you push 120 amps !
...
Hydrotinkier:
 No problem thats what I'm here for ! <GRIN>
I can't help much but I try ! HAHAHHAHA!
Bob......

[wess]

My thoughts on the red stuff....for what its worth..lol. I used distilled water & KOH & had a slight yellowing of the water. I tried plain tap water (I ran out of distilled) & got tons of red foam almost immediatly. So Fishers thoughts about water impurities I believe is correct. The more impurities in water the more goop...lol...The only pure water I believe is ionized water. Chemists use it in labs.

[candyman55]

Use rain water its free. I use rainwater and experience virtualy no red goo or foam. I just got another batch last night. 

[IronBear]

The red stuff should be a mixture of Ferric Oxide and minute amounts of trace elements that are by products of the production of SS. The red is MOST LIKELY Iron coumpounds in the water you used reacting with the freed Iron compounds in the SS. These will form a light sludge or a heavy one depending on how much Iron you have in your water. I used 304 SS and distilled water. My first change out had a slight layer of red crud in the bottom. Havent seen it since. If I remember my chemistry correctly ( which I probably dont) you should have a higher yield of Ferric Oxide with a greater amount of amps/higher concentration of KOH.

I havent seen the coffee grounds yet. I wouldnt mind getting a sample to ask the boys about. The green goo should either be a chlorine compound or possibly a nickel compound. I think...

One of the biggies to watch for is the first batch of electrolyte fluid you change. It has the highest chance of containing Hexavalent Chromium, which we know to be bad for you. Your first change out should be placed in a safe container and delivered to your local waste plants for safe disposal. I had a friend in the Chem labs estimate the percentage and he said it would be very small, but its still nothing to sneeze at.  Better safe than sorry.