Anode rod for water table

[ggeh]

I emptied and cleaned my water table and found some areas of the bed metal being eaten away. Has any one tried an Anode rod like is used in a water heater to slow the rusting or electrolysis down?
Thanks, Gary
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[robertspark]

It should work quite well provided it is below the water line and acts as a sacrificial anode as used on boats with steel hulls.

You can buy magnesium anodes on eBay or elsewhere cheaply. Basically you want a material which is higher us the galvanic scale (which is why zinc / galvanized coatings work well..... But people forget they are sacrificial and need to be revisited periodically)

With magnesium, watch out heating them up as they can react violently.... But submerged in water they will work fine.... And as round rod / bar stock you can just drill a hole in them and bolt them down.... As washers... It's all about contact area and surface area with sacrificial anodes)

[WyoGreen]

When I built my water table I painted the tray with cold galvanizing paint. 5 years later there is still no sign of rust. It holds up much better than I thought it would.

Steve

[Desertdog]

I think the sacraficial rods are a great idea and on my list of options. Probably just use one for a water heater. Think about $25 the last time I bought one. My concern would be a place in the water table that the torch would not come in contact with it. I came up with 2 options. I have hard stops about 2" wide on both X and Y axis. I thought about tucking the rod underneath the stops. The other better way would be to have some type of remote sump container and put the anode material in there with circulation which should also help with bacteria growth. I was thinking of a circ. pump anyways as I have been using Borax, which is ok until you let it go and it turns into a bad science experiment. Giving serious thought converting to downdraft to get away from water all together. I think it is a definitely a better way to go especially on thinner material which is most of what I do.

[ben de lappe]

"With magnesium, watch out heating them up as they can react violently...."
Bingo. DO NOT under any circumstances grind into small shavings and apply heat. Bright white hot flash may be ones last sight on earth Otherwise welds fine...

[Desertdog]

I agree Ben, hitting that magnesium with the torch could make all your problems go away permanently! I think the only way it would work is with a remote sump. Down draft is looking better.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

Why not just use rust inhibitor in the water and clean out the drops as needed? I have 3 yrs on my pan and it still looks great.

[Desertdog]

Can I ask what rust inhibitor you are using? The only one I have found that doesn't require level A or B PPE is about $225 for a 5 gallon pail. I have found a few others that are sodium nitrite or Silicic Acid Sodium Salt (not much different then the homemade recipes) based that require level A or B PPE, glasses, gloves, respirator. The problem is not finding a rust inhibitor, plenty out there, but you have to find chemicals that play well with a 20,000 degree torch and don't require a space suit.

[ggeh]

Can I ask what rust inhibitor you are using? The only one I have found that doesn't require level A or B PPE is about $225 for a 5 gallon pail. I have found a few others that are sodium nitrite or Silicic Acid Sodium Salt (not much different then the homemade recipes) based that require level A or B PPE, glasses, gloves, respirator. The problem is not finding a rust inhibitor, plenty out there, but you have to find chemicals that play well with a 20,000 degree torch and don't require a space suit.

Im using green cut plasma fluid from lubecorp. When cutting it turns brown in the cutting areas and makes bubbles and suds. Before that I used Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda. I think I'm going back to the soda. It seemed better with the rust control and I didn't get brown bubbles and suds.

[ggeh]

Why not just use rust inhibitor in the water and clean out the drops as needed? I have 3 yrs on my pan and it still looks great.

Right now I'm using green cut plasma fluid when its not green anymore I'm switching back to Arm and Hammer washing soda. Huuuge price difference. I just put a holding tank under my table. Now after I cut I pump the water in the holding tank and the next day the table is dry and a lot easier to clean out by dragging a magnet rather than using a shovel for wet sludge.

[Desertdog]

Green cut is the product I was looking at. Looks like a good inhibitor but if it doesn't do much better then washing soda at $4 a box it's hard to justify the cost. If I keep an eye on the borax or washing soda it's not too bad, but out here in the desert the table chemistry can go out of whack quickly if your not watching it daily. Hard well water adds to the problem.

[ggeh]

Just my opinion and cost aside the washing soda did a better job of rust control and I didn't have brown suds and bubbles. The green stuff looks pretty until you fire the torch.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

Washing soda here as well it works as good as the DYNAFLUX PWT 360 does if not better, get some litmus paper ph test strips and keep the PH in the 10 - 11 range. I drain into a tank (beer keg) on the small table, the 6x12 under construction has a 350 gal 3/16" steel tank on it, I treat if with 5 boxes and have a pump for circulation as well as filling of the water tray.

[Billythegoat]

Washing soda x3! Cheap and works great!

[WyoGreen]

I also use washing soda in my table, which deserves some credit for no rust over the last five years. I also drain my table at the end of the day into a plastic drum. That gives the table time to dry out, which makes cleaning the table out much easier.

Steve

[FabLab]

Washing soda here as well, the price is right and it works great.

[pmeyers]

When I built my water table I painted the tray with cold galvanizing paint. 5 years later there is still no sign of rust. It holds up much better than I thought it would.

Steve

Steve, New to this forum I just purchased a used table and was thinking of doing exactly what you describe, painting the water tray, which has a few rust spots, with a cold galvanize rustoleum. It sounds like it has worked well for you. What kind of paint did you use? Paul

[WyoGreen]

Paul, I used the same paint you are thinking of using. It does go on a little messy, not quite like normal spray paint but plenty good for a water tray.

Steve

[pmeyers]

Thanks Steve, did you paint your slats with the same material? Mine are raw steel and required considerable clean up when I got the table. Plan on trying out the arm and hammer washing soda for a while at first. Paul

[WyoGreen]

Paul, I figured the slats were a consumable so did not coat them. The Arm and Hammer washing soda actually does a pretty good job of keeping rust off of them. From what I've read, Zinc keeps rust off of adjacent bare metal so perhaps the galvanizing paint helps with the slats.
Steve

[pmeyers]

Great information Steve. Thanks This forum is an amazing resource, there's a lot of experience here!

[robertspark]

I would not galvanize the slats, given they are consumable items + zinc fumes can be bad news.... especially if your extract is not removing the fumes at the source as LEV.

https://www.bakersgas.com/weldmyworld/2 ... zed-steel/

[SegoMan DeSigns]

What he said to the power of 10.. Slats get cut up before they rust out..

[erricksonartistry]

I have a 4x4 water pan. How much washing soda do I add?

[SegoMan DeSigns]

What is the dimensions of the pan? and do you have a separate water tank that it drains into?