Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Cleaning Anodes

What type of solution should be used to clean anodes and how should the mixture be separated?

Jay Will
plating shop employee - Sheridan, Wy, USA
2005

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First of three simultaneous responses --

This is really going to depend on the anode and solution composition.

James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida
2005

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Second of three simultaneous responses --

What type of anodes?

Peter Van de Luecht
- Melbourne,Vic, Australia
2005

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Third of three simultaneous responses --

Hi Jay,
The cleaning solution or method to clean anodes would depend on type of anode used. Copper, Tin, Titanium? Could you please specify plating bath as well? Thanks

Mark Baker
process engineer - Malone, New York
2005

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What sort of anodes? Normally anodes are easily separated from cleaning liquids by lifting them out of the solution.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2005

The anodes are made of lead. They are used for hard chrome plating.

Jay Will
- Sheridan, Wy, USA
2005

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First of two simultaneous responses -- 2005

The only reason to clean your anodes is to remove the yellow-orange lead chromate that should not have been allowed to form.
Some people soak them in a caustic tank. Others wire brush them and still others scrape them. You probably could use a pressure washer [affil links].
You get a haz waste with any of them that needs to be handled appropriately.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

If the anodes are small enough to be handled I usually clean these by hand. You may want to consult your waste treatment operator before doing anything. After rinsing anodes very well, make up a bucket of 10% fluoboric acid and water. Place anode in a 3 to 4 inch deep tray, use a medium grit scotch brite pad and scrub anodes using the acid dip. Spray rinse with water hose over the tray. This way the lead is contained in the tray, your waste treatment operator will thank you for your consideration. You really don't want to use your shop cleaning tanks to clean lead. It is very difficult to treat. Make sure you let anodes rinse a minimum of 5 minutes in overflow rinse before putting them back into chrome tank. Let cleaning tray dry out then the lead powder can be processed easier. Good Luck

Mark Baker
process engineer - Malone, New York
2005

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Hi,
I used rochelle salt [on eBay or Amazon] to clean the anodes, only to let them hang in the solution 24 hour and rinse them with water. When we put them back in the chrome solution you should must use a precontact to hang them back, to get the right lead oxide on them. If you not use pre contact the anodes will be yellow very soon again and they not work like they should to do.

Regards,

Anders Sundman
4th Generation Surface Engineering
Consultant - Arvika,
Sweden
2005

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I agree with Mark Baker - a good solution.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2005