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Salt Spray and Water

(-----) January 31, 2008

Hi Everyone,

Can I get some feedback on the quality of water used in a chem film operation and salt spray results.
Since we moved locations and are no longer using city water we have been having trouble with salt spray tests. At least that seems to be the only conclusion I can come up with.

Any thoughts?

Thank-you
Micheline

Micheline Forth
Finishing Company - Rincon, Ga, USA
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January 31, 2008

Are you salt spray testing real parts or test panels, Micheline? If it's test panels, I would suspect damage to them, or non-equivalence of your new source, before I'd suspect water quality.

If it's not the test panels, I may sound like a broken record on this, but some people believe that only deionized water should be used in plating shops anymore. If the water usage rate is not high, a simple 2-bed DI system will solve the problem this time, and forever as well :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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February 4, 2008

Thanks Ted,

It is test panels, but we make them ourselves. I've tried various grits from 180 to 1200. Believe it or not there was no ryhme or reason, some past and others did not (no pattern)
After failing a test I decided to run a set through the system and another through buckets using DI water, I bet you can guess that both past with absolutely no pits.

I'm kinda hoping it is the water because we are in the middle of purchasing a Wastewater recycle system which will provide us with DI water.

This has been driving me crazy.

Thanks,
Micheline

Micheline Forth
- Rincon, Ga, USA
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