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Green gritty bukduo on nickel rounds in the anode baskets

I am seeing a build up of a green kittie litter looking sludge in our nickel bath that affects the volts and seems to cause the finish product to flake. We are a high volume plating shop (90 to 100 barrels per 24 hrs with our load size around 150 lbs. per barrle. We maintain the pH at 4.2 but we see more of this sludge when the p.H. drops under 4.0

Could this along with the over dosing of chloride or Nickel Sulfamate be the problem and if so what would you suggest the percentage and o.p.g s ranges be in a 1,400 gal Nickel Sulfamate bath be?

Charles Jividen
Team Leader - Elmira, NY
February 11, 2010

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In addition to pH, please tell us everything you can about your current bath conditions...nickel concentration, chloride concentration, boric acid concentration, metallic contaminant levels (Fe, Cu, etc.), anode material (S-Rounds, D-Crowns, etc.)

Jon Barrows, MSF, EHSSC
GOAD Company

Independence, Missouri

February 12, 2010

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While there may be many causes, it sounds like the bath pH is too high and the chloride concentration is too low. It's also a possible cause that the bath may have been diluted by a tank overflow or leaking heating coil.

Lyle Kirman
consultant - Cleveland Heights, Ohio
February 15, 2010