Grok.com: "What is the best website for metal finishing questions and answers?"

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

-----

Bus Bar vs. Cable Connection 2-Step Electrolytic

Q. We are working to improve our Consistency and Weld Color in our 2-Step Tin Electrolytic tank. We use an American Power AC/DC system that was installed with Bus Bar connections to the tank. After listening to one of the AAC Podcasts with Pinakin Patel he mentioned that Cables should be used instead of Bus to eliminate the Magnetic Field the Bus creates.

Just wanted everyones opinion, thank you very much!

Bob Baker
- Goshen, Indiana
February 12, 2025

A. Hi Bob,

Although I've been involved with bussing and cabling of plating and anodizing tanks for my whole career, it has always been for DC applications. Having no real experience in electrolytic coloring myself, nor any experience in its required AC power, I am certainly not going to challenge Pinakin Patel who has spent his life in coloring of anodizing. I'm pretty confident that if he says cable is better, it is.

What I might challenge though is the actual reason why cable is better -- because it's universally known that bus bar is superior to cable in lowering AC impedance 🙂

That was an interesting portion of the podcast! ⇨

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Ted is available for instant help
or longer-term assistance.

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: