Electrolysis Fumes

[Coyote]

What type of gas / fumes are produced in the electrolysis process? My problem is the garage is too freakin cold to be going out there to keep an eye on things. On the flip side, my workshop is warm and comfy. The workshop is small (168 sq.ft.) and it is enclosed. I need to get started and would like to do it out here in the shop. I read somewhere the hydrogen gas is produced by the process.is that so? I hate to blow myself up. Another site said that harmless O2 was the gas produced. Anybody know for sure?

[tricky1962]

Unambiguous answer? A bit of both.

You will be converting iron oxide to iron and oxygen, but at the same time converting water to hydrogen and oxygen.

Consider the following:-

Having a warm and comfy workshop will speed up the process relative to a freakin' cold garage.

Charging a battery is the same process and produces hydrogen - would you charge a battery in your workshop?

If you have sensible ventilation in your workshop - no mould growing up the walls etc I reckon you are probably OK doing it there.

Bearing in mind this is going to take probably 12 hours or more, why not do it in the garage, pop out every two hours to check it's OK and switch it off when you go to bed then switch it on the next morning?

[jeff g]

The electrolysis process produces hydrogen and oxygen in the form of Brown's Gas or HHO as the byproduct, and what you use as the catalyst so that it actually works, will determine what else is in there too. With a single electrode setup as you would have in tank cleaning process, the electrolysis process is extremely inefficient and you probably won't be producing enough gas to blow yourself up. Also, Brown's Gas is heavier than air, and it will settle on the floor, so open the door a few inches and get some cross ventilation going. In addition, the gas burns so quickly, that in the unlikely event that you get enough gas built up to ignite, it will flash so fast that you probably won't get burnt.

Just be safe, open the door a little, get some ventilation going, and don't worry too much about it. Also, don't smoke in the garage while you are cleaning the tank.

One other thing...If, by some unlikely event that you do spread your garage over 1/2 the county, I accept NO responsibilty.

[tricky1962]

Brown's gas is a blend of hydrogen and oxygen.

Hydrogen is lighter than air so would rise to the roof of his workshop, not settle on the floor.

But nonetheless, get some ventilation going and put that fag out!

[Coyote]

Well then, I guess I am SOL. The heated workshop is only 12x14 and has no ventilation I have 2 windows and a door, but it's cold out. There is an exhaust fan in one of the windoes for when the weather is nice. Heat and air is provided by a wall mounted window unit. I wonder if I would be OK if I opened a window and used the exhaust fan 3 or 4 times a day for a few minutes. The problem is I spend 95% of my waking hours in here. Wouldn't you? To my right is a full length of the room workbench.

[tricky1962]

Can you not just stick the tank outside by the door - switch it on and then switch it off and bring it in when you leave?

[yeadon_m]

Put it inside, in someone else's house

[tricky1962]

But not next doors - you know - just in case...

[Coyote]

I think you guys are exaggerating some. Surely the concentration of hydrogen can't be THAT high.

[Suzukidave]

I was doing this process on a GT tank in front of my garage , i forgot to turn off the charger before removeing the anode out of the tank and struck a spark when it touched the mouth of the tank . It set off a small explosion and ejected rusty mess all over the front of my garage and bulged my gas tank .

[yeadon_m]

Look on the bright side. Both outcomes are good, a bonus really. If it works and is safe, you get to ride your bike. If its not safe, you're a candidate for a Darwin Award. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mike

[Suzukidave]

you're a candidate for a Darwin Award. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

Thanx Mike

[tricky1962]

Back in my school days we used to make a small test tube filled with hydrogen. Ignite the test gas with a match and you would get a nice pop.

The test tube was 25cc, your fuel tank is over 500 times the size so you would get 500x the pop!

That said, the gas there was enclosed in the test tube, you're going to have ventilation right??

[Powderfinger]

I've done a few tanks like this, it was during warmer weather and done outside though. The water does bubble pretty good at first but if you cracked a window and turned on a fan now and then it should be enough to remove it. If you set it up under the window maybe you could make a cardboard duct to route the gas out the window.

It seemed to me that I reached diminishing returns after 6 to 8 hours. Then I would rinse the tank, dry it with a heat gun and start it back up the next day with fresh hot water/soda and cleaned anodes. The first couple hours, it's amazing what it takes off.

[Coyote]

This is why I don't want to do it outside. This is such a goofy location. It's been snowing real light since yesterday morning - with a few breaks, Supposed to have a high of 65 Wednesday and a high of 31 Thursday. Currently 24.. Weather changes suddenly and rapidly here. Hence the tornadoes Koi pond in foreground The fish winter over just fine. Odd, they don't eat at all in the winter.

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