Electrolysis Tank--Freeze-up??

[Bill E Bob]

Keeping in mind that an electrolysis tank solution contains electrolytes,
what might the freezing point of the solution be? My tank (55gal) will
be stored outside (under a roof) this winter and may not be
"cooking" all the time? Any possibility of freeze-up? (considering
my southernish location and global warming)

Thanks

Bill

[Cecil]

You should be OK in OK. Mine freezes up pretty solid if I don't use it. It sits in an unheated garage. But then again we have been know to reach -20 here in the great North East.

[Rudi]

And much much much lower here... hehe

If you were to wrap the tank with some heater tape - same stuff as you would your water pipes (old trick from the 60's and 70's before they came out with ahhh duhhh inuslatation for pipes in northern climes), it will keep the solution just above freezing.. it may get a tad thickish.. but it won't freeze.

Unless you have temperatures that are consistently below 25 degrees F or so, you should be ok.. but the heater tape would be a good trick to try

[Bob McCarty]

I haven't done this, but if you could find a small stock tank heater, you'd just need to keep it from touching the barrel sides (might melt).

Bob

[Eugene]

Considering the low cost of washing soda or TSP. How about dumping the solution? That would be cheaper than electricity or the cost of a burst barrel.

[Cecil]

A lot of us use our tanks year round. Dumping it everytime you weren't using it would be a pain. I had thought about the stock tank heater and see no reason why it sould not work. I will let you know if I go that direction how it works.

[lloyd430]

Mine actually froze the other week, about 1/2", broke through plugged it in and it worked fine, but I did stick a magnetic heater to the +, so my parts wouldn't freeze it the barrel

Lloyd430

[Rudi]

Lloyd:

How much TSP is in solution

[George Willer]

A quick calculation showed that when the tank is running at 8 amps on 12 volts the process is adding 414 BTUH to the tank. That's just a little less than the 428 BTUH the average human body produces. So there are two ways to prevent freezing... Keep the tank working or go swimming!

Just funnin'. I have noticed that my tank becomes noticably warm when it has been running for a while.

[lloyd430]

2 years ago I put 2 boxes of washing soda in 35 gallons, haven't touch it since. Do you think its time for a change??

LLoyd430

[George Willer]

2 years ago I put 2 boxes of washing soda in 35 gallons, haven't touch it since. Do you think its time for a change??

LLoyd430

Only if the accumulated junk in the bottom bothers you. It won't affect the operation at all.

[Rudi]

Lloyd:

Total agreement with George. Unless you have oodles of gunk at the bottom... leave it alone. It should be fine.

Either let it run (even on low charge or trickle), wrap it in heater tape, or put one of them Water tanks heaters from a farm store that is used to keep the animals water troughs liquid... that should work nicely when you aren't using the tank.

[George Willer]

Either let it run (even on low charge or trickle), wrap it in heater tape, or put one of them Water tanks heaters from a farm store that is used to keep the animals water troughs liquid... that should work nicely when you aren't using the tank.

My earlier post was a little tongue in cheek, but the calculation is very close. Keep in mind that ALL of the power consumed by the process is converted to heat (or light, sound, or fury) and is contained in the tank. It is its' own best heater. The heat produced is directly proportional to the power input.

Forget any external heat source and just keep it busy. An insulation wrap is a good idea, but when the process is running well (about 8 amps at 12 volts) it's making nearly 100 watts (341 BTUH) of heat... All contained in the tank already.

[Eugene]

I understand leaving to solution in the tank if you are using it frequently.

Based on Georges' estimation of 100 watts per hour, it costs about 18 cents a day to leave the tank operating to prevent it from freezing. Or $16.20 for 90 days based on .075 cents per KW.

A 1500 watt stock tank heater, without a thermostat, operating 24 hours a day for 90 days at .075 cents per KW would cost approximtely $243.00. With a thermostat approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of that.

Eugene

[George Willer]

I understand leaving to solution in the tank if you are using it frequently.

Based on Georges' estimation of 100 watts per hour, it costs about 18 cents a day to leave the tank operating to prevent it from freezing. Or $16.20 for 90 days based on .075 cents per KW.

A 1500 watt stock tank heater, without a thermostat, operating 24 hours a day for 90 days at .075 cents per KW would cost approximtely $243.00. With a thermostat approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of that.

Eugene

Exactly!

And then we have to figure in the cost of the heater itself, or heat tape, or whatever.

Maybe when the tractor is finished and then the lawn furniture, etc. it would be possible to do work for paying customers?

I don't like the idea of swimming in it to keep it from freezing.