I’m reworking an early fertilizer distributor with the galvanized hopper. I’ve already cleaned the base and all it’s parts in my electrolysis tank, primed and painted these parts blue which appeared to be the original color. I have obtained a galvanized hopper which is in good condition except for some minor surface rust. Now I have a couple of questions. Should I clean the hopper in my electolysis tank or will that have a negative effect on the remaining galvanization. Secondly should I spray the hopper with cold galvanize compound or prime and paint it. Im going to use the fertilizer distributor and want to do whatever will protect it best.
Galvanized fertilizer hopper
- Thread starter Mht
- Start date
tractorpoor
Active member
Wonder if something like ospho would take care of the rust?
Once I get it in usable condition I will wash it after each use and oil it down. I have a J I Case two row planter with fertilizer distributor that I restored years ago and I wash it down after each use and then spray it down with a mix of diesel and motor oil. That process has worked great for a number of years. I’ve got to deal with someone else’s lack of care first
A guy that was on here once tried using a piece of copper as an anode. He ended up with ratty looking copper plate on his wheel. That leads me to think the process won't hurt the galvanizing. I'd try it out first with a some galvanized scrap.
I think that’s a good plan. I have a hopper that’s rusted out too bad to use or repair. I’ll try that in the electrolysis tank first. Depending on how it does I’ll decide about putting the good hopper in. I hope it works out fine because I really like the results I’ve had with electrolysis on all the other rusty stuff I’ve put in it. Now I just need to decide on paint versus cold galvanize spray
I just wanted to post an update. The electrolysis tank cleaning on a scrap hopper gave good results. It had no effect on the good hot dipped galvanized parts but did a number on rust as expected. I cleaned the good hopper and had excellent results on the surface rust. After washing and drying the hopper I finished it with three coats of rustoleum cold galvanizing compound. I know it’s nothing like hot dipped galvanizing but I’ve had good results using it to touch up places on a boat trailer. It seems to protect a little better than primer and paint around salt water. I’m very pleased with the way the hopper turned out. Now with cleaning and oiling after each use I feel confidant the hopper will last a long time. It should outlast me if I do my part
I thought I would share a few pictures of my refurbished fertilizer hopper. All the iron parts were cleaned in my electrolysis tank primed with rustoleum rusty metal primer and then painted with ace rust stop IH blue. The rate gauge was originally red so it got painted with rustoleum farm and implement IH red paint. The galvanized hopper was coated with cold galvanizing compound after I cleaned it. All stainless steel bolts were used to reassemble it. I’m looking forward to using it in my garden in the spring. 
Clemsonfor
501 Club
Look amazing! Good work.
I thought I would follow up on my hopper. It has been in use ever since I posted the pictures of it. I’ve planted and fertilized 4 times and side dressed my corn once. Each time I’ve finished using it I’ve washed it out good and when it has dried in the sun I’ve sprayed it down with diesel fuel with a little oil mixed in. The cold galvanized finish has held up good except for a spot on the inside where I believe the fertilizer moving against it caused some of the finish to come off. It now looks used instead of new due to the dust that probably sticks to the oiled surface. I kinda like the used look rather than the way it looked right after spraying it. I feel like as long as I wash it after use and continue to let it dry and spray with my diesel and oil mix it will last a long time. I’m in the process of putting a fiberglass hopper fertilizer distributor together now. I’m using a combination of original parts and new after market parts from agrisupply and the new parts seem to be working fine with the original parts. For those that are interested agri supply sells a new complete fertilizer hopper with a poly hopper that will work fine on a farmall. Price is 200 bucks. They also offer all the cast iron parts for their hopper individually. The guy at the store told me he didn’t think the new parts would work with an original hopper but I decided to try them anyhow and everything worked for me. Thanks for all the positive comments on my hopper restoration