Hi Adam
First off - let me thank you for the critical feedback. I am in fact
not experineced and therefore thankfull for any information.
>
>
>John Myszkowski wrote:
>> HI Markus,
>>
>> That looks like a very impressive setup.
>
>I agree, he has put quite some effort into the apparatus.
>However I really think he shouldn't of tried building the
>entire thing in one step, unless he had lots of experienced
>with the process and is familiar with copper plating tank
>design. For example it looks like he plans not to fully
>suberge the copper anodes and will inevidably get large
>amounts of oxidation at the air liquid interface.
I figure I could change the setup so as all of the anodes would be
floded. However, I don't understand how I should avoid that copper is
not covered by the acid on one hand, but not having any other material
reach the acid on the other hand. That said, even if I would have
copper screws or such holding the anode plates there would be an
air/copper interface - right? Is it the size of the interface forming
the probelm?
> He also
>has some mild steel and brass around that area. Unless he
>will NEVER spill a drop of solution, this will corrode and
>ultimatly contaminate his bath will iron(II).
I of course do not intend to spill a drop. I may will however cover
the steel with a plastic film or else change to stainless steel or
such.
> As for the
>other tanks which I assume are for the electroless copper
>stages, I don't have any experience with so thats a whole
>different set of challenges he must deal with.
This part is easier cause I'm using ready made mixtures of these baths
(well, some of the chemicals must be mixed with demineralised water
but it's easy).
>> What will happen if a joint leaks at night (or day) and chemicals
>> leak out into the electronics?
>
>Imagine conductive salt soluions (especially the sulfuric
>acid copper plating at 4.8 ohm-cm at 20°C) shorting the
>transformer and blowing the fuse, which I sure hope he has
>installed one.
This should not happen. That said, three tanks can leak at the same
time before the level would reach the transformer. The area of the box
around the tanks forms enough room to hold acid or whatever if a
leakage ocures. As mentioned elsewere it would be fairly easy to also
seal the frame cells and I probably will do this if time permits.
However like you also mentioned I may did too much already and I think
it's better if I now first get some experinece with palting through et
all. Thereafter I'm sure I will have to change this and that.
Markus