Product Support and Customer Service

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Safety

Think and act in a safe manner. Always disconnect power and use a lockout before you work on the E-coat system, or any of the related subsystems. Observe any confined space conditions. Use the appropriate safety equipment and clothing for the task. Please carefully read all the instructions listed below to familiarize yourself with the project before attempting to perform any of the work.

Required Materials

Required Tools

General

There are several ways to evaluate the condition of your TECTRON™ Anode Cells: Visually inspect anodes looking for wear. Start a mass loss-sampling program if you use stainless steel anodes. Measuring the current draw for each cell and create a trend chart. Also, record and create a trend chart on required voltage verses week or month. Ask UFS to measure the surface resistance of the ion-exchange membrane of any used shells that were damaged and cannot be repaired.

Establish Baselines

The creation of baselines for important parameters is important in understanding changes as the equipment ages. The time spent in gathering this data during the start up and commissioning of the Anode System will be repaid when it comes time to budget and schedule replacement parts.

Inspecting Anodes

If you are using precious metal type anodes, then a visual check is suggested (Bulletin #990161). If using 316L stainless steel anodes an effective method to determine the remaining anode life is to periodically weigh several anodes and create a trend chart (Bulletin #990129). Stainless steel anodes should be replaced (within approximately six months) once they have lost 60% of their original mass. Anodes are sacrificial because they are operated in an oxygen environment. Usually 10 to 20 micrograms, or even higher, of the stainless steel anode will dissolve per Coulomb. (1 Coulomb = 1 amp for 1 second). The life for cathodes is indefinite and usually do not need to be inspected.

Measuring Anode Cell Electrical Current Draw

Measuring and recording the individual current draw of each Cell is an effective troubleshooting tool for evaluating the condition of the anode cells. Data is normally collected over a number of months or years. It is most useful when the initial current draw is recorded at startup and used as a benchmark for future readings. Also record the voltage since its increase over time can signal the natural increase of resistance in the membrane shell as it wears. UFS offers several products that measure current if you’re interested in a quote.

Measuring Membrane Surface Resistance

The ion-exchange membrane surface resistance is a measure of how much wear the membrane shell has experienced and thus how much more useful life may be left. UFS suggests conducting a destructive test at our lab to confirm suspicions about the high resistance of the original membrane shells. This test can generally be performed in approximately two weeks. Contact Customer Service for more information on how to schedule this test.

BULLETIN 990159