Palm to head moment...

[Joshypoo]

Hello dear members. For my 2nd ever post I have for you a tale of woe. I have a fairly good chem background. I'm no Humphrey Davy but I know enough to know what to do to get the outcome Id like. As well as what Ppe chems and equipment to best facilitate said preferable outcome. Now here comes the woe. At my previous residence I was rather blessed with space and facilities to house all the assorted odd and ends widgets and what's its required for some one with an interest in things that require exposure to elements and compounds of a disagreeable nature. As well as conduct the necessary experiments in a safe and uninterrupted manner. This is no longer the case as I have moved. That was 4 yrs ago. A good friend of mine lives in the town where I now reside. He is an older gentleman. Wonderful man. His retirement hobby was fixing electronics. Computers and all manner of things. He is getting on in years and is in the midst of downsizing. About 6 months ago this prince of a man gifted me a treasure trove of components ripe for PM recovery, knowing that I was somewhat into such endeavors. So for the last 6 months I have been depopulating and brushing up on the methods and processes this forum boasts. So mistake number 1 above all was I rushed it. I was not properly prepared with a workable space to conduct my work. I have made it somewhat acceptable but alas it is no well organized fortress of solitude that I require. My 2nd mistake was not thinking about second or third hand possible reactions.and outcomes. My biggest concerns at the time was any toxic fumes that evolve from acids or possible spills that can and do happen. Turns out I should also have had active oxidation on my radar as I was doing an AP run in my garage and guess what happened.... every single piece of exposed steel around the area has oxidized to the point of wanting to go to the bathroom. Look into the mirror. And punch myself in head repeatedly. Education my friends does not come cheap. Re education is more expensive yet. So I sit here and ask myself. What have we learned?

 

[eaglekeeper]

Turns out I should also have had active oxidation on my radar as I was doing an AP run in my garage and guess what happened.... every single piece of exposed steel around the area has oxidized to the point of wanting to go to the bathroom. Look into the mirror.

Yep...I made that mistake when I first started (2014). Fortunately, I didn't have very much in the garage at the time, so damage was pretty limited.

Hydrochloric fumes are pervasive and persistent.... no matter how much cleaning and ventilation you do, stuff will continue to rust for months. The best thing you can do is clean up all your expensive and prized possessions. Then soak them down with WD-40 (or similar) and hope for the best.

 

[Martijn]

Hello dear members. For my 2nd ever post I have for you a tale of woe. I have a fairly good chem background. I'm no Humphrey Davy but I know enough to know what to do to get the outcome Id like. As well as what Ppe chems and equipment to best facilitate said preferable outcome. Now here comes the woe. At my previous residence I was rather blessed with space and facilities to house all the assorted odd and ends widgets and what's its required for some one with an interest in things that require exposure to elements and compounds of a disagreeable nature. As well as conduct the necessary experiments in a safe and uninterrupted manner. This is no longer the case as I have moved. That was 4 yrs ago. A good friend of mine lives in the town where I now reside. He is an older gentleman. Wonderful man. His retirement hobby was fixing electronics. Computers and all manner of things. He is getting on in years and is in the midst of downsizing. About 6 months ago this prince of a man gifted me a treasure trove of components ripe for PM recovery, knowing that I was somewhat into such endeavors. So for the last 6 months I have been depopulating and brushing up on the methods and processes this forum boasts. So mistake number 1 above all was I rushed it. I was not properly prepared with a workable space to conduct my work. I have made it somewhat acceptable but alas it is no well organized fortress of solitude that I require. My 2nd mistake was not thinking about second or third hand possible reactions.and outcomes. My biggest concerns at the time was any toxic fumes that evolve from acids or possible spills that can and do happen. Turns out I should also have had active oxidation on my radar as I was doing an AP run in my garage and guess what happened.... every single piece of exposed steel around the area has oxidized to the point of wanting to go to the bathroom. Look into the mirror. And punch myself in head repeatedly. Education my friends does not come cheap. Re education is more expensive yet. So I sit here and ask myself. What have we learned?

True, AP corrodes metal in your shed, BUT if you don't flood the AP with excess HCL, there are not much vapors escaping. AP works fine with a little excess HCL, and you can always add a bit more if those slimes don't dissolve fast enough.
That said, better safe that sorry and vent that workspace!
Remember it's the copper chloride that dissolves the copper, not the HCl! And you need a air to convert the copper chloride, aided by a free HCL molecule.

 

[Joshypoo]

True, AP corrodes metal in your shed, BUT if you don't flood the AP with excess HCL, there are not much vapors escaping. AP works fine with a little excess HCL, and you can always add a bit more if those slimes don't dissolve fast enough.
That said, better safe that sorry and vent that workspace!
Remember it's the copper chloride that dissolves the copper, not the HCl! And you need a air to convert the copper chloride, aided by a free HCL molecule.

Got a little overzealous with the HCl. Just goes to show how a little carelessness can have real consequences. I should have known better. Slow and methodical is definitely best. Some further forethought could have saved me a lot of work. After MONTHS of depopulating circuit boards and sorting components I guess I was just chomping at the bit to put some metals in solution lol. Apparently I am not a doctor for I lack patients. Lol

 

[4metals]

A lot of larger refiners discover, some too late, that it is more cost effective to tightly cover solutions and keep an exhaust blower running full time. The cost of electricity and additional heat is minor compared to building repairs and equipment repair.

 

[kurtak]

I was doing an AP run in my garage

If your garage is attached to your house along with a central air (heating/cooling) system that moves air through ducting it is likely you have a bigger problem then just the tools in your garage corroding

If your central air system ran while doing this in your garage (& it's attached to the house) it is almost certain that those fume got sucked into your central air system & you now have corrosion happening inside that system (the ducting & the unit that circulates the air

Once the corrosion starts you can't stop it - it's only a matter of time before holes develop in the ducting & the life of the circulating unit is shortened

That is because iron oxide (rust) in & of it's self causes iron to continue to oxidize (rust) iron

How much time before real damage happens ? - depends on how much fumes went through the system so could be 3 - 5 years or 10 - 15 -20 years

Kurt

 

[Joshypoo]

Unconcerned. Unattached.