Corrosion from emulsifiers

Goomer

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
3,398
Location
Bronx, New York
Name
Frank Mendo
A recent post brought up the potential of emulsifying rinses to corrode some fittings.

What metals tend to be effected most/least?

What components of the solution are the greatest contributor to the corrosion?

How does this component negatively effect the metals?

Are the metals actually being slowly dissolved?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Total_Rookie

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
It seems to be mentioned more with the "Soap Free" (some are peroxide containing products) and brass.
Any acid rinse I assume will corrode some metals, not sure if corrosion inhibitors prevent it completely. I know that the CDS's pump dies faster when I was using acid rinses. Could have been a coincidence.
 

Goomer

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
3,398
Location
Bronx, New York
Name
Frank Mendo
I've used too many different products to count over the years and I've never experience a corrosion issue. So, my guess is it has more to do with your water hardness than the product you're using.

That's interesting.

I would not be surprised if that, or some other contributing factor was the real reason, as most comments regarding fitting corrosion are vague and without specific evidence, which lead me to this post.

How would one prove that corrosion was due to a specific product without long term controlled testing?

The theory would hold more water to me if someone can point out which component/aspect of some emulsifiers is the prime culprit due to it's generally accepted role as a corrosive, and why some metals are more susceptible than others.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Total_Rookie

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
Well Frank, if you switched to a certain product and all your brass fittings change color and show corrosion and the meter starts behaving weird. And this happens to quite a few people beside yourself.

Would that be somewhat of an indicator?

Or does one need it in writing on the wall?
 

Goomer

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
3,398
Location
Bronx, New York
Name
Frank Mendo
How many often accused old school emulsifiers contain SP?

I can't think of many.

I know Clean Free is one, and Pro's Choice has one also, but they are fairly new to the market compared to the others which are always being blamed.
 

Goomer

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
3,398
Location
Bronx, New York
Name
Frank Mendo
Well Frank, if you switched to a certain product and all your brass fittings change color and show corrosion and the meter starts behaving weird. And this happens to quite a few people beside yourself.

Would that be somewhat of an indicator?

Or does one need it in writing on the wall?

I have never personally experienced that, but I agree it would be interesting evidence, which is what I am looking for here, although a change in color is not necessarily corrosion is it?

Have you experienced this?

Who has?

What product?
 

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
I did with soap free. Metering.
Pump with HydraMaster Rinse Free.
I personally like the green/blue color of the brass fittings. Expert Clean & Green.

No scientific proof. Could have been a coincidence.
 

Goomer

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
3,398
Location
Bronx, New York
Name
Frank Mendo
I did with soap free. Metering.
Pump with HydraMaster Rinse Free.
I personally like the green/blue color of the brass fittings. Expert Clean & Green.

No scientific proof. Could have been a coincidence.


Corrosive 1a.png


corrosion 2.PNG


corrosion 3.PNG


Now salt would make sense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Steve Lawrence

Russ T.

Supportive Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Messages
3,556
Location
Slater, IA
Name
Russ Terhaar
image.jpg

I've been using "Blazin' Blue" for the last week or 2. Point Blue for years prior with occasional testing of others. I seem to default to what's familiar.

This started happening in my filters. It just looks like hard calcium buildup.

I did a de scale yesterday and will be playing with it more on Tuesday (taking Mon off).

My hope is that "Blazin' Blue" is actually cleaning some of the scale out of my system (Cleanco 47).

Is this wishful thinking?

Could this be caused simply because I've been changing it up too much?

About a month ago I ran Cobbs "All Fiber Rinse" (Acid). I probably only ran 2, 2.5 gallon jugs through it while cleaning apartments.

Maybe the acid rinse broke some calcium free?

I'd love to find a last step that keeps the system free of crap but I might be dreaming?

Either way, I have to get a handle on this clogging of my filters. It's a production killer.

Any advice is appreciated.
 

Desk Jockey

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
64,833
Location
A planet far far away
Name
Rico Suave
Is this wishful thinking?
Is that hard water related or product related? Some products can't take the heat and fall out of solution. Others just never dissolve well.

If you aren't using a softener I would do so. If you are, I'd quit using that crap before it clogs up your heat exchangers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Russ T.

Dolly Llama

Number 5
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
31,225
Location
North East Ohio
Name
Larry Capitoni
Either way, I have to get a handle on this clogging of my filters. It's a production killer.


do you flush your lines at start up , and cool down before rolling up??
if not, do so and your filter clogs will mostly be a thing of the past

doesn't take anymore time to flush at start up
once set up, put an open QD on sol line, stick it in the vac hose
walk to the truck, fire it up, turn the pump on...by the time you walk back to the other end..*BAM* your line is flushed.

at shut down, bleed off the hot water....use it to rinse wand/tools and fill emulsion tank
*BAM* you're now cooled down


..L.T.A.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Desk Jockey

Russ T.

Supportive Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Messages
3,556
Location
Slater, IA
Name
Russ Terhaar
Is that hard water related or product related? Some products can't take the heat and fall out of solution. Others just never dissolve well.

If you aren't using a softener I would do so. If you are, I'd quit using that crap before it clogs up your heat exchangers.
I've been completely neglecting my water softener. I pulled it out of the truck yesterday, filled with a few pounds of salt crystals, flushed it backwards for a few minutes, and reinstalled.

Should know more on Tuesday!

Thanks guys!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Desk Jockey

Jimmy L

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
15,250
Location
Ne
Name
Jimmy L
Where does one buy deluxe superclean? Where are the msds for it.
 

Dolly Llama

Number 5
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
31,225
Location
North East Ohio
Name
Larry Capitoni
I've been completely neglecting my water softener

I've never run with a softener Russ
and the water in NE Ohio isn't particularly "soft"

Quality emulsifiers have water conditioners in them .
all i do is adjust amount to fit the conditions .

generally 1/3 of what's suggested will condition water enough


never the less, and regardless whether softener or not....if you're not flushing your lines at start up (on every job) and cooling down (at least at the end of the day) .
Start doing it...DO IT NOW!!!

trust me, scaled up/clogged strainers and fouled jets will be a thing of past ...fo-reel

It's standard procedure for us.
and "might" need to clean a strainer every 700-1000 hours

years ago before i figured that out, I was cleaning strainers and fouled jets all-de-time


..L.T.A.
 

Russ T.

Supportive Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Messages
3,556
Location
Slater, IA
Name
Russ Terhaar
Thanks Larry!

I haven't been doing this but definitely will. Didn't seem to be a problem until recently but will take the advice. It's so important to form good habits and I will make this my habit!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dolly Llama

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
Where does one buy deluxe superclean? Where are the msds for it.
If it's a Bob recommended cleaning product, you know that:
  1. It's about 10-15 years past the time the last batch ever, was made.
  2. The product may have known Honest Abe, personally.
I guess what I'm saying is that it's time tested :winky:
 
Last edited:

bob vawter

Grassy Knoller
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
44,241
Location
La La Land
Name
bob vawter
i know where there several pallets of it right now......
but don punk out and get the Clean It lik Larry did.....
then cry lik a little girl about it for ten years or more......

pitiful........!
 

Jimmy L

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
15,250
Location
Ne
Name
Jimmy L
I remember all the rage over "clean it". So I bought a 6 pounder. Was too foamy for me and I believe it had ionic surfactants instead of the superior NON-IONIC. Think of the inferior surfactants in SCAMPOOS.
 

bob vawter

Grassy Knoller
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
44,241
Location
La La Land
Name
bob vawter
soooooo Jimney........you've never tried the Delux Superclean....
and all this time i thought YOU were the smart one here...!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom