H/E Core Acid Dip- Oxalic Acid

[Traveler 45C]

Where do ya’ get this stuff? Is it branded under a different name?

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Hey Trav... I buy both at Ace hardware.The O-A is in crystaline form and muriatic is in a gallon jug. O-A can also be bought at Sherwin Williams paint stores in Chicago. ws

 

[fissioneng]

I buy it at Lowe's or Home Depot in a gallon jug. It is Olympic Deck Brightener. A little more expensive than mixing the crystals.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

I think thats mixed with phosphoric which is a good metal cleaner too. ws

 

[SKYCHENEY]

When I cleaned mine, I used the phosphoric. Got it at Home Cheapo in the paint dept.

 

[fissioneng]

I agree with Sky. I don't think oxalic will do much on a HX. When I did my generator HX last fall, I started with a phosphoric soak and finished with a shorter muriatic soak.

I use oxalic for cleaning stains off fiberglass. It is the main ingredient in most stain removers. The Olympic Deck Brightener is much more cost effective than the marine stain removers. I believe Mary Kate Easy ON/OFF is 50/50 oxalic/phosphoric.

In order of strength (weak to strong)

oxalic
phosphoric
muriatic

 

[sgharford]

Since it's on topic - I cleaned my generator heat exchanger last seaon with 20% solution muratic acid and water. What came out after about letting it sit for 3 minutes looked like milk (was really white). I hope white was salt and not nickel in copper/nickel heat exchanger tubes. Too much acid is never fun.

 

[Traveler 45C]

Hey Trav... I buy both at Ace hardware.

Is the container labled Oxalic Acid or something else.

 

[Traveler 45C]

I don't think oxalic will do much on a HX.

I think it's primary use is to remove scale deposits.

I’m going to clean the cores per the DD manual. It calls for a 2.5 gal solution of 2/3 water, 1/3 muriatic acid with ½ lbs of oxalic acid.

 

[bobk]

You might try sulfamic acid if you can find it. It is often used to clean boiler tubes. Stronger than oxalic acid, but a good chelating agent and not as agressive to metals.

Bob

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Is the container labled Oxalic Acid or something else.

At ACE it comes in a 1 qt tub made by DAP. I aske for oxalic and even the kid there knew what I wanted! ws

 

[Brian Degulis]

Sometimes the oxalic is hard to find I don't think it has to many uses any more. You can use 50/50 muriatic and water with fine results. If your going to take them someplace to clean them try to not let them dry out. I put them in water if I can't clean them right away. If the crude dries out it hardens and it takes more effort to clean.


Brian

 

[Traveler 45C]

Absolutely no luck finding it. I tried Home Depot, Lowes and the biggest hardware stores around…nada. Home Depot sells a product called Bar Keepers Friend but its only 10% by weight oxalic acid.

West Marine carries it, but it was out of stock at my store. I’ll try another WM location and Sherwin tomorrow.

If muriatic only will work I wonder why DD specifies using the oxalic also.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

This is the best I can do for ya... ws
http://www.google.com/products?hl=e...a=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4

 

[Brian Degulis]

Absolutely no luck finding it. I tried Home Depot, Lowes and the biggest hardware stores around…nada. Home Depot sells a product called Bar Keepers Friend but its only 10% by weight oxalic acid.

West Marine carries it, but it was out of stock at my store. I’ll try another WM location and Sherwin tomorrow.

If muriatic only will work I wonder why DD specifies using the oxalic also.

I guess it does something I don't know what the core comes out bright with or without it.

Brian

 

[MikeP]

Odd, every little local hardware store around us carried it. But I admit that I've used muriatic alone on other similar projects and it seems to work very well. I also don't really know what the Oxalic does to benefit the process but I just do what DD recommended when working on the DD HEs/intercoolers..

 

[Traveler 45C]

Yup, that's what I'm trying to do, just like the book says.

I'm guessing that the two acids attack the crud differently or work together to make some sort of Super Acid because of the Super Crud in the cores. Who knows?

I'll push this to next weekend. I hope I won't be dealing with a hurricane by then

According to the link Yots sent there is a chemical supply outlet nearby, and I can always get it from West.

Thanks All.

 

[rmaher]

FWIW - I've had good luck getting it in crystal form by asking for wood bleach

Rob

 

[Traveler 45C]

Yea, thats what I had to do also. I figured that out after getting cross eyed looks when asking for it.

I ordered it from West.

 

[MikeP]

Yes, its "hardware store" use is as wood bleach though I can't think of where there is any wood in the HE that need's bleaching!