First ano run. Results

[karmaarma]

I had my first ano run today with great results I think. Here are some thoughts.

Per the 720 calculator, I was to have a PAR of 15V. I peaked out at 14.2, is this an issue? When I would move the agitator pump, or turn it off, the voltage would change, (decrease). Why would this happen?

I use titanium wire, and it discolored a little during the ano process. Will the wire work ok the next run?

After dying, the parts had to sit in the open air for about 30 minutes because I was still waiting for the sealer to heat up. Is this a problem?

It was a great run, however I could have used more heaters, and have ordered a few more this evening, so hopefully I'll be able to heat things up a little faster next run.

Thanks in advance, everyone for all the help.

[acidrain]

The ultimate test is if the parts took dye well. Did they?
Don't worry about PAR... it's a calculation that is affected by alloy, acid strength, temperature, racking materials, agitation, etc. Basically anything that will affect the resistance. That's why the volts changed when you messed with the agitation... the micro layer of acid next to the part surface had a rise in temperature. Temp makes a big difference in resistance, and therefore changes the volts needed to maintain the amps.
Ti will ano and turn color. It has no affect on the next batch... just run it the way it is (without cleaning off the color or anything).
Don't let the parts dry out between steps... keep them submerged in clean RO or distilled water.
Yeah, heating the chemicals is one of my big peeves. I'm impatient, and most of my upgrades addressed that.
Glad to hear everything is working out for you. Post some pics!

[karmaarma]

AcidRain, thanks for the reply. It helped boost my confidence a lot.

When the volts stop increasing is it fair to say that the part has reached PAR and is finished anodizing? Could the parts come out of the ano bath at that time?

The parts dyed very well. I was so excited the first time I pulled them from the dye tanks to see the nice deep color.

I will post pics of my line this evening.

[acidrain]

As far as ano times, here is what I do:
Forget about PAR... go with calculated times using the 720 rule, EXCEPT:
The rule only applies to 6xxx and 5xxx alloys. 2xxx and 7xxx will ano in about 3/4 of the calculated time, so...
For 5xxx and 6xxx:
When going black or any deep color, ano to 1 mil.
When going medoum colors, ano to .75 mil.
For gold and clear, ano to .5 mil.

Multiply these times by .75 for 2xxx and 7xxx alloys.
Of course you have to know the alloys first.