can't get chrome

[boss]

I'm new to this forum, so please bear with me a moment while I describe my problem. Maybe one of you can help me out. I have no problem with the first three steps. Flash copper, acid copper and nickle. All the steps are done by the numbers and they come out great. Then when I get to the chrome tank, everything goes crazy. Again, I'm trying to do it exactly by the numbers but maybe I'm missing something. I have the anodes (2) placed in the tank with a jumper wire connecting them. The part I'm trying to plate is small, so the anodes are aprox. five inches apart. The part is a 2x2 angle iron 2" long. Therefore the amps are set at 16 amps. + to the anode and - to the part. Within a few minutes of being in the chrome tank, the nickle is stripped and sometimes some of the copper. It seems to be more severe were the wire hook is attached. I thought that maybe the batch was bad so I mixed up a new batch, but still the same thing. I've been back and forth with the tech. dept. for a couple of days now but we can't seem to figure it out. While I'm on this subject, exactly how critical is the amp settings. (+ or -). I now have a digital amp meter set up so I can get it right on the button. I sure would appreciate any help you could offer as I'm about to lose my mind.

[48Buick]

Hi:
Are you sure you have the POS to the anodes and the NEG to the part?
It sounds like your reverse plating....Is the bath foaming when you plate?
48Buick

[bhhodges]

i think the same thing as 48 buick does you have to have your power cords reversed.


bill

[boss]

Negative! I'm absolutely sure the polarity is correct. I've checked them a couple of times and had 4 others check it out also. I thought the same thing. As it turns out, I managed with little effort to get my first chromed piece this afternoon. YEAH!!! The first thing this morning I went to Home Depot and bought bare copper ground wire to hang the part by. Much larger than the #10 copper I was using. Then I hooked it by two spots rather than one. I also picked up heavy duty clips and some #6 stranded wire (black & red). I minimized the resistance as much as possible. It seems to have done the trick. The most damage was always at the point of contact with the hanger. Maybe I was burning it off, ya think? I do however get some foam around the work piece area Not a lot though. Is that a bad thing?
Paul