Copper Contamination in Nickel Solution

[mswall]

I've used the CopyKad kit for over a year with great results. Recently a friend gave me a gallon of NiCl strike solution, unused. I ordered two nickel plates from Caswell and a new 2 gal bucket. I have a variable voltage 300ma supply set to 4 volts which should be a good test load for a small bolt or bracket. Two things went wrong:

1. I used a copper wire to hang the steel piece in the bath.

2. I reversed the polarity by mistake (for about 30 seconds). <-BAD

Copper plated onto my anodes! Now after doing about 10 cycles with the correct setup (polarity right and steel wire hangers), all the copper is visibly off the anodes, but everything I pull out of the bath is completely copper plated.

Can I get the copper out of the Nickel bath or is it ruined? I think the nickel anodes are ok, but the bath might not be. Thanks.

- Mark

[mswall]

Well, after performing about 20 dummy plating sessions with the copper-ized bath.... everything still comes out copper plated (yes, the polarity is correct this time). I must have really slammed that solution. All the copper is off the nickel plates, but for the life of me I cannot seem to clear the bath. Looks like a Caswell order is in my future...

- Mark

[fxstcguy98]

Have you tried using caswells support? They are pretty good at trying to help you out. If the first suggestion doesn't work, keep asking questions. I seriously doubt that the copper wire has anything to do with it (if you hadn't polarized the solution). That's all I have ever used and have never had a problem. Another option is post your question on yahoo groups electroplating, it's free to join and the guys on there are very helpful. They are mostly hobby platers and I know someone on there has polarized their nickle at some point. It's a great group, even Mike Caswell is a member.
Darrin

[dadkar2]

I don't think the copper wire is the problem either. I have been doing nickel plating for 3 years now, excellent results...the only hanger wire I've ever used is copper! Further, for any kind of restoration work, you're going to copper plate the part multiple times before you nickel plate it anyhow. Copper parts are going to contact that solution no matter what.

At one time I reversed my polarity in the nickel tank, during a setup change. Like you, I discovered it after about 30 seconds. But it was worse than a copper hanger wire--the part was plated with copper. Believe it or not, the next part I plated had some dark blotches in it, but then after that the tank performed as usual. I wonder if something else didn't go wrong with your setup, or if there is some other metal contamination problem going on.

Ken