Reducing current to auxillary anodes

[woodjames]

Is there anything that can be done to reduce the current a little that is going to the aux. anodes? My main anode read 3 amps, and then when I hooked up the aux. anodes the whole setup jumped to 13! It's still plating fairly smooth and fine grained still, it's just dumping a lot of copper around the aux. anodes (a little too much). I imagine that being so close to the workpiece is the reason for this, and if I drop it down to much, I won't be putting much plate on the rest of the piece. I'm just looking to get a little more even plate. How is everyone else doing this?

[CarWiz]

Use smaller auxiliary anodes or just raise them out of the solution a little. You just have to watch for shadowing. What's the shape of the plated object?

[woodjames]

I don't have a pic. of the actual piece, but here's one that is very similar. This one I used aux. anodes with success. I only used them in the acid copper to build in lcd areas so I could sand out the pits. I was okay on the larger flat areas, but the small curved step up section was where I just kept burning through. I didn't pay attention to the amps on this piece, however the area that it was closest to, it burned a hole right through the 1/2" pipe that I was using as the aux. anode. On the piece side, mating to the hole, there was some growths. I'm still calling it a success because I was able to do what I set out to do- sanding down past all the pits that were on the piece. Next time 'round I want to get a little more even plate.

Use smaller auxiliary anodes or just raise them out of the solution a little. You just have to watch for shadowing. What's the shape of the plated object?