SMC Discussion Areas

Has anyone used rust converters on parts within their machines? I had some work done on an evaporator coil and the galvanized frame some how lost its zinc coating and is now rusting very badly (see attached pics). The refrigeration system has been reassembled and recharged and I don't want to have to disassemble (it wasn't easy finding the R-12 to recharge the system). I can't get at the rusted areas to clean mechanically with a wire brush or other abrasives, so I'm looking at chemical alternatives. I'm wondering if these products will hold up over time in the moist environment of my chest cooler. A few examples are:

OSPHO: http://www.ospho.com/

POR-15: http://www.por15.com/

Rust Bullet: http://www.rustbullet.com/

Rust Converter: http://www.theruststore.com/Rust-Converters-C10.aspx

If anyone has any experience with these types of products, please let me know how they worked out. Or let me know if you have any other ideas on how to deal with this problem. I've got a real mess on my hands.

Thanks for any help.

I've used POR15 before with excellent results!

I've used a product from Eastwood with good success. It's called Rust Encapsulator. It's comperable or better (as they advetise!) POR-15. I'm not really a big fan of Rust Convertor's but sometimes they do come in handy when you still have some deep pits that even a sandblaster can't get at and you want that extra security.

On something like the evaporator coils you have pictured, I would use a small, handheld hopper-fed bead blaster with glass bead seeing as how you can't typically get an entire refrigeration deck into a beadblaster cabinet.

If you use rust converter and want to keep the original color you'll have to spray the converter, wait for it to stabilize and then spray silver/aluminum to make the evaporator look original.

Does the rust converter need rust to be effective at preventing further rust in the future? In other words, if I use the bead blaster and remove all or most of the rust, and then apply the rust converter will I be protected against future rust in the very moist environment within the cooler? Or is the converter more effective at preventing further rust if it is applied over rust and the chemical conversion takes place that creates the tight adhesion to the metal that will prevent future rust?  If I understand how these products work, they convert the rust through a chemical process to another element that provides a very tight bond with the metal that will prevent recurrence of the rust. If there is little rust left at application, does it work as effectively as if it was applied on rust.

I bought some rust bullet a few years back, but I never used it.  Still got the $100.00 halve gallon downstairs.  I remember asking what would happen if I removed the rust and then added the paint and they said that it wouldn't work.  You need the rust to make the product work.

I still haven't come across anything that rusty yet.