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Author: Subject: Lye Drain Cleaner
S.C. Wack
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[*] posted on 21-6-2007 at 14:07


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12AX7
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[*] posted on 9-10-2007 at 13:02


Quote:
Originally posted by not_important
I did a bit of emailing and have been told that in the USA the True Value hardware chain carries Rooto products:

This appears to be mostly NaOH with possibly NaCl, from Gibbs cells that doen't use membranes; some NaCl slips past the electrolysis and ends up in the lye. It should work for many applications and seems to be cheaper that the small household lye containers.

http://rootocorp.com/rooto/sewer_line_cleaner2_6lbs.html


Update: I purchased a tub of "Rooto Number 2" the other day. On inspection, it appears to contain aluminum spheroids (approx. 1mm diameter) and an unknown needle shaped crystalline substance.

When added to water, it becomes warm, dissolves (the needles dissolve slower) and the aluminum gives off hydrogen. It is of course strongly basic.

Suppose I'll muck around and try to figure out what the impurity is. Fortunately for me I have an induction heater which should be capable of kicking out the aluminum spheres by eddy current repulsion, but this obviously is not an option for the average mad chemist.

Tim




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UnintentionalChaos
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[*] posted on 9-10-2007 at 16:13


Didn't you peek inside the container before buying it Tim? Or was it sealed up? If you can find "Roebic Crystal Drain Cleaner" it is, as far as I can tell (and according to the side of the canister), pure lye.



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[*] posted on 9-10-2007 at 16:19


With NaOH you have two problems.

It is hygroscopic.

It absorbs CO2 and turns into carbonate.

So you have to store it properly, with exclusion of air and moisture.




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UnintentionalChaos
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[*] posted on 9-10-2007 at 16:42


The canisters it comes in prove to be extremely airtight. The canisters off the shelf are bone-dry inside and free-flowing. If you leave some of the contents out for 10 minutes it will start to clump and get damp, and god knows how long it had been sitting on the shelf before I bought it. By the time I get to the very bottom of a container it has been opened enough times to start to clump. I have yet to see a brand of solid lye being sold with a seal, although I can't get rooto products around here so I wouldn't know about that.

I am quite aware of sodium hydroxide's properties. I think I am using my fourth (2 pound?) canister so far.

[Edited on 10-9-07 by UnintentionalChaos]




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