Introduction
When the Contac gives you an error that says “broken circuit” it’s because the contacts in bath 5 aren’t making a proper connecting with the copper anode plates. Most times the plates are dirty and need be cleaned off, and that’s what this guide will show you how to do.
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You must be wearing proper PPE before you do anything with bath 5 of the Contac
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Safety glasses/goggles
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Apron
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Gloves
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You can find a gray bin and wire brush in the cabinet beneath the Contac
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Turn off the Contac before proceeding
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Open the lid to tank 5 and remove the screws holding the copper plates to the metal contacts
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Take the plates off the plastic hooks and remove them from the bath
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Place them in the gray bins, being careful to drip as little solution as possible
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Draining the bath is not necessary for this procedure
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Remove the plates from their bags
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Take the plates to the chem room and scrub them with a wire brush under warm water until no more blue residue remains and the plates are shiny
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Place the copper plates back into their bags
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Use glass beakers from the back room and the slotted spoon to remove all the plastic balls from bath 5
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Carefully place the plates back onto the plastic hooks
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Screw the contacts back onto each plate
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Pour the plastic balls back into the bath
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Once the plates get worn down enough, it may be necessary to drill new holes
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This area of the plate (where it's just on the surface of the solution) is where copper is taken from the most.
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Once enough copper is stripped away it can be difficult to maintain a good connection with the anode contacts in the bath
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At the time of writing this, the process involves flipping the plate over and drilling new holes but in the future you may have to cut off the spent portion
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