Setting up the Gold Tank Plating Kit
Introducing the Gold Tank Plating Kit
There are a number of ways to connect up the process beakers. In this example, we're connecting up to use the minimum number of wires.
Fitting the Stainless Steel Mesh Electrode to the cleaner beaker
The plastic cleaner beaker is usually supplied with the mesh fitted, but in case that it’s not, curl the mesh into the plastic beaker and slide the mesh connector inbetween the beaker and the mesh and make sure that it’s held in place by the mesh to ensure electrical connection.
Fitting the platinum rod electrodes into the Beaker Ring and adding anode bags
Slide the non-platinum end of the electrode into the receiving hole on the beaker ring and tighten the grub screw with the allen key provided. The non platinum part of the electrode can be easily identified as it’s smooth; the platinum area is rough.
Fit the anode bags over the electrodes and place in the structure in the plating beaker.
Making the Plating Stand negative (black wire)
Plug one end of the Standard Lead into the black socket of the MultiPlater and clip the other end plug into the 4mm hole located at the base of the Plating Stand.
The negative is where the plating takes place.
Connecting up the Black Jump Lead to facilitate cleaning/activation stages
Clip one end of the Black Jump Lead to the exposed portion of the black connector on the MultiPlater. Leave the other end free to clip to your workpiece when you come to plating.
Connecting up the mesh on the cleaner beaker
Plug the 4mm connector end of a Red Combination Lead into a red socket on the MultiPlater and the other end, clip to the mesh connection on the cleaner tank.
Connecting up (ganging up) the gold plating beaker to the mesh on the cleaner beaker
Clip the crocodile clip on one end of the Red Jump Lead to the mesh of the cleaner tank then clip the other end of the Red Jump Lead to the Beaker Ring on the gold plating beaker.
Filling the cleaner beaker and operating conditions
Fill the cleaner tank up with Cleaner until just below the level of the mesh.
Cleaner is used at room temperature and a between 2 and 4 volts.
If you prefer to control the process using amps, the plating factor for cleaner is between 0.02 – 0.03 A/cm2
Agitation is not necessary.
Filling the gold plating beaker
Fill up with Gold Tank Plating Solution ensuring the solution 1.5cm – 2cm below the rim of the plating beaker and that the top of the anode bags are above the level of the solution.
Gold plating is usually done at a plating factor of 0.01 A/cm2 but higher plating factors can be used especially at highter temperature and agitation rates.
The solution can be operated from room temperature up to 42 centigrade.
To help calculate the MultiPlater amp setting and time that you will need to plate for, you can use our online calculator by clicking here.
While continual filtration isn’t usually necessary, occasional batch filtration or filtration through a filter pump could be advantageous.