kudzu wrote:Just curious. How would you dispose of your spent carbide?
Great Question Kudzu!
A Lot of people worry about "spent" carbide, the bi-products of mixing water and calcium carbide are Acetylene gas (let there be light) and Slack lime,
the slack lime has a PH range of 10-11, there are no regulations on what you do with it, with in reason. Large amounts the rules change a little and require you to drop the PH value before you may disperse it in a water way....Which I still don't recommend, In this PH range I would not dump it in a stream, I normally place mine in the fire ring where the ash has a higher PH. I have also used it in the garden to increase PH in soil. While piles of it are unsightly they are not going to cause you to grow a third eye. However some folks are going to raise eyebrows and cry foul, be aware the following:
Carbide is made by using coal coke (fine crushed coal) and crushed limestone are "fused" together in an electric furnace, by nature coal DOES contain heavy metals while traces of these remain after the burn off in the fusing process, bout the same you will find in a shovel full dirt. Be responsible. If you feel badly about leaving your spent carbide in the fire circle, you can always take it home, dilute it in water and a 1/4 cup vinegar, this will reduce the PH to a dump it in the yard level.
hope that sheds some light on it!
Also to Gerrys comment carbide can be found in most towns fairly cheep, check at the local welding supply, Carbide is still manufactured as it is the first step to bottling acetylene gas, our gas supplier here in town sells it for change, but you have to bring your own container... something dry! :Note if you haul more than 10lbs you have to Hazmat placard your vehicle... and you never need to carry 10lbs!
Cheers!
"If at first you don't succeed....Caulk it!... A-lot!"