Chain sitting in mineral spirits - how long is too long?
#1
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Chain sitting in mineral spirits - how long is too long?
So I popped the chain off my gravel bike two weeks ago and dropped it into a container of mineral spirits and a little motor oil mixed (about 10:1).
Then I got busy with work, the holidays, a 40" snowstorm, and forgot all about the chain.
I usually leave it in the mix for a day or so at the most.
Have I done any damage to the chain? Should I replace it? This might be a stupid question - but if there's even a chance I've compromised the chain I'd rather just replace it.
Then I got busy with work, the holidays, a 40" snowstorm, and forgot all about the chain.
I usually leave it in the mix for a day or so at the most.
Have I done any damage to the chain? Should I replace it? This might be a stupid question - but if there's even a chance I've compromised the chain I'd rather just replace it.
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I'm no metallurgist but I would not hesitate to lube it and use it.
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If you used "real" (petroleum based) mineral spirits, the chain can soak indefinitely with no harm. If you used "green" (i.e. water based) mineral spirits long soaking can damage the chain.
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If a compromised chain bothers you, then why would you not have just put a new chain on when you took the other off? I'm not sure what devastating thing you fear will happen from a compromised chain.
I'd think that if it measures within what ever acceptable range of wear you go by, then just lube it up, put it on and maybe just check it more often for wear to satisfy yourself it's okay.
I'd think that if it measures within what ever acceptable range of wear you go by, then just lube it up, put it on and maybe just check it more often for wear to satisfy yourself it's okay.
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I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
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#6
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Thanks. I should be ok then. I bought green mineral spirits once and found them pretty useless for anything.
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You ever have a chain break on you while riding? Let me give you a hint - they don't usually break under moderate power. Break a chain at a critical time while standing and putting out a lot of power for a short burst up a hill and let me know how that goes.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
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You ever have a chain break on you while riding? Let me give you a hint - they don't usually break under moderate power. Break a chain at a critical time while standing and putting out a lot of power for a short burst up a hill and let me know how that goes.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
#9
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Short of doing a destructive test (placing it on a test stand and applying a force until it fails) no one can conclusively answer whether soaking the chain in mineral spirits (or any solution include humid air) has compromised its yield strength. . So if you have any concern, put on a new chain; cheap insurance against the sort of catastrophic failure you are concerned with.
That said, the chain probably will need replacing just based on mileage / normal wear in the spring anyway. Would like to just get some winter riding out of it.
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You ever have a chain break on you while riding? Let me give you a hint - they don't usually break under moderate power. Break a chain at a critical time while standing and putting out a lot of power for a short burst up a hill and let me know how that goes.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
Chains break from too much power being put on them. If you can't shift to a lower gear and pedal faster, then you'll probably continue to break chains.
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I once bought "green" mineral spirits by accident because it was on deep discount so I didn't look at the label. Why don't they just call it something else? Reminds me of when I needed TSP for something, and all the store had was "phosphorus free TSP." What the hell is phosphorus free trisodium phosphate?
Anyway, I've stored chains in mineral spirits indefinitely. I used to take the chain off my winter bike at the end of the winter, drop it into a jar of mineral spirits, and take it back out the next winter. In terms of chemical reactivity, I don't think it's substantially different than oil or even wax.
Anyway, I've stored chains in mineral spirits indefinitely. I used to take the chain off my winter bike at the end of the winter, drop it into a jar of mineral spirits, and take it back out the next winter. In terms of chemical reactivity, I don't think it's substantially different than oil or even wax.
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#12
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IF the executor of your estate has to deal with it, it's too long.
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Unless you think a broken chain will kill you, ride it.
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I don't know, but : (1) I've left a stainless chain + connex master link (which appears to be plated bronze) to marinate in a jar of mineral spirits for something like 6 months, and the master link appeared to have been corroded. Probably a case of two metals differing on the galvanic scale. I've kept the chain but discarded the master link. (2) Motivated by this thread, I've googled something like [mineral spirits corrosion] and came across this entry, which says that concentrated spirits are corrosive.
So, I wouldn't bet the farm, especially if different metals are involved. (the less noble might very well have suffered).
So, I wouldn't bet the farm, especially if different metals are involved. (the less noble might very well have suffered).
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You ever have a chain break on you while riding? Let me give you a hint - they don't usually break under moderate power. Break a chain at a critical time while standing and putting out a lot of power for a short burst up a hill and let me know how that goes.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
#16
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I've forgotten chains and other metal bike parts in mineral spirits in containers for months with no effects. Having a university chemistry degree, I cannot conceive how pure mineral spirits could lead to any negative effects.
As far as: 'green' mineral spirits, I've never heard of this. Mineral spirits are solely petroleum-based, unless they've been mixed with some polar molecules including water. This would be the last thing one would want, due to the possibility of corrosion, and the fact that water-based degreasers are inherently ineffective - Chemistry 101.
Hopefully the add-on: 'green' is just some kind of virtue-signaling label, to salve the misguided consciousnesses of a specific class of consumers. As with all lubrication and degreasing products, anything 'green' is expensive and ineffective.
As far as: 'green' mineral spirits, I've never heard of this. Mineral spirits are solely petroleum-based, unless they've been mixed with some polar molecules including water. This would be the last thing one would want, due to the possibility of corrosion, and the fact that water-based degreasers are inherently ineffective - Chemistry 101.
Hopefully the add-on: 'green' is just some kind of virtue-signaling label, to salve the misguided consciousnesses of a specific class of consumers. As with all lubrication and degreasing products, anything 'green' is expensive and ineffective.
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It's only too long if the chain is still soaking in the mineral spirits when you want to go out and ride.
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#18
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I don't know, but : (1) I've left a stainless chain + connex master link (which appears to be plated bronze) to marinate in a jar of mineral spirits for something like 6 months, and the master link appeared to have been corroded. Probably a case of two metals differing on the galvanic scale. I've kept the chain but discarded the master link. (2) Motivated by this thread, I've googled something like [mineral spirits corrosion] and came across this entry, which says that concentrated spirits are corrosive.
So, I wouldn't bet the farm, especially if different metals are involved. (the less noble might very well have suffered).
So, I wouldn't bet the farm, especially if different metals are involved. (the less noble might very well have suffered).
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Motivated by this thread, I've googled something like [mineral spirits corrosion] and came across this entry, which says that concentrated spirits are corrosive.
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I don't know, but : (1) I've left a stainless chain + connex master link (which appears to be plated bronze) to marinate in a jar of mineral spirits for something like 6 months, and the master link appeared to have been corroded. Probably a case of two metals differing on the galvanic scale. I've kept the chain but discarded the master link. (2) Motivated by this thread, I've googled something like [mineral spirits corrosion] and came across this entry, which says that concentrated spirits are corrosive.
So, I wouldn't bet the farm, especially if different metals are involved. (the less noble might very well have suffered).
So, I wouldn't bet the farm, especially if different metals are involved. (the less noble might very well have suffered).
When the link you posted said that the concentrated mineral spirits are “corrosive”, they probably meant with regards to skin...although I’m not sure what they mean by “concentrated” since mineral spirits is never diluted.
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You ever have a chain break on you while riding? Let me give you a hint - they don't usually break under moderate power. Break a chain at a critical time while standing and putting out a lot of power for a short burst up a hill and let me know how that goes.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for the attitude. It wouldn't be bikeforums without it.
As to the OP questions, I've left chains in mineral spirits up to 4 months with no ill effects. But I have broken chains before so you might want to take that into consideration. But none of the chains that broke were soaked in mineral spirits for long periods of time.
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I've forgotten chains and other metal bike parts in mineral spirits in containers for months with no effects. Having a university chemistry degree, I cannot conceive how pure mineral spirits could lead to any negative effects.
As far as: 'green' mineral spirits, I've never heard of this. Mineral spirits are solely petroleum-based, unless they've been mixed with some polar molecules including water. This would be the last thing one would want, due to the possibility of corrosion, and the fact that water-based degreasers are inherently ineffective - Chemistry 101.
Hopefully the add-on: 'green' is just some kind of virtue-signaling label, to salve the misguided consciousnesses of a specific class of consumers. As with all lubrication and degreasing products, anything 'green' is expensive and ineffective.
As far as: 'green' mineral spirits, I've never heard of this. Mineral spirits are solely petroleum-based, unless they've been mixed with some polar molecules including water. This would be the last thing one would want, due to the possibility of corrosion, and the fact that water-based degreasers are inherently ineffective - Chemistry 101.
Hopefully the add-on: 'green' is just some kind of virtue-signaling label, to salve the misguided consciousnesses of a specific class of consumers. As with all lubrication and degreasing products, anything 'green' is expensive and ineffective.
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I bought a can of "green" paint thinner once. It was useless for the paint's and stuff I normally used mineral spirits for. So it got thrown out mostly unused. Which definitely isn't being green.
Even paint thinner that isn't marketed as "green" can be a mixture of other stuff and not pure mineral spirits.
Even paint thinner that isn't marketed as "green" can be a mixture of other stuff and not pure mineral spirits.