Is there a recommended solvent for removing rust and corrosion from old electrical boxes?
I found an old rusted box wired with BX cabling which was so corroded that when I tested it for grounding the voltage tester flickered.
To help remove the box I started spraying WD40. But because the WD40 began soaking the cloth sheathing, I wondered if there are less flammable alternatives, although I guess I could just remove all the cloth sheathing to prevent any possible fire hazard.
By the way, the box is rusted "red." Does this mean the box is bare steel, as opposed to modern zinc galvanized steel, which rusts "white"? Would this make any difference in the removal solvent? And since ferric oxide is more crumbly than zinc oxide, should I use a more sensitive rust scraper for old boxes?
I found an old rusted box wired with BX cabling which was so corroded that when I tested it for grounding the voltage tester flickered.
To help remove the box I started spraying WD40. But because the WD40 began soaking the cloth sheathing, I wondered if there are less flammable alternatives, although I guess I could just remove all the cloth sheathing to prevent any possible fire hazard.
By the way, the box is rusted "red." Does this mean the box is bare steel, as opposed to modern zinc galvanized steel, which rusts "white"? Would this make any difference in the removal solvent? And since ferric oxide is more crumbly than zinc oxide, should I use a more sensitive rust scraper for old boxes?
