Electrolysis not working

I bought a car battery charger from kragen, then took it back thinking it was broken. I filled a 3 gal bucket 1/3 way with water, put in about  tablespoon and a half of baking soda. The negative clipped on to the rusted belt clip, and positive clipped on to a 3ichby3inch peice of wall outlet housing, that I bought from Home depot. The amp meter didnt move. Everything was hooked up right, double checked it all. Even tried a different socket. It was a 6/12amp charger. Please help. The belt clip is about 1 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch. The charger works fine, when charging a battery.
   Thanks, Nick

I'm pretty cure it isnt plated, yeah threw in a teaspoon in a half of salt. I think I'll try a nail, and this 4.5 v ac power adapter. Since itis two wires together, which is the pos/neg? one is black with a white stripe, the other is just solid black. Should I have it hooked all up then plug it into the wall?

 Nick

no its a ac power adapter. 4.5volts, input ac120v 60hz 6w
output dc 4.5v 500mah yeah, white line is neg, black is pos.

using a 9volt batt right now, bubbles are coming! The power wont go out in my house will it, with the adapter wires to the nail, and buckle in water? The pos being out of water buyt connected to nail of course.

Yes, it okay to have the neg on the rusty peice touching or partially in the  water isnt it? Thank you for your help spooky! H H

  Nick

Spooky, is there a battery charger you recomend for me to buy? Thank you
 Nick

What size alligator clips, and such should I get for something like that, a 6.5 to lets says 8 volt. Do they make different capacity in volts alligator clips, Like ones can only handle so much, and so on? Thanks
   Nick

Electrolysis hasn't ever worked for me. I tried a battery charger on an old lock, I even filed it down to bare metal and didn't work. I don't think this method works at all, I tried about 25 times using different things and nothing, no bubbles.

I don't know why you guys are having such a hard time doing electrolysis. I have 2 chargers going all summer cleaning rusty iron and it does an excellent job cleaning the rust off.

Geez it's not rocket science guys. My method is to use an old 12V train transformer I bought at a yard sale for a buck and a stainless steel spoon. Regular table salt in the water. If the bubbles are coming from the item being cleaned you're good to go. If they're coming from the spoon it's hooked up backwards.

Some battery charger have a automatic shut down in case of shorts...