Electronic rust protection

[AD Ent]

Sounds clever and in the long run cheaper than welding and better than getting splashed with waxoyl, but does it work? :nenau

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electroni...d=100011&prg=7906&rk=3&rkt=5&sd=151101523894&

"Product Information

The Corrosion Guard is a microprocessor controlled electronic device that uses proven electro-chemical principles to greatly reduce rust and corrosion in all vehicles. Similar systems have been used for over 50 years in marine and civil applications, and are most commonly seen in outboard motors. Simplified versions are also used to protect steel bridges and pipelines throughout the world, and can also be found in various domestic applications such as the storage tank in hot water systems.

Principles of Operation

To understand the process of impressed current cathodic protection, it is necessary to understand why the metal components of a vehicle tend to rust. In summary, the metal used in the construction of vehicles contains a mass of electrons that carry opposing positive and negative charges, known as cathodes and anodes. As the laws of physics dictate, opposites attract. If moisture is present, it becomes an electrolyte that forms a bridge or path that allows these charged particles to interact. This results in the free electrons from the cathodes attacking the anodes, causing the process commonly known as corrosion or rust. The process is further accelerated in coastal areas due to the high salt concentrations in water, making it a better conductor. The anodes are in fact, “giving up” free ions that form iron oxide (rust). Using the method of impressed current cathodic protection utilized by Corrosion Guard, an accurately controlled stream of charged ions (in the form of a direct current) flows to externally situated Contact Points (that act as anodes) in selected areas of the vehicle. These contact points carry a positive charge when compared to the earthed metal components of the vehicle. This supply affords an excess of charged particles, effectively diverting rust away from the body of the vehicle. The contact points are not 'sacrificial' anodes in the traditional sense as they have a low zinc content and have a 10+ year lifespan."

 

[melissachels]

I don't quite get how it works but I know that electrically charged paint for example is alot harder to remove & is less likely to allow rust in.

 

[Nav230]

They don't work. Google em and see.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

It will be interesting to see what some of our learned friends on here think.

The paint is different, you are using the charges to physically pull the paint onto the item being painted, which means it also gets pulled into gaps and micro holes a lot better than when it is just pushed on with air, resulting in a better cover of paint.

These "Boxes" have been doing the rounds in one format of another for many years... People who fit them say they work, people who write up reports on them say they don't. I have never actually met a real person, or even a friend of a friend that has used one in real life though.

I personally think it is a load of rubbish, with a few technical words thrown in, to make people think it sound plausible. The thing is, if the "Anodes" are bolted to the body, which is earthed, firstly, they are cathodes, not anodes, and secondly, they can not have a positive charge, as it would be a dead short.

On boats, they use a sacrificial anode, but this is totally different, working on the principle that Zinc has a natural positive charge in relation to steel, and the salt water acts as an electrolyte, basically making the sea one giant electo plating bath, which would erodes the metal of the boats hull, but because of the Zinc sacrificial anode having a more positive charge than the steel, that gets eroded away, and protects the steel and other metals. They do still get eroded, just at a lot slower rate.

Personally, if things like this worked, then you would never see a rusty sub transformer on an electricity pole, and people like Manston Airport, who have a lot of expensive firefighting equipment that spends most of it's life parked up and rusting away would fit them as standard, to save them having to clean and lacquer the devices after they have been used each time.

 

[solarman216]

Complete tosh, Rick

 

[rustic]

Probably comes with a no quibble 30 day money back guarantee...:lol:lol:lol


So, the most corrosive challenge, must be the steel legs on the oil and gas platforms in the North Sea.

Have a guess...
Are they used in this application?
NO...
I wonder why?

 

[macabethiel]

Prefferential cathode protection

This is pseudo-science that does not stand up to close scrutiny.

Yes it works for boats in salt water to reduce corrosion of steel hulls you have a big lump of zinc rivited to the side of the boat and you get a process of electric decomposition where the zinc ions sacrifice themselves in place of the steel or whatever metals are present as the battery effect takes place between the hull and the anode effectively creating a mini electro-plating effect. These zinc anodes do work in salt water and work much less effectively in fresh water as it is not such a good conductor.
The so called battery effect whenever you place two dis-similar metals is a real chemical process and causes corrosion. That is why when you have the lead post on a battery terminal you will get oxidation where the steel battery clamp fits the battery.
Galvanic corrosion if you will.
However for a motor vehicle that rests on rubber tyres - an insulator where the ionic path is between the outer skin of the car and the atmosphere of damp air is replacing the water as the conductor then it is much more difficult to reproduce the sacraficial anode effect that you get in water. Best thing is to protect the whole of the steel bodywork - hence galvanised steel on some vehicle bodywork.