Galvanized chain

[landonshaw]

I recently replaced my galvanized mooring chain with new. The old chain has barnacles and growth on it. It has been sitting out for a few weeks and I started to wire brush it with a wire brush attached to my hand drill. I stopped and thought of a possible issue.

By wire brushing the chain, am I removing the galvanizing? If so, if I use it again it will rust that much faster and not be safe.

Thoughts?

[Scout 30]

Yes, you will remove the galvanizing doing that.

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

I recently replaced my galvanized mooring chain with new. The old chain has barnacles and growth on it. It has been sitting out for a few weeks and I started to wire brush it with a wire brush attached to my hand drill. I stopped and thought of a possible issue.

By wire brushing the chain, am I removing the galvanizing? If so, if I use it again it will rust that much faster and not be safe.

Thoughts?

===

Momentarily putting aside the safety issues, what is your objective? Is the chain still structurally sound, i.e., no scaling rust? If so you might be able to sell, re-use, or re-galvanize. If not you might as well scrap it because the galvanizing is already too far gone and it has lost strength.

[JPA Cate]

So, if you're not going to wire brush it any more, and still want to get rid of the barnies, try flaking the barnified chain in a tub and pour over white vinegar to cover the chain. Vinegar is mild enough acid to not bother the galvanize. Cover with a plastic tarp to prevent evaporation, and let the vinegar eat the calcium carbonate. Miracles of modern chemistry. ;-) Come back and look at it next week and see how it's doing.

Disclaimer, I do not know for sure this will work for you--it would be in the nature of an experiment--but it's cheaper than sending the chain away for an acid wash and re-galv. The vinegar soak works well on our knot meter paddle wheel for other calcareous growth.

Ann

P.S. Save the containers, the vinegar will be re-usable next time.

[a64pilot]

Using a non SS brush will put particles of normal steel in the zinc and make it rust.
Remember the Delorean? People were cleaning the car with Brillo pads and the cars started rusting from the imbedded little pieces of steel off of the pads.

[landonshaw]

I was hoping to use the chain again if by inspecting it was safe. It does look OK when I was cleaning it. Got about 10 feet of the 50.

I imagine if I visually inspect and not wire brush I can still use it. Barnacles on the chain shouldn't reduce the strength should it? Maybe reduce the life some.

We inspect the chain every 6 months.

[zeehag]

the barnies and growth i cannot remove from my anchor and chain fall off nicely after sitting in tropical sun a while. i am never in a hurry to clean mine. i clean it to the point of entry onto my boat, and let the rest falloff. i check it before i flake it onto my deck for later use and before i send it overboard and many times between.
the growth does nothing to the galvanizing.
overzealous cleaning CAN affect galvo.

[barnakiel]

Yep. Wire brushing=damage.

Dissolve the barnacles in sth acidic, then wash down.

barnakiel