Electrolysis and copper bottom paint

[Corrosion-Eng]

To eliminate the CAUSE there is a requirement to Identify, Understand then Eliminate. Your vessels power is the cause. The electrode measures the cumulative VOLTAGE of all vessels within 180 meters. CURRENT cause stray current corrosion. Measure the stray current created by your vessel.

[glcalahan]

Thanks....that is the plan. I also am looking into the silver chloride half cell from boatzincs.com

[Stu Jackson]

Another consideration is how "hot" is your marina? Or how bad is your neighbor's boat wired?


Nigel Calder covers this in great detail in addition to the ideas others have suggested to you.


Good luck.

[glcalahan]

Thanks....I have Nigal Caulder "Boatowners's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" and Casey's "Sailboat Electrics Simplified". Still no answers but I will figure it out. After 2 marinas....Same issue, suspecting it could be me. Looking for the answers. I will get them!

Thanks

[Corrosion-Eng]

Facts: There are two points:
1: When your vessel has no connection, even via the water, to the World then nothing can affect it and it cannot affect anything.
2: Stray current flowing to the Earth is the CAUSE. That can be eliminated.
Using Goggle search for Marine Electrolysis and hit Conquer marine corrosion
You will learn of a permanent solution without moving parts, coating or thru hull penetration

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Corrosion-Eng

Facts: There are two points:
1: When your vessel has no connection, even via the water, to the World then nothing can affect it and it cannot affect anything.
2: Stray current flowing to the Earth is the CAUSE. That can be eliminated.
Using Goggle search for Marine Electrolysis and hit Conquer marine corrosion
You will learn of a permanent solution without moving parts, coating or thru hull penetration

Spam much?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Spam much?

That's ALL he does.

[Bill O]

We did an experiment w/two different manufacturers of anodes and were very surprised at what we found. We don't have any electrolysis issues and basically change them every year as normal maintenance.

Initially thought that both Martyr and Camp anodes are big names and should be good quality, right? We found out that this wasn't the case and the Martyr anodes were literally turning to mush. Didn't see any evidence of electrolysis, but they were so mushy you could easily press your thumb into it.
Since we purchased enough zincs for 2 years and both times they turned to mush. We switched back to Camp and have not had the same issue since.

Bottom line, buy quality zincs/anodes and eliminate an possible factor which makes you assume that you have an electrolysis issue.

Also to answer the OP's original question/thought about high copper paint causing electrolysis, will agree should be no issue there. The Seahawk paint at 47.5% cuprous oxide is fairly low to the Trinidad we use. While they are cutting back on the copper content, in the past we were using paint w/75% and no issue.



Bill O.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill O

We switched back to Camp and have not had the same issue since.

That's funny. I avoid Camp like the plague. Pure garbage, IMHO.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

That's ALL he does.

His website is pure gold in a 1950’s snake oil sort of way though.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

His website is pure gold in a 1950’s snake oil sort of way though.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

That's funny. I avoid Camp like the plague. Pure garbage, IMHO.

Will say our experiment (away from marinas on the same boat) showed the Camp anodes (plates) were better than the Martyr. Would be a difficult experiment w/so many other factors (stray currents from other boats and marinas, etc.) to control an experiment affectively otherwise.

What brand do you think is better?


Bill O.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill O

What brand do you think is better?

I typically use Reliance anodes. One of my divers prefers to install Martyr because he likes the Allen-head fasteners so I provide them to him, but the fact that a lot of their product is produced in China bugs me. But quality-wise, I haven't had an issue with Martyr in many years.

A lot of Florida hull divers I know swear by the Zimar brand. But they are a small company and the anodes are not widely distributed, so I have no personal experience with them.

[EWOL Props]

Do you have same type of galvanic corrosion also when docked at a different port ? Sometimes stray currents can come from either the pier or another neighbour boat

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

I typically use Reliance anodes. One of my divers prefers to install Martyr because he likes the Allen-head fasteners so I provide them to him, but the fact that a lot of their product is produced in China bugs me. But quality-wise, I haven't had an issue with Martyr in many years.

A lot of Florida hull divers I know swear by the Zimar brand. But they are a small company and the anodes are not widely distributed, so I have no personal experience with them.

Yes the Martyrs are made in China. When I called them to discuss the mushy zincs, they gave me a typical response that "we have never heard of such an issue" and sent me new ones. The ones they sent me did the same thing. The Camp anodes don't turn to mush and last longer (have more zinc left vs. almost nothing for the Martyr). We are using the 8x4x3/4" plates, not egg or bullet shaft zincs so don't depend on the manufacturer fasteners for these.
For the 83mm MaxProp tail zincs, we only purchase ones w/the plates embedded in them, otherwise we found the thin edges around the fasteners of the non-plated zincs need premature replacement due to erosion around the screws making them somewhat precarious.
Never tried Reliance nor Zimar but may be worth a look.


Bill O.