For boat owners, it is crucial to protect the metal parts of their boat that are immersed in seawater.
These include aluminum propeller shafts, outboard motors, metal struts, stern drives, rudders, and rudders fittings.
When the water current flows between 2 metals that are electrically or physically connected, this causes a galvanic reaction.
To prevent this process from damaging the metals, a sacrificial anode for boats is needed.
What is A Sacrificial Anode? This is relatively a cheap piece of metal, which is added to the 2 metals so that it will be the one to corrode instead of these 2 more expensive metals.
So, its role is to sacrifice itself, thus, giving its name.
Sacrificial anodes are available in a range of sizes and shapes.
They have to be electrically linked, metal to metal, to the more expensive metals that need to be protected.
When the water is saltier and more polluted, the anode will easier corrode into the water.
Metals Utilized in Sacrificial Anodes Magnesium, aluminum, and zinc are the most active materials present in sacrificial nodes.
• Zinc Among all three metals, zinc is the one that is most commonly used because it is the least expensive.
It has been used for centuries and is effective in many saltwater applications.
Zinc in freshwater may form a coating that insulates it and lets it stop working.
Zinc anodes that are thought to be working have actually stopped protecting.
• Magnesium This provides the greatest voltage protection.
Since it is very active in saltwater, it can disappear right away.
It can be dangerous though when used in an outboard motor.
It can over-protect it enough to let hydrogen baubles form beneath the paint, blowing it off.
This can also happen when magnesium is used in an aluminum hulled boat.
• Aluminum Compared to zinc, aluminum is slightly more active, lasts 5 times longer because of its high current capacity, is 2 ½ times lighter, and is a better alternative because it is not a pollutant.
This is recommended by manufacturers of Sterndrive as the best sacrificial anode for boats.
It is safe to use in all kinds of water.
Their different properties are as follows: • Electrical potential When metals are immersed in water, they produce a negative voltage.
When the voltage is lower or more negative, metals are more active.
• Current capacity of the anode material The anode creates a voltage difference.
This allows the current flow between the protected metal, the anode, and the water.
The greater the current capacity of the anode material, the greater is its capacity to protect.
• Quality of the anode Not all kinds of metals can be used as anode.
So, it is crucial to choose magnesium, aluminum, or zinc only.
The anodes should meet the standard marine or military specifications.
Installing metals of low or substandard quality can result to more damaging and expensive corrosion troubles.
Conclusion Metal Parts in boats can be protected from the effects of galvanic reaction by means of a sacrificial anode for boats.
However, not just any metal will do, it should either be zinc, magnesium or aluminum, of which the latter is the best anode material.
These include aluminum propeller shafts, outboard motors, metal struts, stern drives, rudders, and rudders fittings.
When the water current flows between 2 metals that are electrically or physically connected, this causes a galvanic reaction.
To prevent this process from damaging the metals, a sacrificial anode for boats is needed.
What is A Sacrificial Anode? This is relatively a cheap piece of metal, which is added to the 2 metals so that it will be the one to corrode instead of these 2 more expensive metals.
So, its role is to sacrifice itself, thus, giving its name.
Sacrificial anodes are available in a range of sizes and shapes.
They have to be electrically linked, metal to metal, to the more expensive metals that need to be protected.
When the water is saltier and more polluted, the anode will easier corrode into the water.
Metals Utilized in Sacrificial Anodes Magnesium, aluminum, and zinc are the most active materials present in sacrificial nodes.
• Zinc Among all three metals, zinc is the one that is most commonly used because it is the least expensive.
It has been used for centuries and is effective in many saltwater applications.
Zinc in freshwater may form a coating that insulates it and lets it stop working.
Zinc anodes that are thought to be working have actually stopped protecting.
• Magnesium This provides the greatest voltage protection.
Since it is very active in saltwater, it can disappear right away.
It can be dangerous though when used in an outboard motor.
It can over-protect it enough to let hydrogen baubles form beneath the paint, blowing it off.
This can also happen when magnesium is used in an aluminum hulled boat.
• Aluminum Compared to zinc, aluminum is slightly more active, lasts 5 times longer because of its high current capacity, is 2 ½ times lighter, and is a better alternative because it is not a pollutant.
This is recommended by manufacturers of Sterndrive as the best sacrificial anode for boats.
It is safe to use in all kinds of water.
Their different properties are as follows: • Electrical potential When metals are immersed in water, they produce a negative voltage.
When the voltage is lower or more negative, metals are more active.
• Current capacity of the anode material The anode creates a voltage difference.
This allows the current flow between the protected metal, the anode, and the water.
The greater the current capacity of the anode material, the greater is its capacity to protect.
• Quality of the anode Not all kinds of metals can be used as anode.
So, it is crucial to choose magnesium, aluminum, or zinc only.
The anodes should meet the standard marine or military specifications.
Installing metals of low or substandard quality can result to more damaging and expensive corrosion troubles.
Conclusion Metal Parts in boats can be protected from the effects of galvanic reaction by means of a sacrificial anode for boats.
However, not just any metal will do, it should either be zinc, magnesium or aluminum, of which the latter is the best anode material.