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Triumph TR6 - Anti- corrosion gizmo

Hi Folks:

Surfing tonite & found this product that somebody mentioned. Static anti-corrosion control module. If it works, it was designed with TR's in mind!
Check out www.crownmotors.com.sg/
Steve in Georgia - you write like you have experience in metallurgy - what do you think of this gizmo?

Bob
'76 TR6
Bob Evans

Bob,
I'm a big fan of the old Popular Science magazines
from the 50's and 60's. The pages are filled with
all kinds gizmos, contraptions and products to make your life easier and bring you into "The SpaceAge"
This particular gizmo seems to turn up every 10 years or so in some form or another. I can't say I know much
about metallurgy or electronics but if it is so
revolutionary then why isn't this stuff still around and use from the last 5 times it was discovered?
Could just be the old cynic in me but for my money
nothing beats rust like a yearly oil spray.
Christopher Trace

Bob,
I started to look into this last year but was skeptical and lost interest. You might want to check out marine supply companies. I remember hearing this technology was being used to protect boats and boat engines. If it turns out to be true, it would give it some credibility. Those guys have been fighting salt water for a long time.

Good luck,
Mark
Mark Hauser

Essentially what they are pitching is an "active" mechanism that would be mimic a reciprocal galvanic cell. A galvanic cell is set up when two dissimilar metals are placed in contact with each other. The closer they are in electric potential, the more compatible they will be. The farther apart they are in electric potential, the greater the chance of seeing galvanic corrosion. Get things far enough apart in their electric potential and you build a battery. Liquids are a big helper in this process.

Sacrificial anodic protection techniques have been employed for many marine, pipeline, underground storage tanks, etc, sytems but most of the systems are passive. It is also dependant on the relative size of the anodic and cathodic materials in the joined system. Small anode area and big cathode area will see rapid attack on the anodic material while small athode on large anode will have much slower rate of corrosion attack. Then you have to throw in all of the operating environment issues (wet, wet with salt, temperature, etc.) as they will also have an impact. Example; mild steel fastener (small anode) in copper plate (large cathode), result is rapid corrosion of the steel fastener. Copper fastener in mild steel plate, reasonably benign.

The primary thing that bothered me about this one was from their installation desription in the FAQs, there is no electrical bond between the "unit" and the structure. Most paints are dielectric materials and would prevent the flow of such a low current. The electrons are "passed onto all the painted metal body panels. These electrons remain trapped under the paint and remain until there is area where the paint has been removed i.e., stne chips, scratches. At this time, the additional free source of electrons escape to satisfy oxygen's desire to couple with these electrons, thus dramitically reducing the corrosion process." (Their words, not mine) If there is a dielectric barrier so there is no flow of current, then I don't see any protection offered by this device by the mechanism claimed. At least it makes for a slippery snake......

SteveP

Steve:

I knew you knew. Interesting analysis. Essentially, you and Chris said the same thing - if it is so great, why isn't it used universally. Just found it interesting and thought it would provoke some good copy.

Bob
Bob Evans

Wow, SteveP, I feel like I should get some classroom credit. I doubt that anyone could shoot down your "slippery snake theory". C. Trace mentions a yearly "oil spray". Is this simply wiping the metal parts down with an oily rag?
Chris
c.a.e. emenhiser

Steve- Another apple for the teacher!
Don K.
DON KELLY

Steve- I apologize, I meant professor!
Don k.
DON KELLY

Don, and another apple from me too.

c.a.e.,
By oil spray I mean taking the car to a shop that
specializes in rust proofing and having it sprayed.
They use a high pressure wand that atomizes the oil which is thick and sticky, it flows into every crevice.
They sometimes drill small holes in the bodywork to
access enclosed areas then plug them with a plastic plug. The car drips oil for a couple of days and then is sealed. RustCheck and Crown are the two big companies in Canada and I believe they have never had legal action taken against them with regards to rust.
After finishing choping all of my firewood in the fall
I wash the sap off my axes with solvent, buff them quickly on the wire wheel and spray them with canned
RustCheck and hang them in the wood shed which is covered but open to the elements. When I come back
the next fall they are dusty but completely free of rust.
Chris
Christopher Trace

Professor Steve,
Last question before the bell rings...

If I understand it correctly, your post says this technology is ineffective on painted surfaces because the electron flow can't pass thru the paint. Does that mean it is effective on surfaces where you can get a good electrical contact? (Or maybe this was just one of many reasons you don't like the gizmo?)

It would seem the frame is the primary rust concern, and has lots of fat bolts to carry current.

Not a believer yet, but you left me curious if you dismissed the technology, or just its ability to protect metal through paint. Or maybe just this vendor.

Gotta go to my next class,
Mark

Mark Hauser

I have been thinking about this subject for a while. It probaly need zinc as anode passive or active.
This winter I plan to get four zinc bar and bolt them on four ends of the underside of the frame. I will sand out the paint and put a coat of those conductive gel to ensure good contact between metals. Then I will pray that I effectively galvanize my frame.
Most likely I won't see any difference, because my TR won't be exposed enough.
I don't think we need to go the electronic route, because our TR frames is negative ground. If we drive the car enough our cars will be fine.
If you live on ocean front, then you need all the gizmo out there plus a voodoo pristress.

paddy
paddy kan

Sacrificial anodes of zinc have been in use for years on vessels of all sorts.

We WANT the zinc anode to go away rather than our cars.

The onliest problem is that we ain't in saltwater and, in agreement with Steve, we need better conductivity.

Perhaps a ground strap to the anode and thence to 'earth' via a chain dragging behind our cars?

Either that or sand to bare metal, paint heavily, then undercoat, then move to Alaska where the humidity is low and there's no salt on the roads? (or is there, the Goose has been there and tells me there is NO salt allowed).

Jim
Jim Deatsch

Jim,
Congrats I think you are the first thread in for 2005
Marcello

Well Jim,

Here we are in saltwater with the amount with all that salt they pour on streets. I have heard about zinc on ship but as stated SteveP: "If there is a dielectric barrier so there is no flow of current, then I don't see any protection offered by this device" convince me that it is snake oil.Or may be its a magnetic field that could interfere with valhalla rusting demon . We have here in my province a guy that already met with extraterrestrial and some prophet and choosen by them of course and will discuss magnetic matters....


Oups but I don't drive my TR6 in winter why such device.

This remember me that device with a magnetic field that you place around gaz tubing to "orientate molecules" and improves HP and economyor mainly their bank account. As hydrocarbon are weak polar molecules.
Cheers,
JGC
Jean G. Catford

This thread was discussed between 21/12/2004 and 13/01/2005

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