Electronic Rust Prevention

Paul W · Paul W's Garage

Morning Guys

At the time of posting there is an active thread relating to rust prevention, which prompts this question...

Recently I dropped into a local 4WD accessory shop and came across a device which is supposed to slow or prevent the formation of rust. I have noted the manufacture's web site for those with any interest.

http://www.erps.com.au/index_erps.html

Has anyone any experience with this or a similar product / system? Do they work?

From the little I’ve read to date it would seem to have some merit… but then so did the cool collar.

Regards,

HawgRyder · HawgRyder's Garage

I knew a guy that had a kilowatt transmitter rig in the trunk of his car (ham radio op).
The car was an old chevy...about 10-12 yrs old at the time....with no rust.
I saw the same car about 10 yrs after that...still no rust and no body job according to the owner.
So...perhaps large currents of power flowing through the chassis might help....but I am open to other thoughts on the subject.
Bob

awis321 · 11-01-2003, 02:29 PM

a product from this company http://www.counteractrust.com.

A mechanic uncle had a 1992 Nissan Pathfinder that had a similar system installed in it, he sold the truck back in '96. While he no longer owns it, the current owner still brings it his shop for service. After 11yrs of our salty winters, I gotta say it doesn't have a lick of rust on it.

HarryD · 11-01-2003, 02:41 PM

Personally, I am very skeptical. Check this tread.

Doug Zielke · 11-01-2003, 05:02 PM

I think these products work on the principles of Cathodic Protection. It's nothing new, and is used on all kinds of iron structures that need protection from corrosion. Common on structures such as bridges and offshore oil platforms, for example.

RoninLB · 11-01-2003, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul W

Has anyone any experience with this or a similar product / system? Do they work?

If you park in chassis deep water the Cat protection will work. although I can't offer distinct hard info..

otherwise a zinc pencil in the water engine cooling system will lengthen the radiator life.. IF you check the pencil for condition yearly.. kinda like the zinc in your home hot water heater boiler..

HarryD · 11-01-2003, 06:30 PM

For these systems to work, they require a conductive path. If you look at a boat, Only the parts below water are protected since they are constantly wet. The stuff above the water line corrodes.

Rufblackbird · 11-01-2003, 09:55 PM

I'm not sure if the stuff works...my mom's got one in her '95 Villager, and there's a big patch of rust forming underneath the rear tailgate hinge. I'm not a believer...

autobonrun · autobonrun's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Doug Zielke
I think these products work on the principles of Cathodic Protection. It's nothing new, and is used on all kinds of iron structures that need protection from corrosion. Common on structures such as bridges and offshore oil platforms, for example.

Doug is on the money. Nothing new here. CP is also used on pipelines. Two ways to protect the metal; one is by application of a small current as is advertised in many "new" products on the market and the second is through the use of a sacrificial metal that will corrode faster than the item you're trying to protect as in the case of adding zinc to a HW heater. Read how CP works and I think you'll come to the same conclusion as many others on this site; save your money. If I recall, the key to a good current based system is a good ground path. This is why items immersed in water can be protected. Unfortunately tires are an insulator, not a conductor. In this case, a good ground cable connected to a solid ground point is needed. So, unless you're willing to get a very long cable and drive a ground rod in place, I don't think it will work well. Your 911 would be like a pit bull on a long leash.

Now for long term storage, if done correctly, I think it could be made to work.

http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/CP/Introduction.htm

island911 · 11-02-2003, 07:37 AM

hmmm . .. doesn't the (highly active) battery supply plenty of sacrificial electrons ?

sammyg2 · 11-02-2003, 08:08 AM

Total BS scam, works as well as the magnetic fuel line treater that improves mileage 50% and the tornado device that improves power and mileage 10%.

The factory coats the entire chassis with zinc, which acts as a sacrificial annode. The reason they coat the entire chassis is that it is necessary in order to protect the entire chassis. If it wasn't they would not spend the extra money to do it.

If all it took was 2 bucks worth of electronic parts the car manufacturers of the world would be all over it.

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

Didn’t the Britts basically try the same thing by using the positive “ground” on cars?

RoninLB · 11-02-2003, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by island911
hmmm . .. doesn't the (highly active) battery supply plenty of sacrificial electrons ?

logical somewhat..
boat mechanics have loads of fun removing exhaust systems from small boats due to electrolysis routinely. and the entire ground system are/it better be grounded thru the hull ......Ron

HawgRyder · HawgRyder's Garage

The positive ground arose from the fact that we (the british) use the current flow not the electron flow to describe the poles of a circuit.
With electron flow...the electrons flow from negative to positive...but with current flow...the current flows from positive to negative (earle morning for me...I hope I got that right).
So...with british cars it was logical to ground the positive so that the current flow was from the chassis to the top pole of the battery (the negative in this case).
Class dismissed...and there will be a test on Monday...LOL
Bob

Paul W · Paul W's Garage

Thanks for all the information. Looks like I’ll stick to my current sacrificial corrosion system – where my wallet gets lighter when rust appears.

Cheers

ubiquity0 · 11-03-2003, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Didn’t the Britts basically try the same thing by using the positive “ground” on cars?

To prevent rust or to encourage it?!?

dotorg · 11-03-2003, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sammyg2

The factory coats the entire chassis with zinc, which acts as a sacrificial annode. The reason they coat the entire chassis is that it is necessary in order to protect the entire chassis. If it wasn't they would not spend the extra money to do it.

Hey, some of us don't have any sacrificial zinc!

Mukilteo911 · 11-03-2003, 08:29 AM

I saw a long, flexable, needle like spray tip that was used to spray rust preventitive into hard to reach areas like rockers and window posts. So the question goes, since you can't get into such areas to clean before spraying what do you spray in there to keep it from rusting ? Zinc paint ?

island911 · 11-03-2003, 09:54 AM

FWIW
The zinc, on and SC and such, doesn't just act as a sacrificial annode. (if that where the case, it would likely just be a block-o'zinc bolted down somewhere. . like on a ship)

The thing is, by coating all the steel with zinc, the zinc protects it like self healing paint. If this 'paint' gets scratched it will form a 'scab' of oxide around the scratch. Theses oxides dont sluff off like the steel oxides do (rust). . . .self-passivation is a good thing

dfink · 11-03-2003, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sammyg2
Total BS scam, works as well as the magnetic fuel line treater that improves mileage 50% and the tornado device that improves power and mileage 10%.

The factory coats the entire chassis with zinc, which acts as a sacrificial annode. The reason they coat the entire chassis is that it is necessary in order to protect the entire chassis. If it wasn't they would not spend the extra money to do it.

If all it took was 2 bucks worth of electronic parts the car manufacturers of the world would be all over it.

I agree....