Electronic rust prevention on cars

Just kind of a dumb observation here.

Rather than trying some over priced electronic gizmo that may or may not work, has anybody considered rust proofing?

Here we spray the undersides of vehicles with everything from a cosmoline to tar based substance to prevent rust. Some of the better systems actually spray inside the doors and rocker panels. This is normally done in humid / salt air climates and where winter road salt is used. Seems to be a lot cheaper than an electronic gizmo.

BTW - On a recent "Dirty Jobs" or "Somebody has to do it" TV show Mike Rowe showed how the hurricane flood locks at New Orleans were protected from corrosion. Basically it was a zinc bar bolted to the inside of the lock gates at several places. Even that simple technology seems to work better than an electronic gizmo. The principal is that the Zinc is higher in activity (on the periodic table) than the iron and deteriorates before the iron and steel.

Not a dumb observation at all.

On thematter of Zinc sacrificial anodes ..... there are some who have proposed this ... there are others who claim that it can not possibly work because the car and the anode is not immersed in water.


curious that both my outboards, as well having an anode right down near the prop, have large zinc bars right up high on the tilt bracket...... one would hope thay are not permently immersed.

As far as zinc anodes on cars.... yeh I would want to see actuall experimental evidence either way ..... rather that theoretical postulation.

cheers

Ok, have only just come across this topic and will stick my 2 bobs worth in. On another forum relating to British cars, I asked why cars with generators used positive earth, and one thought was it had to do with preventing corrosion by reversing the current flow. Some may believe it while others may think its all bovine excrement.
Most older British cars have positive earth, and we all know how corrosion resistant they are :o, so I think any means of electronic/electrical corrosion prevention is a waste of money, even if we have come a long way since lucas C40 generators.
Nothing beats a decent washing regime and some form of undersealing.

Cheers, Paul

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Originally Posted by Paulyboy1960

Nothing beats a decent washing regime and some form of undersealing.

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...or making the car from galvanised steel...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by soundman

Not a dumb observation at all.

On thematter of Zinc sacrificial anodes ..... there are some who have proposed this ... there are others who claim that it can not possibly work because the car and the anode is not immersed in water.


curious that both my outboards, as well having an anode right down near the prop, have large zinc bars right up high on the tilt bracket...... one would hope thay are not permently immersed.

As far as zinc anodes on cars.... yeh I would want to see actuall experimental evidence either way ..... rather that theoretical postulation.

cheers

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A sacrifical anode does not need to be immersed in water to work. If there is sufficent moisture in the air from stuff like salt spray it will still work. This is a common sight on drill rigs on the ocean (except they dont often use zinc).

The reason the bracket on your outboard has an anode is when the boat is at rest, the bracket is often submersed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rrich

Just kind of a dumb observation here.

Rather than trying some over priced electronic gizmo that may or may not work, has anybody considered rust proofing?

Here we spray the undersides of vehicles with everything from a cosmoline to tar based substance to prevent rust. Some of the better systems actually spray inside the doors and rocker panels. This is normally done in humid / salt air climates and where winter road salt is used. Seems to be a lot cheaper than an electronic gizmo.

BTW - On a recent "Dirty Jobs" or "Somebody has to do it" TV show Mike Rowe showed how the hurricane flood locks at New Orleans were protected from corrosion. Basically it was a zinc bar bolted to the inside of the lock gates at several places. Even that simple technology seems to work better than an electronic gizmo. The principal is that the Zinc is higher in activity (on the periodic table) than the iron and deteriorates before the iron and steel.

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One way to stop corrosion is to remove oxygen from the equation. Coating a metal with something, be it tar or paint etc is one of the most effective ways of preventing corrosion. Most people get slack though, and dont maintain the coatings.

Anodes are a common method of sacrificial protection, however you need an electrolyte such as water, or air that has a high moisture concentration.