I'm so confused! Zinc vs. Aluminum Anode for Maxprop?
- Thread starter jviss
- Start date
The good news is it will last longer. The bad news is it will last longer.
Here is a good writeup on zinc vs aluminum.
citimarinestore.com
When to Use Zinc Anodes or Aluminum Anodes on Your Boat
Zinc and Aluminum anodes each have their pros and cons. Find out when it's best to use a zinc or aluminum anode, and they're benefits and downsides, here!
citimarinestore.com
Thanks. What does the bold vs. non-bold text mean? For example, fiberglass hull, brackish water: is Aluminum preferred?
How do I determine if the river I'm in is salt or brackish?
Thanks,
jv
If there is a question about the water, then use aluminum. In fresh water zinc will form a hard coating that prevents the zinc from doing what it is supposed to do.
The salinity of the water in a river will depend on how tidal it is, how much fresh water is flowing downstream, and how well the water is mixing.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,746
Two schools of thought....
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- You dip a cup in the water, Taste it.
- You can be a Chem Major and use a test strip for Sodium Chloride.
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Thanks guys.
John, I think it's probably pretty salty most of the time. I've been swimming in it, off the back of the boat, for over 20 years. But come to think of it, I've never made a comparison of flooding and ebbing tastes.
Reading up a bit, and learning about aluminum becoming passivated, I think I'll go with zinc.
John, I think it's probably pretty salty most of the time. I've been swimming in it, off the back of the boat, for over 20 years. But come to think of it, I've never made a comparison of flooding and ebbing tastes.
Reading up a bit, and learning about aluminum becoming passivated, I think I'll go with zinc.
Just tell them where you are. They will likely have a reliable answer. After all they are MaxProp (exclusive sales and warranty repairs in North/South America and Asia these last 40+ years) so they will have received plenty of actual feedback over these many years whereas the rest of us do not have that kind of background. Anyway the call is free. What have you got to loose?
Charles
Charles
No matter your eventual decision note two things: (1) Make sure the prop anode has a clean solid connection to the Max Prop - true of all anode fastenings. (2) If you have other underwater metals also protected with anodes (like the shaft, the shaft strut, the rudder and/or its post, keel cooler, thrusters, etc.) make sure those are changed to the same anode alloy as the prop anode(s) else you might have anode protecting anode (depending on bonding and proximity.) That is not what you want.
Last, be sure what you buy meets Mil Spec - Matyr, Seashield - avoid any off-shore knock-off that does not carry this guarantee. Don't need to worry about motor/water heater internal anodes these can be any alloy.
Oops I guess that is three things.
Charles
Last, be sure what you buy meets Mil Spec - Matyr, Seashield - avoid any off-shore knock-off that does not carry this guarantee. Don't need to worry about motor/water heater internal anodes these can be any alloy.
Oops I guess that is three things.
Charles
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Thank you Charles, sound advice. I had read about same alloy for all zincs.
My prop shaft is either stainless of monel - I can't tell. I usually put two zincs on the shaft and one on the maxprop, and when hauled for the winter the prop zinc is gone, along with all of one and most of the other shaft zinc.
I'm pretty sure I have an electrolytic corrosion/erosion problem. I bought a test anode from boatzincs, but haven't gone into it yet, as I'm in a river and you have to do this with zero current, etc. I think it's because I have multiple connections from the boat grounding system to the water. I was thinking it was because my bonding system is connected to the grounding system in more than one place. We'll see.