Sand Anodes And Reuse?

[Ducati]

This spring I put on brand new "zincs" or anodes as they should be called. The do have some very light corrosion and because I'm cheap I was considering just giving them a good sanding to expose the raw metal and then put them back on.

Sound like a good plan?

 

[All U Get]

Cheap, I'm saving the little pieces to cut down for the anodes on the outboard. Too bad you couldn't mail them in for money like your old jewelry.

All U Get

 

[Chris Patterson]

Shoot, why not? There's no use replacing a "part" that's not worn out.

Scuff it a little on the contact surfaces as well..

 

[Warren Milberg]

I personally do not think that zincs are anything you want to skimp on. They play a pretty important role in keeping your underwater metals in tact. A typical zinc costs about $6 (go to Boatzincs.com) or you can get a price match at you-know-where.

 

[RichH]

Just wire wheel/brush them to remove 'just' the oxide, dont 'sand' off the metal which is the 'active' component of the anode of which the 'activity' is dependent on the MASS (and surface area) of zinc metal.

 

[Joe Blizzard]

Sanding works, but a wire wheel is easier. I used abrade my anodes down to shiny metal regularly to keep them effective on my fresh water power boat.

 

[rardiH36]

While I also strive to retard the rate of bank account depletion, I would side with Warren on this one. Getting a full season on a zinc would be pretty darn good for many folks. Even if your zincs still have some meat left, will they protect for another full season? You didn't mention where the zincs are mounted. If a shaft or prop zinc, as they deplete, the zinc metal around the clamp through-holes for the bolts gets thinner and the zinc metal brittle. One day the zinc looks ok, the next day it's fallen off and gone. The cost of a diver to replace one zinc probably would equal several seasons of new zincs -- that's assuming you are in a location where the boat is pulled every winter and you can replace the zincs yourself on the hard?

 

[Joe Blizzard]

Getting a full season on a zinc would be pretty darn good for many folks.

In my experience, if you have a high rate of depletion you won't have much of a problem with that resisitive surface-coating developing and vice versa.