I installed a shaft zinc in December. It is now 25% gone. Is this normal? The boat next to me is a live-aboard and is hooked up to shore power continueously. I only use shore power occationly. Weekends mostly.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
T
TOM MCNAMARA
Zinc
Most every boat,as mine, is connected to shore power.I am a live aboard and have been.I dont know how the waters are by you,but to me that means the zinc is doing its joj.
Most every boat,as mine, is connected to shore power.I am a live aboard and have been.I dont know how the waters are by you,but to me that means the zinc is doing its joj.
M
Mike D
All Zincs are ........
Dear Randy, I had a discussion on this very topic with the marina owner. He claims all zincs are NOT created equal. On the Bay, where we are located, the salinity of the water is lower. For a Zinc to do it's job, it needs to be "the cheaper kind". He claims that more expensive is not necessarily better. In your case maybe it could be the other way around. Like Tom said in the prior reply, it is doing it's job. You may need to invest in the heartier type,if it is wearing down too quickly. Anyhow, I thought it was an interesting concept and maybe it applies to your situation as well. good luck, Mike D
Dear Randy, I had a discussion on this very topic with the marina owner. He claims all zincs are NOT created equal. On the Bay, where we are located, the salinity of the water is lower. For a Zinc to do it's job, it needs to be "the cheaper kind". He claims that more expensive is not necessarily better. In your case maybe it could be the other way around. Like Tom said in the prior reply, it is doing it's job. You may need to invest in the heartier type,if it is wearing down too quickly. Anyhow, I thought it was an interesting concept and maybe it applies to your situation as well. good luck, Mike D
A
Alex
It is too soon..
..A zinc should last a year or two on average, depending on local circumstances .make sure you have the right one since they are different for salt water on their metal content ( althought look the same ).Try to put a bigger one , if shaft clearance permit. One good thing is that it work ,But definitly it is gone too soon..Check with a specialist if this persist .
..A zinc should last a year or two on average, depending on local circumstances .make sure you have the right one since they are different for salt water on their metal content ( althought look the same ).Try to put a bigger one , if shaft clearance permit. One good thing is that it work ,But definitly it is gone too soon..Check with a specialist if this persist .
R
Roy Mosteller
Zinc Can Go Quickly
I replace my zincs from two to three times a year. When half gone I replace them. Have been doing this for many years. If they are disintegrating they are doing their job. Lots cheaper to replace zincs than other metal parts that will be eaten without them.
I replace my zincs from two to three times a year. When half gone I replace them. Have been doing this for many years. If they are disintegrating they are doing their job. Lots cheaper to replace zincs than other metal parts that will be eaten without them.
R
R.W.Landau
Other corrosion
If you are not having other corrosion, you may want to just keep investing in good zincs. If you are seeing more corrosion than the zinc, investigate your own system of grounding and bonding. If you are having other corrosion, repost or let us know that you are having other corrosion problems.. If you want to check, make sure you grounding and bonding occur to one point. If you install a galvanic isolator in your ac groungd between the boat ground and shore ground this may help. A major thing to check is to make sure there is no power in the shore power ground and that the hot and neutral are not reversed. This can be checked and should be checked often with a simple plug-in tool that you can buy for 5 bucks in a home repair store or a good marine store. I would start here and see if there are shore power problems or your grounding problems. If not be glad that zinc is cheap. r.w.landau
If you are not having other corrosion, you may want to just keep investing in good zincs. If you are seeing more corrosion than the zinc, investigate your own system of grounding and bonding. If you are having other corrosion, repost or let us know that you are having other corrosion problems.. If you want to check, make sure you grounding and bonding occur to one point. If you install a galvanic isolator in your ac groungd between the boat ground and shore ground this may help. A major thing to check is to make sure there is no power in the shore power ground and that the hot and neutral are not reversed. This can be checked and should be checked often with a simple plug-in tool that you can buy for 5 bucks in a home repair store or a good marine store. I would start here and see if there are shore power problems or your grounding problems. If not be glad that zinc is cheap. r.w.landau
R
Ron Hughes
Fresh water zincs, take heed...........
This note is a side-light on the subject of zinc replacement that should be of interest to boats moored in fresh water. An important fact of life for boats that live in fresh water is that calcification on the surface of your zincs occurs as a result of contact with minerals present in fresh water, in a few months time. This process creates a very nice protective coating on your zinc. The trouble is, it's protecting the zinc from corroding as it is intended to! It is possible to grind away this calcification when the boat is hauled, or the zincs are removed, but I choose to replace mine each time I haul, about once/year. We are fortunate to be moored in a spot that has very few if any, stray electrons floating about. As a result our zincs remain virtually untouched by galvanic corrosion. A local surveyor, Allison Mazon, alerted our Hunter club to this fresh water problem. One that can have serious consequences if ignored for a time, with the boat subsequently moved into a "hot"(stray shore power) environment. If your zinc is covered with calcification, which looks like whitish/tan chalk covering the zinc; the next more "noble" metal below the waterline of your vessel is likely being dissolved even though your zinc retains its as-new shape. Beware your prop, or worse, your thru-hulls! As "fore-warned is fore-armed", I wish you hppy sailing, and may your prop and shaft stay as-new and your thru-hulls tight! Ron Hughes s/v Best Revenge, H 40.5.
This note is a side-light on the subject of zinc replacement that should be of interest to boats moored in fresh water. An important fact of life for boats that live in fresh water is that calcification on the surface of your zincs occurs as a result of contact with minerals present in fresh water, in a few months time. This process creates a very nice protective coating on your zinc. The trouble is, it's protecting the zinc from corroding as it is intended to! It is possible to grind away this calcification when the boat is hauled, or the zincs are removed, but I choose to replace mine each time I haul, about once/year. We are fortunate to be moored in a spot that has very few if any, stray electrons floating about. As a result our zincs remain virtually untouched by galvanic corrosion. A local surveyor, Allison Mazon, alerted our Hunter club to this fresh water problem. One that can have serious consequences if ignored for a time, with the boat subsequently moved into a "hot"(stray shore power) environment. If your zinc is covered with calcification, which looks like whitish/tan chalk covering the zinc; the next more "noble" metal below the waterline of your vessel is likely being dissolved even though your zinc retains its as-new shape. Beware your prop, or worse, your thru-hulls! As "fore-warned is fore-armed", I wish you hppy sailing, and may your prop and shaft stay as-new and your thru-hulls tight! Ron Hughes s/v Best Revenge, H 40.5.
R
Ralph Johnstone
Add a few more .................
........ and you'll find that the corrosion is spread out amongst the zincs. The last thing you want is to have a single zinc that corrodes quickly and falls off. You then have no protection. Our marina is so bad that I use three shaft zincs and have an overboard zinc as well. I can now last a full year and the shaft zincs are only about half eaten. Regards, Island Hunter
........ and you'll find that the corrosion is spread out amongst the zincs. The last thing you want is to have a single zinc that corrodes quickly and falls off. You then have no protection. Our marina is so bad that I use three shaft zincs and have an overboard zinc as well. I can now last a full year and the shaft zincs are only about half eaten. Regards, Island Hunter
- Status
- Not open for further replies.