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Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Galvanic and Stray Current Corrosion. Overview. Galvanic Corrosion Understanding Galvanic Corrosion Controlling Galvanic Corrosion Stray Current Corrosion Understanding Stray Current Corrosion Preventing Stray Current Corrosion Testing for Stray Current. Galvanic Corrosion.

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Chapter 5

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  1. Chapter 5 Galvanic and Stray Current Corrosion

  2. Overview • Galvanic Corrosion • Understanding Galvanic Corrosion • Controlling Galvanic Corrosion • Stray Current Corrosion • Understanding Stray Current Corrosion • Preventing Stray Current Corrosion • Testing for Stray Current

  3. Galvanic Corrosion Understanding Galvanic Corrosion • Causes • Results • Galvanic Series of Metals • Additional Notes

  4. Causes • Requires • Two different metals (electrodes) • Immersed in current-carrying solution (electrolyte) • Interconnected by a current-carrying conductor

  5. Old Zinc after 8 months (for 1” diameter shaft) Results of Galvanic Corrosion New Zinc (for 1” diameter shaft)

  6. Galvanic Scale of Metals What is the voltage difference between Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu)? What is more noble than Stainless Steel (Passive)? An. 0.67v An. Graphite

  7. Additional Notes • Expect corrosion with 0.25 V difference • Most negative electrodes will decompose • Magnesium @ - 1.50 V for freshwater • Zinc @ - 1.03 V for saltwater • Aluminum @ - 0.75 V will decompose if neither magnesium or zinc are present • Zinc (or magnesium) will protect • Stainless steel shaft • Bronze propeller • Aluminum outdrive

  8. Signs of Galvanic Corrosion • Blistering of paint • 1st Warning Sign • Formation of powdery substance • 2nd Warning Sign • Pitting of metal • Too late • Severe Galvanic Corrosion • Don’t treat the symptom, fix the problem

  9. Galvanic Corrosion Controlling Galvanic Corrosion • Types of Metal • Area of Metals • Self-Destroying Metals • Use of Sacrificial Anodes • Indirect Cathodic Protection • Resistance of an Electrical Path • Between boats

  10. Types of Metal • Copper, bronze and copper-nickel are compatible • Avoid bronze propeller on plain steel shaft • Stainless steel shaft with bronze prop may be used • Need zinc washer and/or zinc prop nut • Avoid graphite grease

  11. Area of Metal • Good – applying a less noble metal to a large area • Bronze through-hull on steel hull • Bad – applying a more noble metal to a larger area • Steel screws / bolts on large bronze or monel plate

  12. Self-Destroying Metals • Brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) • Zinc will corrode away in sea water, leaving a copper sponge • Stainless steel hose clamps with different metal take-up screws • Stainless steel should be non-magnetic • If magnetic, it will corrode

  13. Use of Sacrificial Anodes • Made from active metals • Magnesium, zinc or aluminum • Corrosive action occurs on the expendable metal anode • Bolted to the metal they are to protect • Never painted • Replaced when half-corroded or annually Shaft Prop Nut Rudder

  14. Trim Tab 6 Zincs Powerboat Zincs

  15. Indirect Cathodic Protection • Used when direct contact not possible • Zinc bolted to outside of hull • Inside boat connect with insulated AWG#8 to • Rudder Post • Shaft (requires shaft brush)

  16. Resistance of Electrical Path • Fresh water is less conductive than salt water • Less galvanic current • Use magnesium sacrificial anodes • Salt water is more conductive than fresh water • More galvanic current • Use zinc sacrificial anodes • Magnesium sacrificial anodes will not last • Graphite grease is an excellent conductor, but is a cathode • Do NOT use in stuffing boxes • Do NOT use on shaft bearings

  17. Between Boats • Two different metals • Aluminum vs steel (or other metal) • Immersed in current-carrying solution • Sea water • Interconnected by current-carrying conductor • AC ground (green) wire

  18. Isolation Transformer Galvanic Isolator Galvanic Isolator or Isolation Transformer • Stops DC current in AC ground wire

  19. Stray Current Corrosion Understanding Stray Current Corrosion • Causes • Results • Additional Notes

  20. Stray Current Corrosion • Requires • External source of electricity • From wetted metal surface (electrodes) • To return circuit of lower potential (electrolyte)

  21. Stray vs Galvanic Current • Stray current corrosion is more destructive • Hundreds of times stronger • Galvanic potential difference 0.25 to 1.5 volts • Stray current from 12 volt battery • Sources of stray current • Internal from boat’s 12 volt battery and defective wiring • External to boat from another source of DC

  22. Results of Stray Current Corrosion

  23. Additional Notes • Stronger than Galvanic current • 100 times more destructive • Metals can be similar or dissimilar • Current flow from positive through electrolyte • Positive DC terminal will corrode • Both AC terminals will corrode • Electrolyte is any moist surface • Bilge water • Wet wood • Wet or moist surface

  24. Stray Current Corrosion Preventing Stray Current • Wiring • Bonding • Battery charger • Galvanic isolators • Isolation transformers

  25. Wiring • Defective wiring is the most common cause • Deteriorated insulation on hot wire • Always use marine grade wires • Run wires above water line • Moist or wetted surfaces conduct current • Moisture in loose connections will cause corrosion • Wires in bilge • Waterproof terminals and butt spices • Heat shrink tubing is 2nd choice • Liquid electrical tape is also an option • Electrical tape is inadequate

  26. Bonding • Maintain adequate bonding system • All metallic bodies and surfaces at DC negative • Chapter 2 (Wiring) covered bonding • Propeller shaft bonding • Recommend by some authorities • Will also reduce propeller “hash” (Chapter 7) • Requires a shaft brush

  27. AC Ground Isolation • If your boat has the better ground… and a nearby boat has stray current • Your boat will be damaged, unless… • Stop DC current in AC ground wire • Galvanic Isolators & Isolation Transformers but • Stray current may flow through your boat • In one underwater fitting • Through bonding system • Out another underwater fitting (remember corroded prop and shaft pictures)

  28. Corrosion Facts • Not all corrosion is electrical • Seawater deteriorates all metals • Cavitation also erodes props • Stray current corrosion can be eliminated • Galvanic corrosion can be reduced and controlled • DC current is 100 times worse than AC current

  29. Testing for Stray Current • Measuring Stray Current • Corrosion Source and Mitigation

  30. DC Neg AC Gnd A To Battery Negative To Shore Power ABYC Req Temporary break wire to insert Ammeter Bus Bar Bus Bar Measuring Stray Current • Normally AC ground and DC negative connected • To measure current, insert ammeter in series

  31. AC Stray Current Testing • AC main circuit breaker “On” • All branch circuit breakers “Off” • Set multimeter to read AC current • Current should be less than 1 milliampere • Then selectively turn on each AC circuit • If AC current exceeds 1 mA • You have stray current in that circuit • After testing • Reconnect AC ground & DC negative bus bars

  32. DC Stray Current Testing • DC main circuit breaker “On” • All branch circuit breakers “Off” • Set multimeter to read DC current • Current should be less than 0.01 milliampere • Then selectively turn on each DC circuit • If DC current exceeds 0.01 mA • You have stray current in that circuit • After testing • Reconnect AC ground and DC negative bus bars

  33. Testing with Mitigation • Galvanic Isolators & Isolation Transformers • Stop DC current • To check for stray current with isolator • Place ammeter between DC negative bus and green shore power wire to isolator • To check for stray current with transformer • Place ammeter between DC negative bus and green shore power wire to transformer

  34. Internal DC Current Testing • Turn off DC main and all branch breakers • Insert ammeter in battery negative cable • Hold down bilge pump float switch • So pump will not turn on • Turn on DC main and bilge pump breaker • Measure stray current, if any • Defective wiring or pump switch • Test other wiring with DC devices turned off

  35. Summary 1 • Types of electronic corrosion • Galvanic caused by dissimilar metals • Stray current requires external current • Galvanic current • Requires • Different metals • Immersed in current carrying solution • Connect together by current carrying conductor • Brass will disintegrate in sea water • Zincs are used to protect other metal components

  36. Summary 2 • Stray current • Requires an external source of current • Normally is caused by defective wiring • Especially in / through bilge • Make sure any connections are waterproof • DC is 100 times more destructive than AC • Over 1 mA AC • Over 0.01 mA DC

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