Thread: zinc anode

Originally Posted by lebanon

Good day,

A common problem to Land Rovers is their ability to corrode due to the chemical interaction between two different metals, aluminum and steel, in other words Land Rovers are cells on wheels.

I still remember that when I used to prepare my boat for the summer season, a verification on my checklist was the condition of the zinc anode installed on the engine to protect it from corrosion.

Has anyone experienced installing zinc sacrificial anode on Land Rovers to reduce the corrosion and what were the results?
If no can someone explain why is would be inefficient?

Happy Rovering

The proper process for protecting steel exposed to the weather is called Galvanising. The zinc is present everywhere it is needed. In order for a discrete zinc anode to protect another metal part the two metals must be connected by an electrolyte. Salt water is a good electrolyte.

If your entire land rover is immersed in a lake a single anode might be enough to reduce corrosion over the whole vehicle. Unlikely though. Even different parts of the vehicle will be at different potentials depending on orientation in the lake water.

Under normal conditions moisture appears in drops or damp patches held to the metal by encrusted dirt, pre-existing rust etc. Corrosion occurs WHENEVER there is an electrochemical potential from one point to another. This can be the oxygen gradient across a single drop of water. That is why a single water drop drying on clean steel leaves a rusty ring. The zinc anode can be millimetres or metres away and do nothing.

Thank you Bee Utey for the explanation,

I guess my question came to my mind because after three days of heavy rains my 110 was the only moving vehicle amid floating and drowned ones

Just for a matter of interest

Magnesium Anodes work better in fresh Water and Zinc Anodes in salt water

Still doesn't stop a Landrover from rusting thou!!

Hi,

what about Electronic Rust & Corrosion Control Devices are they of any effect in stopping the corrosion on a Land Rover?

Any experience with these?

Regards