sacrificial anodes

BAYDOG225

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Joined
Apr 25, 2010
Messages
28
What would happen if I don't have one? On my 1986 30hp, the owner before removed the anode to install a hydofoil fin.
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 28, 2013
Messages
38,454
In fresh water nothing may happen.----------You need to provide information as to the water you play in.----Do you leave the boat in the water all year round.------Do you know how an anode works ??
 

tramsdell

Banned
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Jul 25, 2018
Messages
155
If i may piggyback, if one went from a saltwater use to freshwater only and the anode is all crusty... should it be replaced or removed?
 

BAYDOG225

Cadet
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Apr 25, 2010
Messages
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Fresh water only, and trailered after every use. Yes I know how they work.
 

F_R

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Jul 7, 2006
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28,226
Anodes don't do anything when the boat is on a trailer. And outboards went about 80 years without anodes. OK so they corroded in salt water. I'm not convinced the anodes stopped that. I can't forget when Mercury first put sacrificial trim tabs on their motors. And Mercs were as bad or worse to work on than any of the others. To me they are a for whatever-they-are-worth thing.
 

Vic.S

Rear Admiral
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May 4, 2004
Messages
4,719
Fresh water only, and trailered after every use. Yes I know how they work.


Very little point in having an anode then. If its on a trailer an anode is not needed and in fresh water to be effective you would need a magnesium anode anyway. Zinc becomes passivated with an oxide coating in fresh water.
(Magnesium is too reactive to use in salt water)

If i may piggyback, if one went from a saltwater use to freshwater only and the anode is all crusty... should it be replaced or removed?

You need a magnesium anode in freshwater.

The rules regarding anode type are that zinc is only effective in saltwater ( they are made of special high purity zinc which conforms to a US military specification)

Aluminum anodes are suitable for salt water or brackish water. They are made of a special alloy containing among other alloying elements a small percentage of indium.

Magnesium anodes are suitable for fresh water use only. They are made of magnesium containing small percentages of aluminum and zinc
 
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