Too many zincs ???????

[Bob Dowdy]

Upon hauling my boat this past season I noticed all 5 of my zincs were gone,completly gone.Under my swim platform I have a Mercury Waffel zinc, that protects my electronics.Can I use larger size zincs or do I have to stay with sizes from the Mercury Manual??????????<br /> Can I have a bad reaction to too many zincs on my boat. <br /> Thx. Skinny

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Skinny,<br /><br />I have heard of boats being "overzinced" before, well, read about it. Need more information though, Marina or mooring? Any aluminum boats around or big ones drawing tons of juice? I've had problems with my Lund, but only when tied up to big boat with generator running for days at a time..............

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Zincs are sacrificial. They are the cathodes for stray current. They are consumable parts that are supposed to go away. Hopefully, you will replace them before they are totally gone. Once gone, other metal boat parts, usually starting with the ones of greatest value to you, or most expensive to replace, become sacrificial. If isolated, zincs have very little value. If your zincs are gone, they are NOT isolated and you should inspect every piece of metal on your boat, starting with thru-hulls and propeller shafts. You should be concerned with every metal part that, should it fail, will sink your boat or inhibit propulsion.<br /><br />Adding bigger zincs is like buying a bigger tube of toothpaste…they get replaced less often, as long as they are not in the way of something else. The most common adverse reaction to zincs will come from dropping one on your foot.

 

[Bob Dowdy]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Luna Sea,<br /> I'm running a 251 Pro Line (glass)I'm very cautious about my electrical lines being out of the water and also my neighbors.There is only a small number of boats on my dock that use shore power and I installed a solar pannel to charge my batteries when tied up.However the dock is brand new with new electrical boxs and this could be the culprit.What ever can adding larger or extra zincs be a problem ???????<br /> Thx.<br /> Skinny

 

[Bob Dowdy]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Luna Sea,<br /> I'm running a 251 Pro Line (glass)I'm very cautious about my electrical lines being out of the water and also my neighbors.There is only a small number of boats on my dock that use shore power and I installed a solar pannel to charge my batteries when tied up.However the dock is brand new with new electrical boxs and this could be the culprit.What ever can adding larger or extra zincs be a problem ???????<br /> Thx.<br /> Skinny

 

[Trent]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Skinny... The problem is not that your shore power lines get into the water is.....Ah heck maybe this will help better?<br /> Shore Power

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Trent – good stuff.<br /><br />Skinny Dugan - if your zincs are going away, there is a problem. Once they were gone, the problem didn’t stop. You may want to see if you can find what material succeeded the zinc as sacrificial. If all else is equal, galvanic corrosion potential (greatest to least) is in this order: zinc, galvanized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, brass, bronze.

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

I know some marinas have worse problems on there docks than others. I'm still looking for a bad wire in my al. boat. May be a nav. light wire running in the bilge with a short. I've taken my meter before and dropped the red one in the water and held the black one to the outboard, why I read a half a volt in the water is beyond my knowledge.............. <br /><br />You can add larger zincs, for security, but keep an eye on them. And find out if your neighbors are experiencing the same problem. Marina wiring can be a culprit............

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Never too many zincs There is always electrolysis in the water.Always electricity even if new wiring is installed at the docks. There are many varibles to electrolysis. click on to www.yandina.com/electrolysis.htm <br /><br />LunaSea<br />Had a 20' lund for 6 years excellent boat. Trailered mine and never had any corrosion to the hull trailered it all the time. The hull looked brand new when I sold it Leaving it in the water will eat it up.

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

Fly Rod,<br /><br />Guess I'll HAVE to sell it this year then, my moorings free now that the Constellation is gone. Left it out there a couple times first year I had it and got those little corrosion spots on the transom. Was blaming the generator and lack of zincs on the big wreck. I see so many of these aluminum boats on the Anisquam and up in Essex though................ Most are smaller though and don't have the batteries and electronics I guess.... I was looking into one of those Mercathode type electrolysis control systems but they draw 1/2 amp per hour so battery would only run it for 4 days or so......

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

You can add zincs if you want,the more the merrier.Charlie

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Too many zincs ???????

If you think electrolysis is bad don't ever paint the bottom of that lund with the wrong type of paint you will have a reaction that will eat them rivets out.<br />I'm surprised that the rest of the hull isn't pitted.<br />Make sure you take the battery out in the winter. I can't prove it but I think that due to the battery being left in the boat that you may start to see pin holes above the water line on the transom if your battery is left in that area of the boat.