“Simple Corrosion”, not always so simple…
The previous article dealt with 3 basic categories of corrosion and offered some ideas to help figure out which one you might be dealing with. We also stressed eliminating the root cause of the corrosion we find lest it occur over and over again (meaning those expensive repair bills again and again).
This article will focus on “Simple Corrosion”;
- How to detect it
- How to prevent it
First, it’s interesting to note that when any metal is placed in water, it begins to dissolve (corrode) all by itself. Some corrode rather quickly (e.g. aluminum, steel) while others last seemingly forever (e.g. gold, platinum). This is “simple corrosion”.
It means that most metals need some form of protection from the ravages of a moist corrosive environment. Pitting (including rust) is the primary mechanism for simple corrosion.
Examples of equipment experiencing simple corrosion might include aluminum fuel tanks, cast iron exhaust manifolds and risers, and stainless steel trim tabs.
This is the bottom of an aluminum fuel tank that corroded because it was sitting in the bilge water. The result here was a potentially explosive level of gasoline fumes released into the boat.