corrosion in aluminum plumbing parts
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Posted by: stubby ® 06/10/2006, 14:19:21 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Any ideas on what works to prevent aluminum from corroding inside on clean water plumbing systems? Looking for a surface treatment type method as impurities cannot be added to the water.

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Re: corrosion in aluminum plumbing parts
Re: corrosion in aluminum plumbing parts -- stubby	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: randykimball ® 06/11/2006, 17:16:04 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Are we talking about during manufacturing processes or after they have already been installed? Anodide processing is a good way to protect the aluminum but it must be processed before installation. After that you should consider a sacrificial metal such as a zinc plug. These are available on the market with standard pipe threaded caps which can be installed into an opening. Be sure the zinc plug's threads are a metal to metal contact to provide a good electrical connection to the plumbing so the leeching process will attack the zinc and not your aluminum parts. Don't forget to replace the zinc plugs often enough to assure it is provided as the sacrificial metal or your aluminum will become the sacrificial matal. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them.

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Re: Re: corrosion in aluminum plumbing parts
Re: Re: corrosion in aluminum plumbing parts -- randykimball	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: stubby ® 06/12/2006, 00:33:39 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Yes I am talking about after the parts have been made and installed they corrode quickly and fail. Anodizing doesn't work well because the parts have to be machined and then welded. Bare spots near the welds continue to corrode, and you can't anodize from the inside. Zinc is a great idea but it's an impurity that makes the water conductive. There must be some trick that is done as you see water tanks and aluminum tubing in use for years that don't corrode and no place to put a zinc plug.

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