Do Electronic Rust Inhibitors Really Work?
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Do Electronic Rust Inhibitors Really Work?
I installed one on mine that I got off of a wreck but wonder if they really work. Has anybody got any tangible experience as to their effectiveness? Also, is one supposed to scrape the paint off of the area onto which the little boxes are installed?
Tom T
Tom T
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From: N. Gwinnett Co. Georgia
Just out of curiosity, how did the wreck look, did it have any rust? I'd guess that you'd need positive contact with metal. Always wondered why no one ever came up with something like the "zincs" on marine craft for a truck.
Tex
Tex
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No, any electrical, electronic, or chemical (sacrificial) corrosion inhibitor needs a conductive medium to work. They work on ships and underground on pipes etc because you have water or moisture to work. Above ground (in the air) they will not work.
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The vehicle, if I recall correctly, was a 1996 Dodge Intrepid and had no rust of note. I specifically looked at the rear brakke drums and they were virtually rust free as well. The reason that I ask this is because I thought it was snake oil as well but noticed that many factory vehicles were coming with them installed.
Hey torque. Would moisture, which causes rust and is a conductive medium when the truck is wet, allow this device to work at least until the moisture evaporates?
TomT
Hey torque. Would moisture, which causes rust and is a conductive medium when the truck is wet, allow this device to work at least until the moisture evaporates?
TomT
Last edited by tom2131968; Dec 25, 2004 at 10:05 PM.
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No, the moisture required for the "electrochemical cell" has to be continuous. A moisture film is not conductive enough to transfer the ions over long distances. The other type of localized corrosion called "oxygen concentration corrosion" is not hindered at all and it is probably the most damaging.
