Seems like a snake oil / magic box solution, but does any one here know if there is any truth to the claims? Some say that all US military vehicles are equipped with them, saw another claim that said it was developed to prevent corrosion on snowplows. Also saw on a marine TV show how the device can replace zinc anodes to prevent corrosion of the engine leg.

Crappy Tire is selling them right now at $200 each. Has anyone ever used something like this?

 

NO... nor have i talked to anybody that has either...

 

I've heard they use them on the transit fleet in whistler. However that's all I know. If I remember I'll ask Victoria transit HQ if they're worth it.

 

New to me!

 

Electronic corrosion protection has been in use for many years. It does not prevent corrosion but it does drastically slow it down. Most of the systems I have been around have used sacrificial anodes or cathodic protection that uses a low current. Bunkers buried in hot soil that is very acidic or alkaline need protection as does cooling bundles for climate control.

The problem with cars/trucks is they are in the open air. Most protection is done on things under water, under ground, encapsulated where there is moisture to provide conductivity.

With autos the electronics in short, attempt to repel the action that produces rust. I'm sure there are working models in use but it's something I have not been around or researched recently.

I know that Pontiac put some kind of anode protection on the Fiero back in the 80's. Something like 27 places on the frame and then covered with plastic panels. I've seen very little rust on the metal parts under/around the Fiero.

 

don't know anything either but here's a link to a manufacturer and if you google electronic rust proofing you'll get the normal it works or don't work articles


RustStop - Leaders in Electronic & Spray-on Rust Prevention. Automotive,Industrial,Marine,General

 

With the kind of climate and road management I have to deal with in the winter, I am often driving through salt water at 70 MPH on the highways. Makes a nice solid layer of salty and sandy muck under the truck in the winter. I was also thinking of using zinc blocks attached to the underside on the frame and floor of the truck but if the electronic box does the same thing, than its worth considering since it would be lower maintenance in the long run. I was hoping some one who plows snow could chime in and be able to confirm if indeed they use these on commercial snow plows.

There is a freeze/thaw cycle almost every day on the roads in the south west coast of BC. So at night the salt the crap out of the roads to kill the frost and the next day it all melts and it could be pouring rain. Then at night the road is a sheet of ice again. Folks from back east like to rip on us west coasters because they think we don't know real winter weather. I guess you could say it isn't real weather at all.

 

Actually, I thought you had more snow than we do.

I know I saw plenty out there when I was driving cross country.

Never did make it up to BC though.

I am familiar with sacrificial cathodes and anodes on boat out drives, gas pipes, an other burried metals.
I have never seen one in use on a vehicle though.

 

my wifes new dodge caliber has some sort of electronic rust prevention thing on it. i wasn't really listening to the sales pitch, i was just there to sign the check.

 

Our temperature is kept kind of steady here on the B.C. coast because of the ocean. Not uncommon to see people out and about in November with a t shirt and jeans.
However, I spent years out side every days as an equipment mechanic and the worst weather is just above freezing in a windy slushy rain with about 2 inches of slush snow on everything.

 

Well we have zinc anodes on out boat and they do work, but I'm just not sure how well it would work on a car. Maybe if connections were made to several parts of the vehicle? Kind of hard to find any info other than a sales pitch, so thats why I popped the question here.

The south coast of BC can be really funny when it comes to snow. Normally its raining at least half of the time in winter, but if arctic winds from the interior converge over the island its not unusal to see 1-2 feet fall within 48 hours. Then it starts raining again....

This combined with the freeze/thaw cycle that happens every day, it can make for some very "unique" driving conditions. Melting snow banks send water across roads during the day, and then form ice during the night. Our snow is also heavy and wet so it tends to pack and form hard ice like consistency when weight is appied to it. Other parts of canada (including inland BC) that stay below freezing for most of the winter tend to have lighter powder, which is a little easier to deal with. Although lake effect snow in early winter can also wreak havoc in those parts of central canada and USA.

Am I the only one here who's pissed that winter is comming?

 

On watercraft the corrosion occurs in forms of electrolysis. In seawater, corrosion is from different metals put together, add salt water and you get galvanic corrosion. Basically the hull becomes a battery.

Rust is a byproduct of the reaction (oxidation) that occurs when iron-ferrous metal (metal with iron in it) is exposed to oxygen. Air contains water which accelerates the oxidation process because the hydrogen helps to bond oxygen to the metal. The more moisture in the air, the more quickly the metal will rust.

On a car/truck, the connection to the anode is not consistent. There needs to be moisture present to complete the current path. Electronic protection is supposed to overcome this by providing it's own consistent current along with the anodes.

 

tell me about it. i grew up in southern manitoba, COLD winters, not really that much snow (cept for 96-97 for those that were there flood of the century!!) but nice summers. Then spent some time in Kamloops, BC stayed below freezing most of the winter.. but that only lasted from late november till feb. then it was consistantly getting and staying above freezing.. but HOT HOT HOT summers there.. now i live in the rock and bush in northern Ontario....well we really havnt had any summer yet.. the 7 nice days we've had all summer are wasted by me being underground in the mine. The winter, wow..did we ever have snow, i got to run the GD shovel every week.. of course LONG drivway with hardly anywhere to throw the snow. I'm buying a snow blower for the front of my quad this year. no more shoveling