Many boats, specifically pontoons, have an aluminum construction which tends to exist corrosive resistant, just not corrosion proof. In that location's a deviation. In this short guide I am going to talk over pontoon boat electrolysis plus how to finish electrolysis on a pontoon boat.

Please be aware, I've never had to do this myself, as I've not suffered with pontoon boat electrolysis. I've looked up all the various prevention tips I can observe online. This article was contributed past another pontoon boat owner.

The different types of corrosion

At that place are different types of corrosion, especially galvanic corrosion, and electrolysis due to metals existence in electrolytic solutions, that affect aluminum pontoons and different ways in resolving this common problem.

Galvanic corrosion is one of the most common ways in which aluminum pontoon boats experience corrosion, peculiarly in salt water.

Electrolysis can occur when electricity flows through the metal parts of your boats, affecting the various systems which aid power the boat. There are different means you tin help prevent this from happening.

Galvanic corrosion

When 2 metals are touching each other or are electrically connected past a usher, and and then are immersed in an electrically conductive fluid, such as salt water, an electro-chemical reaction may occur.

Galvanic corrosion is more prevalent when using the pontoon gunkhole in salt water, yet information technology still does occur in freshwater.

Saltwater is an electrically conductive solution, significant that when a metal is contact with information technology, information technology volition lose atoms and will begin to corrode.

I of the best ways to prevent corrosion due to galvanic corrosion is past making certain you do non exit your boat at traditional docks which leave the boat in water when it is non in use. In order to prevent the corrosion, the metal of the boat must not exist touching water.

While you tin can use a tradition boat elevator, they often require a power source to use, which also requires boosted maintenance and plug in sources near the dock.

Floating boat lifts solves both problems, by non having the gunkhole sit down in the water when it is non in use and it as well does non require a power source.

Using a floating elevator will likewise salvage you lot fourth dimension and money by not having to haul the boat into and out of the water when yous demand to make clean or repaint information technology.

It saves you lot coin by non needing a power source.

Types of floating boat lifts:

  • Static Floating Boat Lifts
  • Air Assisted Floating Boat lifts
  • Multi-hull Floating Boat Lifts

If you are interested in pontoon gunkhole lifts, here are some related articles including more detailed information:

  • How much pontoon boat lifts toll
  • How to perform a pontoon boat elevator conversion
  • A buyer's guide to pontoon boat lifts
  • Some pontoon boat lift reviews

Preventing galvanic corrosion with zinc anodes

Types of sacrificial anodes:

  • Magnesium- for freshwater
  • Cadmium
  • Nickel

Sacrificial anodes are highly active metals used to prevent less active metals such as aluminum, from corroding. They are created from a metal alloy with a more than negative electrochemical potential than the other metal.

Breaking the electrical connection betwixt two exposed metals by connecting them to another anode will forestall galvanic corrosion.

This anode is usually inexpensive and is connected, bolted, or wired into electric contact with some other metal.

These anodes extend the life of the boat'due south hull, engine, rudder, propeller shaft, engine cooling arrangement, refrigeration condenser, and other metallic components past protecting them from any deterioration.

Zinc is not as active as aluminum, and and so having zinc anodes electrically fastened to the aluminum parts will help to protect the boat amd prevent pontoon boat electrolysis.

The zinc gives the aluminum extra electrodes to shed rather than aluminum shedding its own, therefore corroding the zinc before the aluminum.

Information technology is important that yous do non add as well many zinc anodes, considering too many volition cause the zinc to develop crust and it will so stop preventing the aluminum from corroding by not corroding at all and creating a bulwark.

How to add the zinc:

  • Place a silver electrode about the item that needs to be protected
  • Touch on the positive probe and note the meter's reading
  • Connect a sacrificial zinc to the metal needed to be protected
  • Protection is adequate when the new voltage is 0.20 volts

Other methods for preventing corrosion

If purchasing a new floating boat lift is not in your budget or yous're not besides sure as to how to attach different anode electrodes, at that place are yet a variety of other ways you can prevent corrosion on your boat.

  1. It is very important to repair whatever cracks and scratches that expose bare aluminum, as presently every bit they come up about. The exposed aluminum will then take a hazard to interact with water and begin to corrode, as well every bit any parts near it.
  2. Do not mix metals. Metals touching other metals, allows for corrosion to occur in a similar way as salt water does. Information technology allows for the exchange of atoms, since each metal is electrically conductive, and and then it is important to make sure that other metals are non touching the aluminum. Mixing of metals can be reduced by isolating connections between them. Manufacturers usually take care of isolating about of these connections, but y'all can still check to ensure that there are not whatever left.
  3. Using paint and coatings that are designed for use with aluminum is too important and helps forbid corrosion. Much of these paints and coatings provide a barrier between the aluminum boat and salt h2o. Notwithstanding, do non pigment the anodes or grounding plates as this will foreclose for basic and necessary reactions to occur. Interlux and Pettit sell aluminum compatible paint systems that are copper free and work well on boats.
  4. Movement at slower speeds. While moving quickly on boats is always a lot of fun, it may exist doing more damage to your boat than you call back. Equally speed increases, the waves around the boat get college and the tubes of the boat may exist completely submerged underwater for longer periods of times. When the tubes submerge, waves tin crash all over dissimilar panels, including the deck of the boat. All these outcomes expose the gunkhole to saltwater and go far vulnerable to corrosion in more areas than information technology needs to be.
  5. When you're done with a day of boating on common salt water, launder the boat thoroughly with fresh water from a loftier-power hose to affluent out any trapped salt water and remove stale salt deposits.
  6. Avert using lubricants made with graphite aboard the gunkhole.
  7. Practice not utilize an automotive batter charger higher up the gunkhole.
  8. Proceed hooks, sinkers, and caps, as well equally other metallic objects out of the bilge.
  9. When adding hardware to the boat, try to utilise aluminum fittings and fastners. If these are hard to detect, utilise 300-series stainless steel and make sure to isolate the plumbing equipment with plastic washers or pads. Use polysulfide beddings to keep out water.
  10. Lastly, it is of import to familiarize yourself with the boat's construction quality in lodge to effectively prevent it from corroding. Pontoon boats are built in different ways, and depending on their internal deck materials, some may be more than exposed and subject area to corrosion than others.

This includes making certain that the log tubes are completely welded to the decking that the decks are securely screwed to the frame and then that they can handle swells they may encounter.

Some pontoons are as well sold every bit salt water series, which guarantees that the manufacturer has taken boosted measures to make the material salt water resistant, but this does not ensure information technology is completely resistant.

More than tips for preventing pontoon gunkhole electrolysis

  • Practice not exceed 1,300 millivolts of voltage when protecting aluminum
  • Properly maintain and conduct diverse electrolytic tests on all systems
  • Periodically test for discoloration at pinholes

Why aluminum is the most used material for pontoon boats

Aluminum is non but inexpensive and piece of cake to manufacture, only it is ordinarily non-corrosive or corrosive resistant when exposed to wet for long periods of fourth dimension, making information technology very durable. Despite its not-corrosive holding, rusting may yet occur when pontoons are submerged in mud or sand.

Though rusting yet occurs, and ownership an aluminum pontoon is more expensive than ownership pontoons made from other materials, they are still your best option compared to other types of materials because they are travel in h2o reliably well.

Aluminum pontoons require minimum maintenance and repairs, and provides you lot with the guarantee of having a boat that will concluding you longer than other boats. The aluminum material is light weight, increasing their speed and supporting their availability to send via trailer.

Other pontoon boat materials:

  • Steel
  • Foam-Filled
  • Fiber Glass

Related questions

Why should yous use magnesium for fresh water and not saltwater?

Fresh h2o is much less conductive than salt water, therefore magnesium anodes are the best choice considering they are more than active than zinc or aluminum, and so they will protect the parts more effectively.

How to test for pontoon gunkhole electrolysis?

To examination if whatsoever of your systems have been affected past electrolysis, you volition need to test the voltage of the various systems. Attach the negative atomic number 82 to a ground, the positive pb to the organisation, and measure the voltage. If the voltage is more 0.x V, there is an electrical electric current flowing through the system.

Does air touch pontoon boat electrolysis?

Above the water line, aluminum does great. When aluminum is exposed to oxygen, it actually develops a film of aluminum oxide that is so dense, it bonds to the metal and acts equally a barrier to forbid further corrosion.