Chassis Protection
Discussion
I have come across a corrosion protection system that appears to actually work.
I purchased a 4x4 recently and noticed this protection module under the bonnet so did a search on the name stamped on it and found out it was made locally. The unit had been on this vehicle for the previous 7 years and even where underseal had been scraped off the ladder chassis it remained a shiny surface. There was no sign of rust even on paint chips on places like the bonnet so I thought to myself that if it really did work it would be ideal for TVR's.
Therefore I spoke to the company owner about distributing the units at a discount to TVR owners and if there is enough interest I may be able to sort something out (and yes - there would be a small commission in it for me - just beer money, honest !).
Please let me know what you think - check out the details here - [www.roemarketing.com.au] and let me know whether you think there would be much interest at under 150 quid per unit.
I purchased a 4x4 recently and noticed this protection module under the bonnet so did a search on the name stamped on it and found out it was made locally. The unit had been on this vehicle for the previous 7 years and even where underseal had been scraped off the ladder chassis it remained a shiny surface. There was no sign of rust even on paint chips on places like the bonnet so I thought to myself that if it really did work it would be ideal for TVR's.
Therefore I spoke to the company owner about distributing the units at a discount to TVR owners and if there is enough interest I may be able to sort something out (and yes - there would be a small commission in it for me - just beer money, honest !).
Please let me know what you think - check out the details here - [www.roemarketing.com.au] and let me know whether you think there would be much interest at under 150 quid per unit.
Iam not a corrosion engineer but I do get involved in the corrosion process in buildings/bridge made of steel or with steel in them.
Without getting too heavily into the corrosion process, corrosion is all about a battery type cell being set up and to do this you need a anode a cathode and an electrolite. The electrolite allows current to pass from the anode to the cathode and start corrosion occuring at the anode. Water can act as an electrolite, salt in water improves it effeciency as an electrolite an hence increases corrosion. You also need oxygen to fuel the reaction at the anode.
How do you stop corrosion? There are several ways to do this.
You can stop water or oxygen getting to the anode, hence the use of powder coating on the original chassis. However, if this barrier gets damaged then you can actually accelerate corrosion at the place where the damage has occurred.
The other alternative used is to use a coating such as hammerite/waxoyl etc. However, again if this gets damaged or not all of the chassis is reached with the treatment you can again accelerate corrosion. This is more than likely why the covered over outriggers on the wedge are prone to corrosion, along with the fact that water gets trapped in them.
Product such as corrosion inhibitors can be used and these mainly work by reacting with oxygen and preventing it getting into the corrosion process. However, they have a very finite life.
The other way of preventing corrosion of steel is to use a technique called corrosion protection (CP). It is well known in the construction as well as the gas oil and other industries. It is commonly accepted that this is the only way to effectively shut down corrosion as long as the system is designed correctly. It works by sending a current in the opposite direction to the corrosion current and cancelling it out.
Ignoring all the rubbish on the web site, this system does appear to be a Cathodic Protection system using the battery to provide the current.
The big questions are, what current will it provide, how effective is the connection to the chassis, how is the cell completed and how quickly does it drain the battery.
If these questions can be answered then it looks like it may be worth a try. If they cant answer them then forget it. I have sent them an E Mail asking for the technical info.
Sorry if this has bored you to death.
>> Edited by islander on Tuesday 6th January 15:17
>> Edited by islander on Tuesday 6th January 15:22
Without getting too heavily into the corrosion process, corrosion is all about a battery type cell being set up and to do this you need a anode a cathode and an electrolite. The electrolite allows current to pass from the anode to the cathode and start corrosion occuring at the anode. Water can act as an electrolite, salt in water improves it effeciency as an electrolite an hence increases corrosion. You also need oxygen to fuel the reaction at the anode.
How do you stop corrosion? There are several ways to do this.
You can stop water or oxygen getting to the anode, hence the use of powder coating on the original chassis. However, if this barrier gets damaged then you can actually accelerate corrosion at the place where the damage has occurred.
The other alternative used is to use a coating such as hammerite/waxoyl etc. However, again if this gets damaged or not all of the chassis is reached with the treatment you can again accelerate corrosion. This is more than likely why the covered over outriggers on the wedge are prone to corrosion, along with the fact that water gets trapped in them.
Product such as corrosion inhibitors can be used and these mainly work by reacting with oxygen and preventing it getting into the corrosion process. However, they have a very finite life.
The other way of preventing corrosion of steel is to use a technique called corrosion protection (CP). It is well known in the construction as well as the gas oil and other industries. It is commonly accepted that this is the only way to effectively shut down corrosion as long as the system is designed correctly. It works by sending a current in the opposite direction to the corrosion current and cancelling it out.
Ignoring all the rubbish on the web site, this system does appear to be a Cathodic Protection system using the battery to provide the current.
The big questions are, what current will it provide, how effective is the connection to the chassis, how is the cell completed and how quickly does it drain the battery.
If these questions can be answered then it looks like it may be worth a try. If they cant answer them then forget it. I have sent them an E Mail asking for the technical info.
Sorry if this has bored you to death.
>> Edited by islander on Tuesday 6th January 15:17
>> Edited by islander on Tuesday 6th January 15:22
I am not fully up to speed on the physics behind it yet (I will be if there is enough interest) but I can answer one thing - it doesn't drain the battery as when battery voltage drops below 12.2V it turns itself off.
Once your email is answered please could you post the responses.
Anyone else reading this please post a comment to let me get an idea where the system is at - whether it be rubbish don't believe it, not interested, too expensive, maybe if it was proven or whatever.
I see so many comments about painting and sealing chassis tubes that I thought this kind of thing might be popular or am I missing the point - should "just going to weld the outriggers dear" really be substituted for "just popping down the local !"
>> Edited by chunder on Thursday 8th January 13:44
Once your email is answered please could you post the responses.
Anyone else reading this please post a comment to let me get an idea where the system is at - whether it be rubbish don't believe it, not interested, too expensive, maybe if it was proven or whatever.
I see so many comments about painting and sealing chassis tubes that I thought this kind of thing might be popular or am I missing the point - should "just going to weld the outriggers dear" really be substituted for "just popping down the local !"
>> Edited by chunder on Thursday 8th January 13:44
I have negotiated a special discount for TVR owners but only if ordered through the Australian website at www.roemarketing.com.au/
If you enter TVR as the vehicle type on the enquiry form you will be given the price of ₤129.99 incl p&p to the UK.
If anyone has any queries the MD Philip Roe would be pleased to help out just use the click here to email button on the website.
If you enter TVR as the vehicle type on the enquiry form you will be given the price of ₤129.99 incl p&p to the UK.
If anyone has any queries the MD Philip Roe would be pleased to help out just use the click here to email button on the website.
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