Zinc Anodes

[Big Fish Billy]

Hamilton Marine is having a nearly half off sale on their zincs...put some in the wife's stocking, they're heavier than coal.......http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/search.htm ... search "zinc" to get the full array.....$146 for mine last year $94 this year...and they don't cook you on shipping.....

[cravertosu]

Hamilton Marine is having a nearly half off sale on their zincs...put some in the wife's stocking, they're heavier than coal.......http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/search.htm ... search "zinc" to get the full array.....$146 for mine last year $94 this year...and they don't cook you on shipping.....

Big Fish,

What are the zinc anodes for? I've heard them mentioned before and have no clue as to their use.

Thanks,
Tim

[knot for shore]

Big Fish,

What are the zinc anodes for? I've heard them mentioned before and have no clue as to their use.

Thanks,
Tim

They protect against corrosion. They are placed on outdrives or on a metal hull.

[sportfishingusa]

Big Fish,

What are the zinc anodes for? I've heard them mentioned before and have no clue as to their use.

Thanks,
Tim

The zincs you use on a boat are called "Sacrificial Anodes". Zinc is used because it has a higher voltage in the water so the current will be more inclined to flow from it than from your propeller. To complete the electrical circuit, the zincs must be connected to the items they are intended to protect. Usually this is no problem because the zinc is bolted right to the shaft or underwater housing. Non metal boats will usually have a copper bonding wire inside that connects all the underwater metal items together so they all share the protection from zinc anodes. Since engines use the metal frame as the negative battery connection and the engine is connected to the prop shaft, the engine and the negative side of your 12 volt system are also part of this bonding connection. This bonding wire is usually connected somewhere to the rigging. This is not for electrolysis protection but for some protection from lightning strikes to conduct it into the water through the items connected together.

[cravertosu]

The zincs you use on a boat are called "Sacrificial Anodes". Zinc is used because it has a higher voltage in the water so the current will be more inclined to flow from it than from your propeller. To complete the electrical circuit, the zincs must be connected to the items they are intended to protect. Usually this is no problem because the zinc is bolted right to the shaft or underwater housing. Non metal boats will usually have a copper bonding wire inside that connects all the underwater metal items together so they all share the protection from zinc anodes. Since engines use the metal frame as the negative battery connection and the engine is connected to the prop shaft, the engine and the negative side of your 12 volt system are also part of this bonding connection. This bonding wire is usually connected somewhere to the rigging. This is not for electrolysis protection but for some protection from lightning strikes to conduct it into the water through the items connected together.

Sport,

Thank you, really. But do you know that ventriloquism Jeff Dunham? He has that one puppet named peanut, he does that thing with his hand zipping past his head to show when someone just didn't get what he said. Yeah, that's me! That was WAY over my head!
Basically, is that something I should have/worry about on my outboard?

Thanks,
Tim

[Big Fish Billy]

Big Fish,

What are the zinc anodes for? I've heard them mentioned before and have no clue as to their use.

Thanks,
Tim

Usually used on boats that operate or stay in salt water, but electrolysis also occurs in fresh as well. This allows the anode to be sacrificial rather than your bronze, aluminum, cast, or stainless parts. Large boats have shaft zincs, rudders zincs, hull zincs, rope cutter zincs (Spurs), etc., smaller boats usually have them built onto the outdrives or outboards. You should change them or resurface them every year ot at launch. Some boats have very little disintegration of them every year others have a lot. I use 4 shaft zincs, 4 rudder zincs, and two hull zincs on mine. Also wherever salt water runs through your engines, heat exchangers, generator, AC unit, etc., will have pencil zincs (zincs attached to brass plugs) to cut down on the corrosion. Very few folks check or change the pencil zincs in their engine's heat exchangers, this leads to the solder breaking down and antifreeze "disappearing" out of the system. Just wanted to point out, it was a pretty good sale......

[sportfishingusa]

Sport,

Thank you, really. But do you know that ventriloquism Jeff Dunham? He has that one puppet named peanut, he does that thing with his hand zipping past his head to show when someone just didn't get what he said. Yeah, that's me! That was WAY over my head!
Basically, is that something I should have/worry about on my outboard?

Thanks,
Tim

you want to check them and make sure they are always on there and in place tight with the right bolts and fittings..

you will see tha there are hundreds of different types from block zincs to wings and to other stuff..

on my express i have 3 of the blocks across the back of the boat.. i have one of them on each of my shafts underneath.

on my center console i have the two on the bottom of the lower unit above the prop.. they look like a disc with a little rudder type thing on the bottom of them..

when you look at the lower unit and around the boat you will see where they go. if you have any questions just post a pic and we can help you out.

i am no mechanic by any means but i will help as much as i can and also you can ask jimmy from jimmys marine service.. jawz1123 i think or something like that on the site.. he is always willing to help someone out and give you all the info you could need.. he is an awesome dude with a unbelievable wealth of knowledge!!

[cravertosu]

Thanks Big Fish!

Appreciate you pointing out the sale...wish I knew enough to take advantage of it! Damn, that sounded like a chick! Taking advantage of a sale just because it's a sale! I'm going to go get so I can remember not to do that again!

Thanks,
Tim

[Big Fish Billy]

Thanks Big Fish!

Appreciate you pointing out the sale...wish I knew enough to take advantage of it! Damn, that sounded like a chick! Taking advantage of a sale just because it's a sale! I'm going to go get so I can remember not to do that again!

Thanks,
Tim

Hey Tim,

What you need should be in your owners manual in the sevice section I would think.....

Bill

[cravertosu]

Big Fish,

I'll see if I have one of those in the boat. I don't remember seeing one thought. I'm like the 5th owner and it's an 86.

Thanks again for getting back to me,
Tim