There are two systems at play on vessels. The sacraficial zinc anodes that
you describe and the cathode/anode systems. The zincs work best in stagnant
or salt waters. Magnesium anodes do better in fresh water. The cathode
systems put a small electric charge through an anode to combat the galvanic
reaction that eats aluminum outdrives. The zinc anodes probably wouldn't
work on a car because there is no galvanic reaction induced by electricity.
Put a zinc anode in a jar of fresh water and see how long it takes to
corrode! Boats that have electricity (AC) on them are more likely to produce
their own galvanic reaction than boats without AC. If a boat nearby is
putting a fair amount of current into the water, your anodes will be eaten
up in no time...
A cathode/anode system might help but it is intended to direct corrosion to
a specific place. Mounted on a car would need the ground wire as suggested.
Don't know how much it would help though. Rust and corrosion are two
different animals.
My pennies,
Kent
Perhaps there might be a grain of science involved in this concept.
Ocean-going vessels (boats, if you are ivy-league educated) often bolt
pieces of zinc to the metal parts of the frame, because zinc has a greater
propensity to oxidize (rust, if you have an MBA) than iron. I don't see why
the same concept couldn't be applied to LBCs, but in order to complete a
circuit, the car has to be connected to ground. So perhaps affixing zinc to
the frame, and then, when the car is parked somewhere, hook up a wire to a
metal rod affixed to the ground. Pretty wierd, does anyone know why it
wouldn't work?
>
> Regards,
>
> Charles
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