In a recent issue of an automotive magazine they featured some products that were on display at the latest SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) show. A product that intruiged me was an electronic gadget that is supposed to fight corrosion. It has two wires to hook to the battery and one wire that you attach to the sheetmetal with a screw. Living in Maine, I would love to believe that such a product really worked, but I’m skeptical. Any thoughts?
The wife has had a Rust Zapper in her Jeep Cherokee for the past 8 years. The light on the Rust Zapper is still blinking as it always has. Yet, the Jeep has rusted just the same as other Jeeps without this product.
Save your money.
Tester
Thank you for the heads-up. I don’t even know how much they cost or where they are sold. With all the salt they use on the roads around here in the winter, it would be a dream come true if there was a product like that, that really worked. It is genuinely heart-breaking to try to keep a vehicle long term after being subjected to salt baths. The newer vehicles are much more resistant than previous models, but the salt eventually takes it’s toll on us buy-and-hold types.
My ‘89 Toyota pickup came with one of these type of systems. They’'re useless.
Cathodic Protection is practiced on steel pipelines and other industrial equipemnet. However, this only works under steady state situations; the pipe is usually buried, and nothing moves.
A car must be the most difficult thing to apply this type of protection to. If the car was just parked by the seaside it might slow down salt corrosion. With something constantly on the move and being abraded, it can’t possibly work effectvely, as other point out.
“Cathodic Protection is practiced on steel pipelines and other industrial equipemnet. However, this only works under steady state situations; the pipe is usually buried, and nothing moves.”
There must be a SLIGHT currant flowing for this to work…On pipelines, buried tanks, steel hulled boats, it works…But your vehicle is supported on 4 rubber tires, no currant can flow…
the key to cathodic protection is that the object to be saved and the object to be sacrificed have to be in a conductive medium, such as groundwater, or seawater. The conductivity of air is extremely extremely low. You’d have to use really high voltages for it to work.
That device is right in the same group as magnetic fuel economy boosters.
I think they use them on bridges too.
It works on bridges and ocean going boats, but it is basically worthless on cars.
There must be a SLIGHT currant flowing for this to work…On pipelines, buried tanks, steel hulled boats, it works…But your vehicle is supported on 4 rubber tires, no currant can flow…
There is no problem with current flowing in a car. How do you think your lights work or the engine runs???
I too live in Maine and if you’re serious about rust prevention, you’ll treat it as a maintenance item and not I one time “gimmick” fixer. This is true about electronic scams and one time spray prevention. Frequent washing and rinsing to dilute salt and yearly coating of lower seams and body cavity/frame members where moisture collects with light coating of motor oil. Liberal painting of red grease with foam brush to exposed components on the under carriage helps as well. Very little time, very big savings.
hey… whaddya mean? my harbor freight magnetic fuel atom moleculizer is on the way! http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36098
By the way my hydrogen tank is running a little low.
When my cyclone carburator funnel comes, I’m going to be making fuel instead of buying/burning it!
I CANT WAIT!
You mean this product doesn’t work? Crap! I was just about to buy one on-line. (kidding) Rocketman
And in your home hot water heater.
Say whaa ? ( 1% of d.i.y. homeowners know it’s there. It’s one of the plumbing industies dirty little secrets, they’ll charge you dearly for it and never let on you can do it yourself.
Yep, you’re supposed to change the sacrificial anode rod once in a while to keep the tank from corroding.