Thursday, Aug 04, 2005 at 12:59
This one needs a balanced response.
In conjunction with the CMCA (Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia) I fitted a test unit (from Endrust) on our OKA in 1998. Also added were identical metal test strips - of which two were isolated from the device.
The OKA has subsequently travelled extensively around and across Australia and, since 2001, has been located in the open only a few hundred metres from the Indian Ocean.
After seven years, the unprotected test strips are now very badly pitted and corroded. The test strips have a light ferric coating that is readily wiped off to expose clean metal. The slight patches of rusting on a few minor parts of the OKA's body do not appear to have spread since the device was fitted. It's not possible to attribute this to the device, but it seems probable there is some causal relationship.
By and lare, the device appears to do what it's vendor claimed. That is 'to delay the onset of rusting by a factor of four to five.'
It does not prevent rust, but does appear to slow it down.
My own impression (and this is much what Enrust claimed) is that conventional methods are more effective if they can be used. But there are some aplications where it cannot - such as in non-accesible parts of older vehicles, or where adequate protection has not been originally provided and cannot later be added.
That it may not be used in mining applications does not necessarily mean it is not effective in some others.
My own feeling is that there is no big difference between rival offerings as such, but that the effectivness does depend substantially on correct fitting of the capacitive coupling plates - and here some are more accomodating than others.
Finally, beware of any claim that these devices PREVENT rust. They don't -but based on my limited but lengthy test, the device tested certainly appears to retard it. If anyone wishes to know more, a full (preliminary) report to the CMCA can be found by clicking on 'Articles'- and then 'Controlling Tin Worms' on my own web site.
Collyn Rivers
AnswerID:
123786