Date:         Wed, 08 May 1996 10:31:00 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      RE: Water Pumper Head Corrosion


>Back in my past, we used to put this solar panel and a battery
>out in the wilds on pipe lines to prevent corrosion. A few milli-
>amps at a couple volts into the pipe would stop the material migration.
> I don't own a water pumper but I've heard about them from some of
>the other members. And the price of heads.
> What seems to be happening is a galvanic action caused by heat and
>dissimilar metals. I don't think this would be happening if the heads
>were not isolated electricly from the block.
> I propose a ground strap at least, from head to cylinder body,
>neutralizing any electrical imbalance. If nothing else it seems to me
>it would cause pitting around elect. connection.


I think this trick works only if the current flows in the right direction.
Saltwater boats use it to protect their propellors etc. from galvanic
corrosion (not from chemical saltwater corrosion as I recall). A current
does inhibit galvanic action... but a current in the wrong direction
*accelerates* the galvanic corrosion!

On an even-less-VW note, I once heard, that passing a small current from
the roots to the top of a tree in an orchard, made it grow faster. Seems
about as believable as astrology to me, but what they hey. Then, when the
fruit is big and ripe, you reverse the current, and all the oranges or
whatever fall off within 24 hours!

ObVW content: If you run a lead from your B+ terminal to a tire when parked,
with the - terminal left connected to the frame, will a bug eventually
turn into a bus?   :^)
    _______
   /\ o o o\         Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com   75461,1717
  /o \ o o o\_______   San Diego, California
 <    >------>   o /|
  \ o/  o   /_____/o|      '80 VW V6anagon
   \/______/     |oo|        '66 Mustang Coupevertible
         |   o   |o/       '89 Son Sherwin
         |_______|/
                       http://www.wp.com/IrishMafia
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 The economy's not failing-- there are plenty of jobs available!
 I have three of them!
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