Somebody wrote:


I just found a 90 pound stainless steel plow to use as a mooring
anchor. The guy I got it from said that he thinks there is an
electrolysis issue if you use galvanized chain. He said that there was
something I needed to do, but couldn't remember what.

Anyone have any clues for me?

There is.

Install a monel or equal link between the S/S and the galvanized items.

Lew

Hello Lew,

The monel link wouldn't prevent the galvanized chain from
coming into direct contact with the anchor. It would be a
great solution if the chain could be held taut and away from
the anchor.

Chuck

Lew Hodgett wrote:
Somebody wrote:


I just found a 90 pound stainless steel plow to use as a mooring
anchor. The guy I got it from said that he thinks there is an
electrolysis issue if you use galvanized chain. He said that there was
something I needed to do, but couldn't remember what.

Anyone have any clues for me?


There is.

Install a monel or equal link between the S/S and the galvanized items.

Lew

This is a thick mud/sand bottom, mostly mud. WIth reversing tidal
current (4 knots) I expect the 90 stainless plow to dig in pretty deep
within the first week or two (i'll be keeping a good eye on it during
that time) -

Chuck, it seems to me that with an achoring setup like that, the chain
may very well be held away from the anchor and the monel link might
work.

What do you think - am i being too optimistic (stainless chain and new
anchors are expensive)

Thanks,

Mike.

Rather than use a ss plow $$$ for a mooring, get 3 over-sized Danforths
spread out 120 degrees and leading to a central point with a swivel and a
short chain to the buoy.
I found that the chain becomes a more significant cost, so increase the
anchor size and get by w/ less chain.
With anchors, the mooring can be more easily raised and inspected. At least
in the mud my mooring was set in, there was no detectable wear on the anchor
or chain at that end (the labels were still on the anchors after a dozen
years) . The chain does wear close to the middle (at the swivel), but you
can replace those sections w/ new chain and clevis connecting links.

wrote in message
ups.com...
This is a thick mud/sand bottom, mostly mud. WIth reversing tidal
current (4 knots) I expect the 90 stainless plow to dig in pretty deep
within the first week or two (i'll be keeping a good eye on it during
that time) -

Chuck, it seems to me that with an achoring setup like that, the chain
may very well be held away from the anchor and the monel link might
work.

What do you think - am i being too optimistic (stainless chain and new
anchors are expensive)

Thanks,

Mike.

Would that really help?
I thought that if the two dissimilar metals were electrically connected, you
had a problem. Hanging a zinc guppy overboard will sacrifice the guppy, so
why wouldn't the galvanized chain be sacreificed even if it was seperated,
but electrically connected?
Electrolysis can be a real problem. I had a bridle w/ almost all ss parts:
chain hook, ring, shackles and thimbles. Everything except about 5 links of
galvanized chain between the chain hook and the shackle connecting to the
ring. Those links quickly became rust, so I replaced the ss with galvanized.
Of course, all this was in direct contact with each other, but I suspect
that electrical contact is enough to creat a problem.

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
ink.net...
Somebody wrote:


I just found a 90 pound stainless steel plow to use as a mooring
anchor. The guy I got it from said that he thinks there is an
electrolysis issue if you use galvanized chain. He said that there was
something I needed to do, but couldn't remember what.

Anyone have any clues for me?

There is.

Install a monel or equal link between the S/S and the galvanized items.

Lew

As I understand it, two dissimilar metals in an electrolyte
is a necessary but not sufficient condition for corrosion to
occur. If the chain is electrically connected to the anchor,
but 50 feet away from it, very little of the zinc would be
sacrificed. This is where I was originally going with the 50
feet of nylon.

In the case of a single monel link, I believe you are
entirely correct. The galvanized chain will be sacrificed
almost as readily as without the monel link, even if the
galvanized chain links never touch the stainless steel directly.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Chuck


Garland Gray II wrote:
Would that really help?
I thought that if the two dissimilar metals were electrically connected, you
had a problem. Hanging a zinc guppy overboard will sacrifice the guppy, so
why wouldn't the galvanized chain be sacreificed even if it was seperated,
but electrically connected?
Electrolysis can be a real problem. I had a bridle w/ almost all ss parts:
chain hook, ring, shackles and thimbles. Everything except about 5 links of
galvanized chain between the chain hook and the shackle connecting to the
ring. Those links quickly became rust, so I replaced the ss with galvanized.
Of course, all this was in direct contact with each other, but I suspect
that electrical contact is enough to creat a problem.

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
ink.net...

Somebody wrote:



I just found a 90 pound stainless steel plow to use as a mooring
anchor. The guy I got it from said that he thinks there is an
electrolysis issue if you use galvanized chain. He said that there was
something I needed to do, but couldn't remember what.

Anyone have any clues for me?

There is.

Install a monel or equal link between the S/S and the galvanized items.

Lew