Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Stray current corrosion

Timco
Timco Member Posts: 3,040
in THE MAIN WALL
Can anyone point me to literature that better covers this topic? Do you feel that a properly bonded cold water service (if not poly service) and a ground rod adequately protects from stray current corrosion? If you have seen this, what's your story?
Just a guy running some pipes.

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,893
    Electrolysis. The earth is basically a battery, a bunch of chemicals and water. Stick a piece of metal in it and you have a battery.

    This is why underground oil tanks have cathodic protection. Having the electrical service correctly bonded and grounded will help but there is always stray current flowing through the earth and any metal water pipes.

    Dielectric unions at the equipment can help stop it but the wiring to the equipment must have a ground

    I always wondered if putting a wire jumper across the boiler supply and return piping to a boiler may help? Current would take the path of least resistance, at least most of it
    Timco
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,873
    All sorts of research and info on copper corrosion at the CDA site
    Copper Development Association
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    Timco

Categories