People who have just bought their first boat need to pay special attention to how well the sacrificial anodes, such as magnesium anodes, are working. This is because defective or wrong anodes can result in costly damage to the metal parts of your boat. This article discusses three important factors that make one type of anode better than another anode.

Electrical Potential

Electrical potential refers to the ease with which a given metal can generate an electrical current once that metal is immersed in a conductive fluid, such as water. Metals with a high electrical potential are regarded as very active when they are compared with metals with a lower electrical potential. For example, magnesium has a higher electrical potential when it is compared to aluminium. This means that a magnesium anode will be consumed much faster than an aluminium anode if both anodes are placed in a highly conductive fluid, such as saltwater. It would therefore be very expensive for you to keep replacing magnesium anodes if your boat is used in saltwater. Choosing a metal with a lower electrical potential, such as zinc, would be more advisable for saltwater.

The Current Capacity

The current capacity of a metal refers to the rate at which the current generated in that metal can flow for a sustained duration. Think about current capacity in the same way that you would compare batteries; a bigger battery can power your device for a longer time than a smaller battery that is used to power the same device. Thus, metals with a high current capacity are likely to take longer to be fully consumed when compared to metals with a lower current capacity. Examine the anodes and read the current capacity displayed on the package. Buy an anode with the highest current capacity so that you won't have to replace that anode quickly.

The Quality of the Alloy

Anodes that are made from the same material may be depleted at different rates depending on how high the quality of the alloys that were used to make them is. Different jurisdictions have marine or military standards that alloys used must meet. Find out what standards are applicable in your area so that you buy anodes that conform to those standards. Only then will you get anodes that will provide value for money.

The technicalities above may not be easy for an inexperienced person to navigate on his or her own. Involve an expert when it is time to replace the anodes on your boat if you lack the necessary experience to do it on your own. That professional will guide you on how you should make future decisions as you buy replacement anodes for your boat.

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