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Solar Metals

Moral: Get good galvanized fittings. Or move out of the acid rain.

Aluminum and stainless together is a CONSTANT problem here. I'm three miles from tidewater, and five miles from a large bay. It shows up all the time on boats and on architectural trim that's exposed to salt air.

Galvanized does much better. (It's right next to aluminum on the galvanic scale.) I've seen attempts to isolate stainless from aluminum, but they usually fail. Salt will bridge the barrier and then you're right back in trouble, although the corrosion goes much more slowly without physical contact.

I haven't heard of a solution except that a friend tried some very expensive Monel bolts on his boat. Against aluminum, they proved to be worse than stainless. So much for that...

Good luck!

Reply to
Ed Huntress
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I'm further inland and downwind of Vermont, western Mass and northern New York which have little remaining heavy industry. A 6061 aluminum plate that's been on the side of my HF solar collector for perhaps 3 years shows no more weathering at the stainless screws and galvanized conduit bird perch than away from them. The only rapid corrosion here besides the hose faucet handle is under oak leaves on my galvanized roof panels where I neglected to spray LPS-3 first.

--jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Egad, that's a lot. Condolences.

Interesting. I've never left slack, but I've never lived in a high-wind area, either. I've only lost one mast, and that was due to not having replaced the 20 y/o rusted guy wires.

Yeah, those long uppers have too much play and move all over the place with the slightest wind. I always try to do my antenna work in the early morning, when it's very still. It's a helluva lot safer and most indubitably easier.

Cool.

Ah...

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I lower the rotator down the track on the lower end of the mast support post if winds over about 40 MPH are predicted, usually when a Canadian cold front passes through as a line squall. Some of the guy lines are anchored to trees that could drop branches on them. Lowering the antenna the rest of the way to the roof requires removing mast tube sections from the bottom (rotator) end but running up or down the track isn't much bother.

--jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

You want smell? Haven't you ever smelled Chiwanese rubber? One whiff leaves a nasty odor in your nostrils for days. I leave it outside for

2 weeks before bringing it indoors. Nasty, nasty, nasty.

I think a $15 can of LPS-3 will baste the parts well enough to prevent much, if any, corrosion. One baggie, 24 z-plates, 24 fender washers (strength), 48 stainless bolts, 24 stainless nuts, 24 Unistrut nuts,

16 lags, and 16 washers. Spray and swish. As the lags go in, they'll be douched with silicone caulk. I'll put 2x3" flashing above the two rows of Uni for good measure, too.

I might have time next week. Gotta find a helper first, though.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I'm about 50 miles inland from the Pacific. The Coastal Range catches almost all of the salt. There are no industries between me and the coast, so my rain is pretty clean and neutral.

Hmm, is that afternoon rain puddle still out there? Nope. My saliva is 5.75 tonight, though. Why waste a strip? ;)

I'm curious to check it the next time it rains, though.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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