Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: [TowerTalk] Stainless Steel Hardware

To: reflector -tower <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] Stainless Steel Hardware
From: Eric Scace K3NA <eric@k3na.org>
Reply-to: eric@k3na.org
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2004 08:45:33 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
   I am puzzled by the following assertion:

"...If you live on the seashore and have a moisture/salt/wind condition 
continually battering your antenna, you have to be a lot
more selective in your choice of anti-seize, because the moist salt air will, 
over time, wash the metal particle suspension
(oftentimes copper) out of the anti-seize compound and replace it with 
corrosive salts, leaving the fasteners even more vulnerable
to galling than if no anti-seize had been used in the first place. A 
non-metallic anti-seize compound (much harder to find at
retail) is recommended for such environments..."

   What is the mechanism by which salt air/water penetrates the suspension, and 
converts its contents to a corrosive salt?

   I've used ordinary anti-seize compound on racing sailboats and not seen this 
at all.

   Perhaps this is being confused with galvanic corrosion of aluminum, when 
stainless steel hardware is used in a salt water
environment without galvanic isolation?  This corrosion pits the aluminum and 
generates a white, powdery material (some form of
aluminum).  Such galvanic corrosion can be reduced by placing a plastic washer 
between the stainless steel hardware (bolt head,
ny-lock nut) and the aluminum surface.  One needs to use a form of plastic that 
will resist deformation when the bolt is tightened.

-- Eric K3NA



_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>