[TowerTalk] Al-to-Al

Kim Elmore cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net
Fri Feb 16 16:30:18 EST 2018


I have experience with OxGard and it seems to work fine over spans of about 10 y in CO and OK. The stuff has petroleum-based grease with graphite and zinc particles. From what I’ve read in this thread, it’s functionally equivalent to NoAlOx. The grease stayed, well, greasy, and I could detect no corrosion. BUT! I live in relative dry environments. 

I started this thread because I was worried that these products weren’t truly necessary, but I’ve learned that that’s certainly are. 

Kim N5OP

"People that make music together cannot be enemies, at least as long as the music lasts." -- Paul Hindemith

> On Feb 16, 2018, at 14:47, "john at kk9a.com" <john at kk9a.com> wrote:
> 
> I found this interesting oxide inhibiting post by WA4VZQ:
> http://www.qth.net/pipermail/antennas/2002-August/002328.html
> 
> John KK9A
> 
> Sent via the Samsung Galaxy 7 edge, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone.
> 
>> On Fri, Feb 16, 2018 at 2:46 PM, Wayne Kline <w3ea at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Some Say Tomatoes Some Say tomottoes  ...
>> As with most on the list antennas  are in our Blood.
>> my fist beam a Mosley TA33Jr. came with a  plastic tube of Gray Penetrox
>> My Stint as an industrial electrician  We use  Dow Noalox  buy the gallons
>> on ALL connection  Bugs , Lugs and switch gear.
>> My first installation of the then Bencher Sky Hawks ( a three high stack )
>> during assembly then came with this GOOP called Monkey stuff ??? if my
>> memory still intact.    Over the years of installing and assembling
>> antennas it became painfully obvious  when any of the  products were not
>> used in assembly. !!!
>>  I just last year  got my hands on an original design  Skyhawk and the
>> elements  came apart  A -OK  but the GOOP !!!!  a red scrubby pad and lots
>> of Lacquer thinner to clean the joint area.
>> I assembled it with the  Jet Lube SS-30 Amazon .com
>> 
>>  Again my area is not In a Salt Spray environment   just ice,  snow, wind
>> and rain  !!!
>> 
>> YMMV
>> 
>> Wayne W3EA
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of
>> john at kk9a.com <john at kk9a.com>
>> *Sent:* Friday, February 16, 2018 1:23 PM
>> *To:* towertalk at contesting.com
>> *Subject:* Re: [TowerTalk] Al-to-Al
>> 
>> Penetrox has zinc particles and the SS-30 that K3LR uses has copper. Zinc
>> is much closer on the galvanic chart to aluminum than copper which
>> concerns me.
>> 
>> John KK9A
>> 
>> To:     towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject:Re: [TowerTalk] Al-to-Al
>> From:   Patrick Greenlee <patrick_g at windstream.net>
>> Date:   Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:42:52 -0600
>> 
>> Conductors (at least metals) are rated on an electromotive scale.  The
>> farther apart they are on the scale the greater the voltage generated when
>> an electrolyte is present. Stick a piece of aluminum into a lemon (citric
>> acid solution for electrolyte) and also stick in a piece of copper and
>> touch the two metals with your multimeter probes and note the voltage.
>> Switch over to current measurement and see the short circuit current the
>> little battery will produce.
>> 
>> When dissimilar metals (different ratings on the electromotive scale)
>> touch in the presence of an electrolyte (acid rain, salty ocean breeze,
>> etc current flows and the less noble metal is eaten away by  electrolysis
>> (AKA electrolytic corrosion.)
>> 
>> Zinc particles in an oil or grease base are protected from contact with an
>> electrolyte. When a joint has Penetrox or other equivalent zinc particle
>> bearing paste in it and is tightened the zinc particles are in contact
>> with the two substrate materials to be joined, promoting good conductance
>> and are protected from galvanic action by the oil/grease.  By itself zinc
>> is not magic and will corrode easily.  You wouldn't want to use zinc
>> washers in place of the zinc particle loaded paste.
>> 
>> Replaceable pieces of zinc are used on prop shafts and propellors to
>> protect the shaft and prop from damage by electrolysis. The zinc is
>> considered a "sacrificial element" as it is eaten away by electrolysis
>> while protecting the prop and shaft. Many of the 6 gal water heaters found
>> on RVs have replaceable sacrificial zinc rods in them. In that service
>> corrosion of the replaceable zinc is intentional to protect other
>> components.  In joining aluminum antenna components you don't want
>> corrosion and the zinc in the paste is not intended to be sacrificed to
>> protect the aluminum.
>> 
>> Anyone want to design sacrificial zincs to put on antennas?
>> 
>> Patrick        NJ5G
>> 
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>> 
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