I seem to remember that a block of magnesium buried in the ground and tied to copper water pipes will keep them from corroding. Is that true? If so, where do you get a block of magnesium?
Any other suggestions for protecting copper pipes from ionic corrosion in a house?
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Replies
"Any other suggestions for protecting copper pipes from ionic corrosion in a house?"
IN THE HOUSE?
Magnesium (also zinc and AL) will work as scrafical anodes for stuff burried in the ground, but not to plumbing in the house.
More details of the problem are needed.
You can get zinc and I think magnesium from boating supply house.
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/to;ID;,Marine.Supplies,Zincs
Bill -
Ok, why do small pin holes eat their way from the inside out in copper water pipe after 10 or 15 years? This just happened to a neighbor. About 2" back inside an outside wall on an outside water fawcet. The water here is very hard. Nearest solder joint was about 1" away.
I had the same thing happen to me at my last house on a hot water pipe.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
http://www.water-research.net/corrosion.htm"Nearly all metals will corrode to some degree. The rate and extent of the corrosion depends on the degree of dissimilarity of the metals and the physical and chemical characteristics of the media, metal, and environment. In water that is soft, corrosion occurs because of the lack of dissolved cations, such as calcium and magnesium in the water. In scale forming water, a precipitate or coating of calcium or magnesium carbonate forms on the inside of the piping. This coating can inhibit the corrosion of the pipe, because it acts as a barrier, but it can also cause the pipe to clog. Water with high levels of sodium, chloride, or other ions will increase the conductivity of the water and promoting corrosion. Corrosion can also be accelerated by:1) low pH (acidic water) and high pH (alkaline water),
2) high flow rate within the piping,
3) high water temperature,
4) oxygen and dissolved CO2,
5) high dissolved solids, such as: salts, sulfates,
6) corrosion related bacteria and electrochemical corrosion, and
7) presence of suspended solids, such as sand, sediment, corrosion by-products, and rust. .If it is necessary to flush or run your coldwater in the morning for a few minutes before you drink because the water has a bitter taste, YOUR Water is probably CORROSIVE. If you see blue-green stains in your basins or this same stain along the joints o f your copper piping, YOUR Water is probably CORROSIVE. As corrosive water stands or seats in pipes or tanks it leaches metals from the piping, tanks, well casing or other metal surfaces that water is in contact. "
Turbulance is also a big factor.
Adding to what the other Bill said.
Back then it wasn't common for a plumber to ream the pipe after cutting it-----some did most didn't.
That little lip left on the pipe can cause a world of hurt to the pipe. Just remember water carved the grand canyon.
This Old house had a segment on copper pipe with similar pin holes. The culpert was a decaying water heater. The water heater flakes off metal which settles in the bottom of the copper pipe. The dissimilar metals react and you have a pin hole.
Replace the sacrificial rod or the heater then Flush the system.
BD in Richmond VA
Abstinence.
(Oops. Thought you said Catholic protection)
My bad. Carry on.
>>Abstinence.
(Oops. Thought you said Catholic protection)ROAR, my thoughts exactly.
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