Corrosion Inhibitors

[skippydiesel]

My little Sonex (all metal) is having to spend the first few months of its life parked in the open.

 

I am concerned about condensation,  that must occur,  within the many cavities. Condensation + metal = corrosion.

 

Some preventative strategies have already been implemented:

 

• As the aircraft was under construction, it was 100% undercoated and prior to commissioning, external surfaces were also painted.
• "Punkin Head Air Sport", have provided an all over form fitting cover. 

 

BUT still I worry -

 

Should I "fog" the cavities with a corrosion inhibitor? If so what would the "brains trust" recommend (with rational)?

Edited April 19, 2023 by skippydiesel

[Blueadventures]

9 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

My little Sonex (all metal) is having to spend the first few months of its life parked in the open.

 

I am concerned about condensation,  that must occur,  within the many cavities. Condensation + metal = corrosion.

 

Some preventative strategies have already been implemented:

 

• As the aircraft was under construction, it was 100% undercoated and prior to commissioning, external surfaces were also painted.
• "Punkin Head Air Sport", have provided an all over form fitting cover. 

 

BUT still I worry -

 

Should I "fog" the cavities with a corrosion inhibitor? If so what would the "brains trust" recommend (with rational)?

Move to another airfield where you can get hangar space.

[old man emu]

29 minutes ago, Blueadventures said:

Move to another airfield where you can get hangar space.

Skippy,

For the next few months you can expect fogs if your plane is down at The Oaks. How foggy does it get up at your house up on the higher country?

 

What you need to do is prevent the atmosphere within the airframe to refresh. In other words, you need it to remain the same as it was on the day you parked the aircraft. Putting that cover on properly will greatly reduce the airflow around the aircraft. Since you have aken steps to put a protective coating on the interior surfaces, what little condensation might occur will not get to cause problems. 

 

I know that you have put your heart and soul into building your baby, but maybe you are acting like a 'helicopter parent". Care for your baby, but let it have a life of its own. 

[facthunter]

I had a frost this morning not far away. . IF you are really serious wrap it in plastic sealed and have some hygroscopic substance  in perforated small bags dispersed around. in there. Nev

[Carbon Canary]

Attach a sacrificial magnesium anode to it.

[skippydiesel]

4 hours ago, old man emu said:

Skippy,

For the next few months you can expect fogs if your plane is down at The Oaks. How foggy does it get up at your house up on the higher country?

The Oaks is almost (not quite) fog free compared with the Sydney Basin proper - haven't realy taken a count but would guess may be a dozen very early mornings/night fogs, usually proceeding a lovely day for flying over the ground fog blanket, covering Camden,  just   hundred feet opr so lower.

4 hours ago, old man emu said:

 

What you need to do is prevent the atmosphere within the airframe to refresh. In other words, you need it to remain the same as it was on the day you parked the aircraft. Putting that cover on properly will greatly reduce the airflow around the aircraft. Since you have aken steps to put a protective coating on the interior surfaces, what little condensation might occur will not get to cause problems. 

No problems today o rfor the next few years BUT one thing I have learnt in my all too short life is that metals (even those claiming to be of the same composition) will start to corrode due to electrolysis in the presence of moisture . The time to prevent damage is before any is evident (ie now)

4 hours ago, old man emu said:

I know that you have put your heart and soul into building your baby, but maybe you are acting like a 'helicopter parent". Care for your baby, but let it have a life of its own. 

You are probably correct, however I would still like to hear about others experience in this area - what products have you had success with (or not).

 

In the ground based world I have used Valvoline Tectyl to very good effect - for fogging cavities, have thinned with turps.

[skippydiesel]

3 hours ago, Carbon Canary said:

Attach a sacrificial magnesium anode to it.

How about a chicken 🤣 seriously though - I know about this from my brief stint with NSW Fisheries  - fitted to aluminium hulled water craft but for a non aquatic, inland based, aircraft???

[skippydiesel]

4 hours ago, facthunter said:

I had a frost this morning not far away. . IF you are really serious wrap it in plastic sealed and have some hygroscopic substance  in perforated small bags dispersed around. in there. Nev

Works for stored cloths . Cant see it fitting in with my current onerously time consuming undress/dress of fitted cover.

[facthunter]

Al right on boat trailers, etc but a rivetted aeroplane??   I would never like to use Paint stripper either.  Nev

[Carbon Canary]

47 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

How about a chicken 🤣 seriously though - I know about this from my brief stint with NSW Fisheries  - fitted to aluminium hulled water craft but for a non aquatic, inland based, aircraft???

 

Chlorides are the main culprit for aluminium corrosion.  If you're not near the sea, the hull has already been undercoated and painted, and its only for a few months, you shouldn't have too much of a problem.

 

 

[facthunter]

A lot of dust particles are corrosive with dampness.  Nev

[Carbon Canary]

23 minutes ago, facthunter said:

A lot of dust particles are corrosive with dampness.  Nev

OK, I'll be generous.  I'll say halides, rather than chlorides in relation to aluminium corrosion.

 

[onetrack]

Skippy - The stuff you want is called VCI - "Vapour Corrosion Inhibitor" or Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor". CORTEC make a wide range of these chemicals, and they're very effective. They come in spray cans and in bulk containers.

 

You can select your CORTEC product from a wide variety of VCI's that are designed to protect every single type of thing - from the insides of cardboard boxes, to the insides of engines.

 

You can even buy CORTEC corrosion-proofing shrink films, to completely wrap your components, or even a complete aircraft, in!

 

I've seen these products used to protect "high-dollar value" mining machines for years, left out in the open, without any deterioration!

 

https://www.cortecpackaging.com/product/vpci-126-hp-uv-shrink-film/

 

https://www.cortecvci.com/how-vci-works/

 

https://www.cortecvci.com/products/vpci-metalworking-products/vpci-337-waterborne-corrosion-inhibitor/

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Thanks Onetrack - I have write to Cortec seeking their recommendations.

[spenaroo]

 

Used to have one of these sitting behind the seat in my MX5, otherwise condensation was a PITA

we use this stuff on Jet-ski's to stop the corrosion when sitting

[kgwilson]

You were a lot fussier than me. I didn't undercoat internal surfaces & was not prepared to use Alodine which is extremely toxic, but I did use an etch primer on both surfaces where there was metal to metal contact once all the rivet holes had been drilled & the clecos removed.

[facthunter]

That counts for a lot. Bonding with riveting is good too, but who does it? Nitrogen is inert and plentiful and is used to blow out magneto's in the tropics and in oleos .   Storing is an art and so is corrosion protection. Ozone  O3, an allotrope of oxygen, promotes corrosion by oxidation. Produced near silent electrical discharges..   Nev