aluminium radiator- sacrificial anode

[SmokinBBC]

on tom dewitts site there is a section on electrolysis and what causes it. have a read if your interested..it goes on and on about 2 main points....a bad ground and distilled water.

I read it.
1)The use of distilled water is to minimise calcium carbide. This mineral (salt) corrodes aluminum by itself.
2)His descripsion of electrolysis is actually about external currents. This is electroplating, a different animal, but with similar results.

"Electrolysis is two dissimilar metals in contact with an electrolyte." This is an age old problem with any plumbing. Your water heater has a sacraficial anode. When it's gone, your water heater corrodes rapidly.
And it does it without any headlights present.

1. Prestone 50/50 uses "demineralized" water. Ready to go.

2. Interesting. So, is a ground wire to the rad support usefull or not?

3. Dammit Bird...just where the hell is the anode on the water heater?

 

[big2bird]

3. Dammit Bird...just where the hell is the anode on the water heater?

It is usually accessed from the top of the water heater. Look for a 1 1/4" or so hex nut on top of the tank. It hangs down inside from the top down.
http://homerepair.about.com/od/termsaf/g/anode_rod.htm

 

[SmokinBBC]

3. Dammit Bird...just where the hell is the anode on the water heater?

It is usually accessed from the top of the water heater. Look for a 1 1/4" or so hex nut on top of the tank. It hangs down inside from the top down.
http://homerepair.about.com/od/termsaf/g/anode_rod.htm

Yep...found it. Thanks!