ASI Radiator

superfluous2 · Postby **superfluous2** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 3:08 pm

Fitted the 52mm one up to my NB with minimal issues.
Not much clearance from the A/C lines, but a bit of wiggling got it in there. 500 km and no leaks so far.
Pretty happy

narita · Postby **narita** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:05 pm

Sorry to bring back a thread but did anyone with asi's ground their rads?

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:28 pm

narita wrote:Sorry to bring back a thread but did anyone with asi's ground their rads?

For what purpose?

deviant · Postby **deviant** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:44 am

Supposed to prevent corrosion and scale build up through some kind of voodoo electrolysis. Same for fitting a sacrificial anode.

Mine is not grounded and does not have an anode and appears to be okay.

El Jay · Postby **El Jay** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:16 pm

I didn't ground mine and it is fine too. No problems so far.

de Bounce · Postby **de Bounce** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:45 pm

Mine is coming up on 12 months old, no corrosion to be seen inside or out.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:11 pm

Anodes won't work effectively inside a rad. It's just voodoo by people with an incomplete understanding of how corrosion works.

Neither should grounding.

Corrosion requires an common electrolyte and 2 materials at different electrochemical potentials and a conducting link (which can be the materials themselves.

Grounding the rad to to a chassis does nothing for the corrosion cell as the chassis isn't in the electrolyte (coolant). The rd is probably already grounded to the chassis through the mounting bolt anyway.

narita · Postby **narita** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:41 pm

could those here with asi's let me know if asi was engraved on the top tank?

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:00 pm

you would not expect any probs after 1 year- ie it proves nothing. A standard rad will last at least 10 years . I reckon Sailholic knows his stuff on this subject and voodoo is commonly practised in the burbs

Zcootz · Postby **Zcootz** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:08 pm

From my limited understanding of electrolysis I would have thought that this idea of grounding would only accelerate any corrosion by helping complete the circuit whereas non grounding breaks the loop.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:17 pm

Zcootz wrote:From my limited understanding of electrolysis I would have thought that this idea of grounding would only accelerate any corrosion by helping complete the circuit whereas non grounding breaks the loop.

True.....IF you park your car in the swimming pool each night.

The electrolyte needed for the corrosion to occur is on the inside not the outside.

Zcootz · Postby **Zcootz** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:40 am

Not sure about that, I know we're getting a bit ot but if you've got a couple of electrodes (manifold and radiator ) connected electrically with the coolant as an electrolyte and grounded doesn't the potential for electrolysis occur ? I would have thought so because the electrical connections between the two isn't going to be perfect and there would be some difference? I think I'm overthinkjng this.... Lol......

Either way I don't think I would ground a radiator either.

ralt · Postby **ralt** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:51 pm

Hi.
The fellow who supplies us with alloy radiators mentioned in passing many years ago the problems are caused by electric leaks into the water from an external source and any radiator shop can test the water for this problem. He has never suggested to us to use earths, anodes or any such things. Just put it in admire and polish and watch your temp gauge needle in the same old spot.

Pamex · Postby **Pamex** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:34 pm

You can test for electrolysis by using a multimetre in the coolant. Have a google. I'd put some links up, but dinner is calling!

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:23 pm

Zcootz wrote:Not sure about that, I know we're getting a bit ot but if you've got a couple of electrodes (manifold and radiator ) connected electrically with the coolant as an electrolyte and grounded doesn't the potential for electrolysis occur ? I would have thought so because the electrical connections between the two isn't going to be perfect and there would be some difference? I think I'm overthinkjng this.... Lol......

Either way I don't think I would ground a radiator either.

Ok you are over thinking it, but only enough to miss the obvious not enough. The problem is here -"connected electrically". How is the manifold and rad electrically connected? They use a rubber or silicone insulator to connect them.

You DO however have a cast iron block electrically connected (bolts) to an aluminum cylinder head, with a common electrolyte. End of the day the corrosion inhibitor takes care of it.