....snip....
However, electrolysis can occur without an external electrical source (called "chemical imbalance"). It is most common with aluminum radiators and iron blocks.
"Dissimilar metals and alloys have different electrode potentials, and when two or more come into contact in an electrolyte (An electrolyte is a substance that ionizes when dissolved in suitable ionizing solvents such as water), one metal acts as anode and the other as cathode. The electro-potential difference between the dissimilar metals is the driving force for an accelerated attack on the anode member of the galvanic couple. The anode metal dissolves into the electrolyte, and deposit collects on the cathodic metal."
There is a line of radiator caps that have an attached "magnesium sacrificial anode" and chemical electrolysis inhibitors on the market but I've never used them so I can't speak to their efficiency.
I believe this is what happened to 70blackfish. His car would build voltage as it got up to operating temperature. He could turn the car off and it would still have too much voltage. Then he would disconnect the battery and STILL have voltage.
He ran a sacrificial anode. Didn't do a darn thing for the two radiators that got holes ate through them. IIRC, he had voltages over 600 mV (.6 volts).
He ran the
Justice Brothers Radiator Cleaner and then the Justice Brothers Radiator Cooler that has chemical electrolysis inhibitors (metal deviators). Then we added an additional bottle of Justice Brothers Cooling System Protectant (CSP/1p) just for overkill and to be extra safe because he was having so much trouble.
I believe he had something built up on the walls or stuck in the cooling system that was causing the electrolysis start up even though he was changing the fluid and changing it with his radiator swaps. And the chemical radiator cleaner helped with the additives.
