Printable View
Any suggestions for coating that may be used in ocean front settings. The compressors serving residential homes are exposed to tropical weather conditions, heavy rain, extreme sun, salt, wind. Average lifetime is 4 years. Recently I was recommended a coating called "Thermoguard" but I cannot find any information on it or how to apply it. Unfortunately a lot of products and suggestions here are just, well useless.
OK,
From your picture I guess that it's not actually the compressor you are looking to protect, it's the Air Conditioner's outdoor unit. The visible rust that can be seen, yes?
The rust that can be seen is on a normal metal casing, any paint or rust protection can be used. My personal preference being HAMMERITE, which have been found to be hard wearing and long lasting. If you want to take it to the extreme, use paint for metal boats/ships.
Whatever paint you opt for, MAKE SURE THE COIL ON THE BACK AND SIDE OF THE UNIT NOT IS PAINTED
Thanks - the casing is a pain but the new plastic covers are doing a good job... no, the coil - actually the grills get corroded by the salt and rain, the salt covers the grills over time and just eats them up... Is there anything that it can be sprayed on to protect it? Currently I just wash the whole unit down with a hose once a month and we put a cover over if the house is not occupied...thanks...
I haven't used this stuff but offer this link as an indication of what is out there..
http://www.blygoldhouston.com/
Thanks!
Just by looking at the site it seems quite the undertaking to retrofit units with this coating. Would you know of any cleaning solutions that I could use periodically until we need to replace the units again and upgrade to factory coated models?
It would be easier just to buy a 316 stainless or similar condenser if it is cheaper than the 4 year relacement job as this should last a bit longer maybe double. The only true corrosive proof metals cost an absolute fortune such as gold plating or cuprinickle (more expensive than gold ounce for ounce). Just got to play the numbers game as which is cheapest. The other way is to simply paint the fins with an aluminium substrate such as the coatings you are looking at but i would give this another 2 years tops. First scratch or dint and it would corrode quicker as the water would get in underneath it.
Thank you very much. Extremely helpful - for now I will just try to change the location of the outdoor unit and protect it better from rain, wind and by doing that salt. Can't change ambient salt content where we are. I coated all the other metal parts with fiberglass... let's see how long it lasts... Again, thank you so much for your time.
hey guys
here one we use on cars to stop rust, bush or spray on oduorlus fish oil it works on cars, cheap and effective. . also look at giving it a coat of clear coat paint. marine grade.usually we use specially annodised coils in salt air conditions. there are comp-anies that specialise in anti rust coating especially for machinery not sure what excactly they use.
I have many customers at the coast ( I live +/-10 miles from the coast) and what we do is cold galvanizing. Spraying the casing and the coil with Zinga. This is a zincspray and once dried, this is +/-96% pure zinc.
The thermal conductivity doesn't change with it.
Zinc is lower in potential then any other metal and this will disolve.
Only disadvantage: it's such a ugly color.
http://www.zinga.eu/en look for a similar product available in your country.
brass doesnt work bad,titanium problem solved.make the correct investment its all up to you.
In this neck of the world we not are that far from the sea spray.
Locally we can buy a spark can called Blue cote, or similar. We spray it on to coils exposed to sea air. Extends life of coils by around twice the life. Similar treatment for cases/ sheetmetal. Should be available somewhere on the net.
Basically copper tubes and aluminiun fins, add salt air and you have a reaction and the fins deteriorate to aluminium oxide, crevis corrossion. Electrolitic corrosion. Dis-similar metals and an active electrolite.
Send air tickets and I will sort it out [ joke ], where is Cabareta,sounds warm and friendly.
With the casings, get local sheetmetal bloke to replicate panels in stainless steel, not cheap, but will last a life time, unless you live a hundred years.
magoo
As far as the coils go, the coatings are better than nothing.
No coating will last anywhere near as long as the all aluminum spine fin coils (old GE technology) used on Trane and American Standard
I have no faith in field applied coatings,
I forgot to tell that we use this cold galvanization also with a very good result on the coils (especially the soldered bends on the evaporator) of wood-kiln dryers where you have very aggressive acids coming out oak wood.
Its impossible for me to be more than 2 miles inland and no matter which way the wind blows it passes over warm salt water first
adsil, microguard, bronzglow
heresite
not impressed with electrofin
it is a no brainer to avoid disimilar metals in the first place