Heat Exchanger Zinc?

[southcoasting]

Hello fellow Afourians!

So, I read an article somewhere where there are zincs in heat exchangers and they should be changed out every year...

I checked my plug near the bottom of my heat exchanger where the raw water would flow through and there is no zinc at the end of the plug like there should be...Should there be a zinc plug on that?

[Mo]

Originally Posted by southcoasting

Hello fellow Afourians!

So, I read an article somewhere where there are zincs in heat exchangers and they should be changed out every year...

I checked my plug near the bottom of my heat exchanger where the raw water would flow through and there is no zinc at the end of the plug like there should be...Should there be a zinc plug on that?

We have a club member (a member on here as well) has a Peason 32. Just last week I heard him say he put an anode in his FWC heat exchanger. His second summer with the boat and changes it yearly.

[romantic comedy]

W hen you look at the plug, does is it a standard pipe plug?
There are zincs made that fit into a custom pipe plug. You just buy the whole thing, then only buy the zinc later.

I change mine, when I think of it. it is a good idea though.

[sastanley]

In addition to the FWC HX, I also put a zinc in the engine..the little zinc plugs are 1/8" NPT..The engine one is in the stbd fwd drain hole in the block. Even at Worst Marine they only cost a few dollars. I found a better deal at a local marina that stocks them as well.

[edwardc]

I change mine every year.

Last spring, the zinc was partially eaten away after one season.

This spring, the zinc was totally eaten away after one season (we did more motoring, and in saltier water).

[robshepherd]

Originally Posted by southcoasting

I checked my plug near the bottom of my heat exchanger where the raw water would flow through and there is no zinc at the end of the plug like there should be...Should there be a zinc plug on that?

The few times that I've let my heat exchanger zinc go too far, I was unable to plug a new one into the receiver/nut that screws into the bottom of the exchanger because there was still a little bit of zinc left, but not enough to grab for removal. At our local marine shop they sell the zinc plugs by themselves, and right next to those they have the replacement nuts. I keep a few of both on board, and they're very inexpensive.