Aluminum doubles + galvanic corrosion - revisted

[grouchyturtle]

I'm in the process of switching back to diving doubles, and I was quickly reminded how much of a PITA those rubber strips are. The ones you use to isolate SS bands from AL tanks to eliminate galvanic corrosion.

So here's an idea!

Has anyone tried painting a coat of unthickened epoxy on the inside of the bands? As in 2 part epoxy resin. It may not be the cheapest solution, but if you already have the epoxy, could be worth a try.

It's strong (lasts pretty much forever, as long as it's not to exposed to sun), waterproof, much thinner than well just about anything else you could use (as long as you don't cake it on) but all you really need is a thin layer so the 2 metals aren't in direct contact. and it dries to a smooth finish (so taking the bands on and off would be easy).

 

[JKPAO]

I use electrical tape. Works great and it is cheap!
See you topside! John

 

[grouchyturtle]

Nice I think I'll do that next time...actually I hate that rubber so much I may remove my bands and do it now. Since I haven't dove doubles in a while, I'm sure I'll be doing a little tweaking anyway.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

I love fresh water.

 

[grouchyturtle]

I love fresh water.

Not as much as I'm going to love being far...far...far South next winter

 

[HenrikBP]

How about PlastiDip. It could probably be brushed on in a fairly thin coat.

Henrik

 

[Aigtbootbp]

How about spraying on a thin coat of truck bed liner?

 

[warscout2]

I think the epoxy might crack and fall off from just the minor expansion from filling and emptying

 

[grouchyturtle]

I think the epoxy might crack and fall off from just the minor expansion from filling and emptying

I really doubt that. The very minimal expansion of a tank is nothing compared to how a boat's hull flexes. If it cracked that easily, fiberglass boats would sinking all over the place, just from the simple act of sitting in the water.

I decided to go with liquid electrical tape, though. Little bit of work to get enough coverage, but I figure I'll just need a yearly touch up once a year at VIP time.

 

[oxyhacker]

It doesn't take much. Shelf paper, tape or cut up bits of voodoo gas stickers.

I think tape/sticker is a lot easier and less messy than anything you have to paint on, and probably more reliable a dielectric barrier.

BTW a lot of resins like epoxy that one would assume are waterproof, aren't really. They either are capable of absorbing water over time, or dry with tiny pinholes which can then absorb it.