John, not sure if this is correct information, I went to purchase some SS screws to secure a sail track and was advised not to use them on aluminium as the two metals react (galvanic reaction) to each other. A friend of ours is a welder on the gas line in NT and he said that was correct. I am sure a boatie will be able to set me straight, look forward to reading other comments. Maybe the plastic in between will prevent the reaction. Darmc
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 04:17:24 AM
Cruising Cruze said
12:54 AM Oct 6, 2017
Hi Rob
Thanks for that tip mate, like most people I didn't knew that
So far I only screwed the stainless screws into the plastic parts
Hope this will help to explain with what I did
Cheers John
Dougwe said
08:05 AM Oct 6, 2017
Darmc wrote:
John, not sure if this is correct information, I went to purchase some SS screws to secure a sail track and was advised not to use them on aluminium as the two metals react (galvanic reaction) to each other. A friend of ours is a welder on the gas line in NT and he said that was correct. I am sure a boatie will be able to set me straight, look forward to reading other comments. Maybe the plastic in between will prevent the reaction. Darmc
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 04:17:24 AM
Hi Darmc,
Does that mean that the brackets screwed to to top edge of the van for the anti flap kits are the same, as they are stainless steel
Not being a smart mate just asking.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Friday 6th of October 2017 08:06:37 AM
Darmc said
09:35 AM Oct 6, 2017
Dougwe, I am only going on what I have been told by NQ Fasteners, when they asked what I was doing, they advised me against SS screws. At the time I was replacing some rusty screws this time around the front boot on a van, so I took their advice, they probably would have made a bigger sale if they sold me SS. Hence, why I made the comment about waiting for other replays. On some web sites it was recommended to use Tef-Gel or sikaflex on the screw. They told me it could cause electrolysis in the aluminium, so I took their word. Maybe they are wrong. See articles on Galvanic corrosion.
Darmc
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 09:38:25 AM
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 10:33:34 AM
robol said
09:44 AM Oct 6, 2017
Yes aluminium and stainless are incompatible. I found out when I used s/steel bolts to fasten an aluminium extension to my roof rack and snapped the s/steel bolts trying to remove them after a couple of years.
Rob.
KevinC said
12:22 PM Oct 6, 2017
When I screwed my fridge vents I used the screws already holding the frame part of the plastic vent. Just removed two, one each side and marked their place on the outside cover. A small drill, refit the screws and job done. They're probably cad plated, but in any case they're already painted white so they look OK.
BAZZA44 said
06:14 PM Oct 6, 2017
Seems strange to me. Before I retired I worked for a building company on commercial buildings, and all the aluminium frames for the outside of the buildings were screwed together with stainless screws.
Be aware that some of the " stainless " from china rusts. Stainless does not rust so you work that out.
Barry
Cruising Cruze said
08:45 PM Oct 6, 2017
Hi Barry
We are never to old to learn new things mate
Cheers John
Warren-Pat_01 said
11:44 PM Oct 6, 2017
Also, SS screws, etc are brittle & snap quicker than brass, don't bend like steel.
Found that out in Darwin at Radio Australia in the early 70s when we couldn't source roll pins for the air 15Kv transformer.
Warren
Blues Man said
10:06 AM Oct 7, 2017
You can definitely use S/S screws with aluminium . All aluminium windows and curtain wall ( high rise ) all use S/S screws.
zuby said
09:44 PM Oct 10, 2017
Stainles Steel and Alumium will have a galvanic reation.
But But But the severity of the reaction depends on the size of one metal to the other.
So small SS screws in a large piece of aluminium is OK.
But small aluminiums screws in a large sheet of SS then the screws will corode.
I vaguely recall being told many years ago it depends on which metal is the most "Noble" and the amount of it compared to the "less Noble' metal, or was it the other way round?
-- Edited by zuby on Wednesday 11th of October 2017 02:21:29 PM
While we met up with our mate Dougwe at Gin Gin a few weeks ago
He told us put some screws in to the fridge air vents before you loose them
so next day we went of to the hardware shop in town to get some stainless steel screws
what we installed right away
When we left after 6 days at Gin Gin we headed towards Mingo Crossing via Mount Perry
traveling over an dirt road
Low and behold we lost the little piece that sit in front of the fridge exhaust
so last week we went looking to get that piece to replace the old one
Being Thetford they don't sell the little insert so we had to get the whole vent including the surrounding were it has to hook into
So when I installed it this avo I did put some stainless screws into that one as well so it won't happen an second time
We live and learn $49 later including the top piece of the exhaust including that little square plate
I hope now that it never happens again
Cheers John
John, not sure if this is correct information, I went to purchase some SS screws to secure a sail track and was advised not to use them on aluminium as the two metals react (galvanic reaction) to each other. A friend of ours is a welder on the gas line in NT and he said that was correct.
I am sure a boatie will be able to set me straight, look forward to reading other comments. Maybe the plastic in between will prevent the reaction.
Darmc
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 04:17:24 AM
Thanks for that tip mate, like most people I didn't knew that
So far I only screwed the stainless screws into the plastic parts
Hope this will help to explain with what I did
Cheers John
Hi Darmc,
Does that mean that the brackets screwed to to top edge of the van for the anti flap kits are the same, as they are stainless steel
Not being a smart mate just asking.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Friday 6th of October 2017 08:06:37 AM
Dougwe, I am only going on what I have been told by NQ Fasteners, when they asked what I was doing, they advised me against SS screws. At the time I was replacing some rusty screws this time around the front boot on a van, so I took their advice, they probably would have made a bigger sale if they sold me SS.
Hence, why I made the comment about waiting for other replays. On some web sites it was recommended to use Tef-Gel or sikaflex on the screw.
They told me it could cause electrolysis in the aluminium, so I took their word. Maybe they are wrong. See articles on Galvanic corrosion.
Darmc
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 09:38:25 AM
-- Edited by Darmc on Friday 6th of October 2017 10:33:34 AM
Rob.
Be aware that some of the " stainless " from china rusts. Stainless does not rust so you work that out.
Barry
We are never to old to learn new things mate
Cheers John
Found that out in Darwin at Radio Australia in the early 70s when we couldn't source roll pins for the air 15Kv transformer.
Warren
You can definitely use S/S screws with aluminium . All aluminium windows and curtain wall ( high rise ) all use S/S screws.
Stainles Steel and Alumium will have a galvanic reation.
But But But the severity of the reaction depends on the size of one metal to the other.
So small SS screws in a large piece of aluminium is OK.
But small aluminiums screws in a large sheet of SS then the screws will corode.
See here
http://www.anzor.com.au/blog/stainless-and-aluminium/
I vaguely recall being told many years ago it depends on which metal is the most "Noble" and the amount of it compared to the "less Noble' metal, or was it the other way round?
-- Edited by zuby on Wednesday 11th of October 2017 02:21:29 PM