corrosion

APPLETON ® ANSWERS

projects.
electrical
Fighting

in
POSTAGE
PAID
APPLETON ANSWERS
EGS Electric Group
7770 N. Frontage Rd.
Skokie, IL 60077
 A: Terminate them.
Corrosion is one of nature’s most destructive

Q: What can forces. Not only does it eat away at electrical

corrosion
do to your
devices and equipment, it eats away at

productivity — by causing power interruptions,

power connections?
downtime and costly repairs.

In fact, corrosion costs U.S. businesses,

government agencies and households more

than $300 billion a year. What’s your best

weapon in the fight against corrosion?

Knowledge. Because the more you know about

it, the more you can control it.

Recognizing the enemy.
Corrosion is the gradual wearing away of any
substance by a chemical, physical or electro-
chemical reaction.
When we talk about electrical projects, however,
we’re usually referring to the corrosion of metal by
a natural chemical reaction — a reaction triggered
by metal’s inherent tendency to revert to its more
stable compound, usually an oxide.
Some metals are more “active” — more likely
to enter into a reaction — than others. “Noble”
metals, like gold and platinum, are so inactive
that corrosion is negligible. Aluminum is active
and corrodes quickly, but the thin, transparent
layer of oxide that forms actually protects the
metal from further corrosion.
Iron, however, is extremely reactive. Left
unprotected, it will erode, crack and eventually fail.
The many faces of corrosion.
Of the several types of corrosion, the most
pervasive in industrial environments is general
corrosion, characterized by a uniform thinning
of metal across the material’s surface. General
corrosion is further categorized into galvanic
corrosion and atmospheric corrosion.
Galvanic corrosion occurs when two different
metals are electrically connected in the
presence of an electrolyte — an electrically
conductive solution such as sodium chloride. A
good example of this is corrosion that appears
around a steel-to-copper connection when in
contact with sea water.
What accounts for more material failures,
however, from both a tonnage and cost view, is
atmospheric corrosion — the type that occurs
when electrical devices and fittings are exposed
to the environment around them.
Corrosive environments:
some obvious, some not.
The damage done to metal by the oxygen and
water in the earth’s atmosphere can be signifi-
cant. Add in industrial pollutants and other
contaminants, and it can be even more severe.
Such corrosive environments can be found
near sea coasts, at industrial sites, in heavily
populated urban areas, in some rural locations,
and in combinations of any of these. In industrial
plants and water treatment facilities, corrosive
environments are just as common indoors.
In general, corrosive environments are
classified as:
• Marine — Sea
spray, mist or fog
can carry sodium
chloride several
miles from the
coast, making
installations that are a substantial distance
from the ocean vulnerable.
• Industrial — Here, metals can be exposed to
a multitude of contaminants, from the sulfur
and nitrogen compounds produced by fuel
combustion to particles of metal
oxides, chlorides, sulfates and
carbon compounds, which
are extremely corrosive
when combined with oxygen,
water or high humidity.
• Urban — In dense popu-
lation areas, emissions
from automobiles and
heating fuels increase the
amount of sulfur and
nitrogen oxides in the air.
• Rural — Most people
don’t associate corrosion
with rural areas,
but these environments
can contain high levels of
ammonia and nitrogen
contamination from
fertilizers, as well as
high concentrations of
diesel exhaust.
Three ways to fight corrosion.
Since this isn’t a perfect world, you can’t
eliminate corrosion. But you can limit its
destructive effects. Here’s how...
Control the environment. As much as
possible, shelter electrical installations from
the weather. In coastal areas, face them away
from the water and the prevailing winds from
the coast — if you can see the ocean from the
site, you can expect severe corrosion. Eliminate
industrial contaminants from the air as much
as possible, and keep fuel-burning equipment
in good repair to minimize emissions.
Choose noncorrosive materials. Depending
on your project, you may be able to select
electrical devices and fittings made of non-
corrosive or corrosion-resistant materials.
Nonmetallic control stations, for example,
offer unsurpassed resistance to harsh
chemicals, while an aluminum conduit body
is protected by the thin layer of oxide that
forms on its surface.
Specify a protective finish. When your
application calls for devices with the high
tensile strength and ductility of malleable
iron, the best, most cost-effective way to
combat corrosion is to choose a coating
that effectively seals out water, chemicals
and other contaminants.
The problem with paint.
While conventional paint coatings have long
been popular, they’re simply not effective in
resisting corrosion. Paint is
hard to apply evenly, so it
tends to drip and bubble,
miss small crevices, and
thin at the edges, leaving
these areas more exposed.
Paint is also inflexible,
cracking and chipping easily
in normal use. Once the
coating cracks, the metal
corrodes as quickly as it
would have if it were
completely unprotected.
 Epoxy Powder Coat Process
• Is more crack-, chip- and peel-resistant for
extended product life.
• Adds value through fewer callbacks and
lower operation costs.
• Safeguards the environment by virtually
eliminating overspray particulates.
Degrease Rinse Powder Rinse Oven
Coat Bake

The best protection:

epoxy powder coat. Q: How
Epoxy powder coat is far more effective than
conventional paint finishes. It’s formed from
high-grade epoxy powder applied to devices and
fittings electrostatically. Drawn to the metal like
a magnet, the powder covers evenly, reaching
into the smallest crevices.
The powder is then slowly oven baked to cure
the coating and ensure a strong bond. The result
is a thick, uniform layer of protection that seals
out the harshest corrosives, including:
• Sulfur oxides
• Nitrogen oxides
• Chlorine and chlorides
• Ammonia and ammonia salts
• Hydrogen sulfide
Moreover, epoxy powder coat is extremely
durable. And unlike conventional paint, it’s flexible,
so it stays intact when the underlying metal
expands and contracts during temperature
important
is Appleton’s
epoxy powder coat ?
A: Important enough
to be standard.
Harsh environments, the kind found on oil rigs,
at refineries and in pulp and paper mills, can
leave your most critical power connections at
risk. That’s why Appleton — and only Appleton —
includes epoxy powder coat on every coated
product at no extra cost.
So not only does it protect better and last
longer — two to three times longer than conven-
tional paint finishes, according to independent
testing — it's more cost-effective as well.
Salt Spray Test Results
Corrosion Resistance
3x

changes and stress fluctuations.

2x
The benefits.
Offering a multitude of benefits over conventional 1x
paint finishes, epoxy powder coat:
• Covers evenly, and in the smallest crevices. 0
Competitive Appleton
• Seals tight, forming an unsurpassed barrier Standard Standard
to corrosives.
 Look for our standard epoxy powder coat on Appleton Epoxy Powder Coat
these Appleton products: Physical Properties
• Powertite® plugs and receptacles Impact (ASTM D2794) 120 in./lbs. direct and reverse
Adhesion (ASTM D3359) No detachment
• Unilet® conduit bodies and boxes
Flexibility (ASTM B522) Pass 1/8” mandrel
• GR conduit outlet boxes
Coating thickness 2.0 – 2.5 mils
• APL explosion-proof lighting fixtures Humidity (ASTM D2247) No blistering

• Code•Master, Jr.™ factory-sealed lighting fixtures Salt spray (ASTM B117) 1/8” creep after 1,000 hours
Hardness (ASTM D3363) 2H – 3H
• Sealing fittings
Melting point 90°C – 120°C (194°F – 248°F)

On Appleton malleable iron products, epoxy UV resistance Excellent mechanical and

protective properties
powder coat is the final step in Appleton's Triple-
Coat Finish. Applied over highly corrosion-resistant
To learn more...
zinc plating and dichromate dip, it adds yet
For more information about Appleton’s
another layer of protection against corrosion.
corrosion-fighting line of epoxy powder coated
products, contact your local representative or
call 847-679-7800.