www.iFourWinns.com

How much have you guys been quoted for replacement anodes? I checked with my dealer and they want over $60 for the one on top of the sterndrive alone...

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Brian
2007 Four Winns H200 - VP 5.0L GL/SX
2003 Chevy Avalanche Z66
Canyon Lake, TX

230Mike...thx for walking me through it...I got it! I know exactly where and what your are referring to now. Took off the cover and everything is clean and pretty as whistle...as for the AC whatcha macallit....I'll see if I got one of them do hickies in the morning....

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2006, 220 Horizon
Kent, WA.
"Semper Fidelis"

Brian, I called my dealer and they quoted me $27 for the top magneseum one and $29 for the lower one...

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2006, 220 Horizon
Kent, WA.
"Semper Fidelis"

I buy them from dougrussell.com. I think the pair on mine (same generation as Doug's) run around $55-60, but the ones on the new drives may be more, I'm not sure.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

No problem. And it's not a do hickie, it's a gizmo .

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Ok...I'll check for the gizmo then....

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2006, 220 Horizon
Kent, WA.
"Semper Fidelis"

Thanks!

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Brian
2007 Four Winns H200 - VP 5.0L GL/SX
2003 Chevy Avalanche Z66
Canyon Lake, TX

The ACPS system works by sensing the electrical potential of the water via one of it's electrodes and if it detects it is at a level that can cause corrosion, it applies a correcting potential via the second electrode. It is supplementary to the anodes and I presume the further it is away physically from anything the less effective it becomes. It needs to be connected to the batteries all the time and not switched off via the battery switch. I rewired mine from being attached to only one battery, to being attached behind the battery switch, using the the same connection as the bilge pump. There are diodes in that circuit that allow the connection to be made to both batteries.

Electrical continuity is necessary for the anodes to work effectively. I find my zinc anodes last a whole season in saltwater, ca 6 months or so, but the water around the UK is a lot colder than in Florida ( unfortunately!). Before each season I check the continuity between each part of the drive/ anodes/ connecting wires with a multimeter.

I have my outdrive/ gimbal ring etc off the boat now, I can't find any corrosion on it ( after 3 seasons in salt water). The only corrosion issue I have had was with the stainles steel props; thought by VP to be due to a casting defect.

In the photos showing the corrosion, where the trim cylinders are attached to the drive, there is no electrical continuity between the stainless tilt rams/ connecting rod and the aluminium drive; there are plastic sleeves between them. Maybe VP did change the pretreatment/ paint process to meet more stringent environmental regulations like reducing/ eliminating chromates . The radius in that area looks very sharp, films do not like sharp radii, maybe the pretreatment film was very thin in that area and there was a break it, allowing corrosion to get a hold and creep beneath the pretreatment film/ paint.

Regards,

Graham

Thanks, Graham. I think my ACPS is wired straight to the batteries, along with the bilge pump, bypassing the switch. However, it's on my list to double check that. I assumed there was some sort of bushing between the ram bolt and the drive, but I also assumed they were bronze or some other conductive metal, and not an insulating plastic.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Just a note for everyone: Volvo mentions on their website that the ACPS is for salt water only.

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Chris,

Because of the way the way the ACPS ( = Mercathode = impressed voltage corrosion protection ) works: detecting electrical potential and applying a corrrecting potentilal , it shouldn't really matter what aqueous liquid environment it is in. Maybe VP market it as such as the saltwater environment is one of the worst for corrosion. I recently bought a property by the coast, it's amazing how quicky things corrode here compared to 90 miiles inland !
regards,
Graham

I've always wondered why Volvo has only marketed ACPS as a saltwater solution only, while mercathode was distributed for both fresh and salt water. Oddly enough, while I was visiting the Volvo booth at the Toronto boat show, one of the product reps was talking about using ACPS in fresh water as well.

I guess the question would be that if you did rely on ACPS in fresh water and you did have a problem, would Volvo cover it?

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Unless something has changed in the last 3 years, yes they would. It was standard equipment on all boats with certain power packages, and I'd be willing to bet that it still is. One thing Volvo is not very good at is documentation, whether it be shop manuals or marketing materials. Where the "saltwater only" thing came from I don't know, but it's in my opinion.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic