[sirbob]

Hi Guys

Been doing a fair bit of research into this and wanted to get some opinions as to what you use for rust protection and how it has performed for you.

I have had a 6 pad ERPS system on our Jimny previously and noticed that any rust that did occur underneath he car (from abrasion during sand driving) was fairly minor and thin. Furthermore, I found that the car polish was lasting a lot longer and the car always looked "clean". As such, I would say I was satisfied that the product was performing as expected.

On our next car, I experimented and tried the "Do Nothing" approach to rust protection. I found that the paint deteriorated badly between polishes and any surface rust that did pop up was on the underbody was heavier than what the Jimny had.

Now we're looking at getting an electronic system for the new GV and am tossing up between Couplertec and ERPS. From what I've read, they both appear to be the same product and both achieve the same end, however, when you talk to the sales guys, you get a different spin on why their product is better than the others, blah blah blah.

So what's your experience with these systems? Has anyone got any experience with Couplertec? To my poor understanding, the Couplertec pads look "cheap", just simple stickers stuck to the body, whilst the ERPS looks more rugged with PVC bodies....

[harvs]

Electronic rust prevention on vehicles fall into the same category as electronic turbos, Brock magnetic fuel aligners, etc.

There is zero sane reasoning on how they work.

Just get yourself a tin of fish oil...

[royce]

harvs wrote:

Electronic rust prevention on vehicles fall into the same category as electronic turbos, Brock magnetic fuel aligners, etc.

There is zero sane reasoning on how they work.

Just get yourself a tin of fish oil...

It's getting to the point where you n00b advice will get some shit hung on you soon

If you arent smart enough to understand how something works, just accept it and move on, dont call it useless

[Ben_Sierra]

Beat me to it royce...

I know that science involves some big words that you may not understand, but that doesn't mean its all witchcraft...

[FHA57]

electronic units these days are amazing i think

[sirbob]

harvs wrote:

Electronic rust prevention on vehicles fall into the same category as electronic turbos, Brock magnetic fuel aligners, etc.

There is zero sane reasoning on how they work.

Just get yourself a tin of fish oil...

Not sure if your trolling, but I have to disagree. The science makes sense and I've seen it work first hand (ie, I've had one with said product and one without)

My question is more related to peoples specific experiences of one product over the other. As said, I've used ERPS in the past and am leaning that way again, however, Couplertec is slightly cheaper, so am interested in seeing what peoples experiances are, if any...

[mnemonix]

I bought a hd couplertech after seeing the difference in mines vehicles that werent fitted with them. Defiantly money well spent if you plan to keep the zook long term.

[harvs]

Trolling... Nope that was just my honest opinion. Yep maybe I shouldn't have put it out there.

To be honest I've never seen anyone support these before, and I've had people who corrosion is there field disparage the science and mates try them in practice with no noticeable effect.

But hey, if they work for you that's awesome.

[Bruce]

FHA57 wrote:

electronic units these days are amazing i think

x2

[pyrohamish]

Your mates better get out of corrosion stuff if thats their opinion

It's pretty basic theory on how these work.

[gman]

I'm with harvs here, the marketing on this kinda product is very good..... Just like Sir Walter Grass... If I were fitting it I'd be on the band wagon and say its really good as its probably a good money spinner..

but after reading about "the science" of how it works, Im not convinced.

A few years ago, I was driving along the beach on Fraser Island, all of a sudden I noticed what i thought was just mm deep water running off the beach was actually half a metre deep sea water pooling in front of the Jim, and I was heading for it at around 80km/h!!! I hit it still very quickly the car went into the water, the force of the water on the sides of the car made it turn to one side, I thought I was going to roll!! but I didn't I ended up looking out to sea in half a metre of ocean.... now I'm sure salty sea water was forced to many holes and gaps in my jim. I thought well this will test how well cars are treated for rust prevention.
Of cause as soon as I could I had the whole car washed very well with fresh water.
I've always untill a 3 or 4 years ago washed the Jim every week, making sure no mud is under any part of the car forcing fresh water under the outside plastics and trim.
a few years after my Jim went for another swim this time up to the clock inside but in a fresh water river.
everything came out and was cleaned all dirt removed.
now, 8 years after fraser, the only rust in the car is a bubble on the roof which I believe is from hail damage before i bought it its been the weakest link in the duco but fuck! this car has been around the block a few times.

so from my experience, why would I need it. the key is to look after your car, wash it, clean it, care for it. simple as that.

but hey your money do what you like, this is simply my opinion based on the past 10 yrs of my life.

[ajsr]

I'm another on who is on the fence here.
I did some serious rust repairs a few years back on a 60 series cruiser that had a unit fitted ( i dont remember the brand). the owner told me it was fitted before the vehicle went rustly,cost him some serious $ apparently.
he admitted doing a small amount of beach fishing.
as to weather the unit was a dud or fitted incorrectly who knows, but its made me wonder ever since as to their merrit.

[Jackson]

Did it need these repairs because it wasn't being used? Like if it was sitting in the paddock and the guy had taken the battery out to start his tractor it isn't going to protect it.

gman paint is a good physical protection to rust if it isn't damaged. Your jim probably has good paint and you washing it every week help to keep the paint good however the old croak sierra in the back paddock that has had 12 different paint jobs and 30 years in the elements hardly has much chance.

If your interested in it have a google of cathodic protection and look for stuff on impressed current cathodic protection.

Though I think it would be the sort of product where you get what you pay for.

[royce]

They dont all work, indeed some even rust the box they are in

'Experts' are all about cathodic protection, cause thats whats used on pipeliens and ships and bridges, they cant get their head around it being done any other way

I live across the road from the beach and work under the dump excess fuel area of an airport my car is never under cover and its never washed, I have no rust and figure it helps

[zukenutter]

I've had my ERPS system for a decade and I'm so impressed I removed it from my old rust-free Jimny and installed it in the new jim. On a side note I've also put a fair bit of the spray on stuff everywhere on both cars.

When I pulled the front guard off for the first time in ten years and trapped dry mud fell out I was sure that once clean I'd find a rusty hole but it was perfect.

[stocker]

never done anything for rust on a car other than dress any open wounds and keep it clean, wash it as soon as you get back from the mudpits or beach.

thats the key to keeping the rust away

[ajsr]

my personal choice is cavity wax,
its a soft superlong lasting wax with a high zinc content as well as other anti rust inhibitors.
it flows out well and gets into every little crevice.
Coat everything under the car in the doors , sills and under guards.
Ive never had rust issues after using it.
then maybe screw on a anti rust zapper thingy just to make sure

[sideways]

I'm on the fence too, I'l keep an open mind until I see some proof that one does actually work.

Say a life saving group was to buy 2 vehicles, fit one with it and leave one without, do some similar miles and see if both are rust buckets in a few years or one is noticeably better.

Saying "mine's not rusty and it's got one" just doesn't do it for me.

Can someone who's got one handy grab a uniform bit of non rust proofed metal (say, a spare bit of bar, or sheet metal if we want to be more accurate), cut it in half, stick the rust prevention on one bit and leave the other bit as is, stick them outside some where and get back to us in a few months?

Do they need a regular earthed electronics system to work?

Interesting debate with the not so open minded here.

http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/433 ... stems.aspx

[bakerboy]

sideways wrote:

Say a life saving group was to buy 2 vehicles, fit one with it and leave one without, do some similar miles and see if both are rust buckets in a few years or one is noticeably better.

The rodeo has it, there is a shit load of rust imo for a vehicle that is fitted with the unit but in comparison to the rhino buggy that also has the rust prevention, but the wires to the pads have actually corroded off lol, the difference is noticable

[sideways]

bakerboy wrote:

sideways wrote:

Say a life saving group was to buy 2 vehicles, fit one with it and leave one without, do some similar miles and see if both are rust buckets in a few years or one is noticeably better.

The rodeo has it, there is a shit load of rust imo for a vehicle that is fitted with the unit but in comparison to the rhino buggy that also has the rust prevention, but the wires to the pads have actually corroded off lol, the difference is noticable

Yeah, I mean 2 of the same make and model though, otherwise you could argue the Rhinos rust proofing is better because it's a purely offroad vehicle ect.

Sure, stuff like that provides an insight but it'd never provide full closure if you no what I mean?

[2stroker]

bakerboy wrote:

sideways wrote:

Say a life saving group was to buy 2 vehicles, fit one with it and leave one without, do some similar miles and see if both are rust buckets in a few years or one is noticeably better.

I am sure I read somewhere a test and that this is exactly what they did, two vehicle at a surf life saving club.

[bakerboy]

sideways wrote:

bakerboy wrote:

sideways wrote:

Say a life saving group was to buy 2 vehicles, fit one with it and leave one without, do some similar miles and see if both are rust buckets in a few years or one is noticeably better.

The rodeo has it, there is a shit load of rust imo for a vehicle that is fitted with the unit but in comparison to the rhino buggy that also has the rust prevention, but the wires to the pads have actually corroded off lol, the difference is noticable

Yeah, I mean 2 of the same make and model though, otherwise you could argue the Rhinos rust proofing is better because it's a purely offroad vehicle ect.

Sure, stuff like that provides an insight but it'd never provide full closure if you no what I mean?

it certainly isnt better, and its newer too (the rhino) the tray has holes the size of fists on it, chassis welds have rust spots etc

[zukenutter]

2stroker wrote:

bakerboy wrote:

sideways wrote:

Say a life saving group was to buy 2 vehicles, fit one with it and leave one without, do some similar miles and see if both are rust buckets in a few years or one is noticeably better.

I am sure I read somewhere a test and that this is exactly what they did, two vehicle at a surf life saving club.

I remember that side-by-side comparison. There was also a mines vehicle comparison. People say they want proof to believe, the proof is there people.

[sirbob]

Ok team, refer to the links below for a "scientific" comparison. It must be said though that this experiment is actually flawed in as much as the electronic rust protection systems rely on the paint films to insulate the metal and provide the dielectric for the capacitive couple to work.

http://rustprotectionexperiment.blogspot.com/

[zukenutter]

I think that a lot of people expect an electronic system to totally stop rust from starting which is not necessarily the case. What it does is massively slow the oxidisation but is only ever going to work in combination with due care for the car. If you don't wash after salt it will still rust and if you are that careless with maintenance the vehicle will only be a short life rig anyway. I keep my cars for many years and treat them accordingly.

I have mates who lease a new car every 5 years who have asked me if they should consider installing one and I've said they shouldn't bother because the rust will be the next poor sucker's problem. Plus it was a Cruiser so I don't care

[bakerboy]

there's no doubt it slows it, but to say it stops it is a bit far

[Jackson]

Well there is no reason it cannot stop it. Along as the unit can supply the required voltage there shouldn't be a problem.

That experiment is a good example but has a few floors I only skimmed it but if that battery wasn't being charged over the 4 days it's ability to supply the voltage would become diminished. Also cast iron that isn't painted rusts quickly because of all the carbon in there provides a lot of points for rust to start.

Also if enough voltage was supplied it should be able to stop any already established rust and stop anymore. In the case where these units haven't work I would be suspect of the voltage the unit is supplying, the condition of the battery or the alternator.

I don't know how they are wired into the car but are the units always on? Or just when the ignition is on?

[sirbob]

Always on... They'll flatten a battery in about a week if you don't start the car in the mean time!

[Bruce]

sirbob wrote:

Always on... They'll flatten a battery in about a week if you don't start the car in the mean time!

Are you for real?
I have a 6 pad on my tow car and it may not get started for 4 to 6 weeks at a time and it starts fine?
Or am I reading what you wrote in correct?

[ajsr]

how much are these elecrtic rust thingy's anyway?