whats causing this, metal eaten away/electrolisis ??

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the metal is eaten away , directly on the otherside of the metal in the firebox area there are welds along the same area that is eaten away. any ideas ??
Reply:Is it an outdoor wood boiler? Is it upside down? Wood ash, if wet becomes very corrosive. Look for a pin hole leak in the inner wall of the water jacket somewhere above the corrosion when right side up. Even if right side up it could be overflow, or summer condensation from the open top.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publicat...ts/0104008.pdf
Reply:Originally Posted by mikecwikhttps://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publicat...ts/0104008.pdf
Reply:Yes. Most wood fired hot water heaters today are made with high alloy metal. The older ones made with mild carbon steel rotted out too quickly do to the high corrosion of wood creosol and ash. High PH is base, low ph is acid. Both conditions are corrosive.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:And don't forget hot cold hot cold. Cut it out and replace what you can.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Reply:Potash is used as a fertilizer and the catalyst in making bar soap. Leach rendered fat through ashes, then rinse with boiling water or something like that.
Reply:Originally Posted by decallthomasAnd don't forget hot cold hot cold. Cut it out and replace what you can.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Reply:bobthebilder80709600You're new in fact - post #2 take a chanceand post context.Opus
Reply:If that's the water line it's probably oxygen pitting.  Are you running any water treatment in the system.  IF it's a boiler.  OP has never come back to say for sure.Dan D.Manipulator Of Metal
Reply:You said it's part of a fire box.  It's rust being caused by the accelerated oxidation... If you ever look at metal that has survived a fire whether house or vehicle you'll notice rust on bare metal that looks like it's been out on the beach for a long time.Lincoln Weldanpower A/C 225 D/C 210 /6kw auxiliary (code 9113 & 9108)Lincoln Weld Pak 100 MigMiller Maxstar 150 TigLincoln Scratch Tig 200 ampMiller 8-VS Suitcase Flux CoreHypertherm Powermax 30Victor Torches / Regulators
Reply:The reason it rusted there was BECAUSE of the weld on the other side. The heat from the weld changed the grain structure and therefore the speed at which it oxidized. You can take a nail and bend it and throw it in acid or salt, fertilizer etc and it will rust through at the bend for the same reason. Old chemisty class demonstration.Lincolin Power Wave 450, Lincoln Powermig 255, Lincoln Pro Mig 140, Lincoln Squarewave Tig 275, Miller Big 40 G(with Hobart Hefty suitcase), Thermal Arc 95S and Esab PCM875 in an already full machine shop.