White Fuzzy furry growth..........TV-2C/U

[Gavinator68]

Ok.................just a curiosity really.

What is the white fuzzy, furry, powdery growth that is on every zinc plated component of my otherwise new TV-2C/U. Every screw head, switch connector, and all of the meter rear covers is covered with this stuff. I need to know how to best remove and prevent it any further. Any suggestions?

Cheers,

David

[nhuwar]

Well, zinc oxide is white.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Zinc_oxide.jpg

[Gavinator68]

I know it is some sort of oxidation that is attacking the zinc plated parts only but are you saying it is zinc oxide? And if so what is the best way to neutralize it? Or should I just leave it alone since, from what little I have read on the subject, it seems to have formed its protective layer on the metal. Now that the TV-2 is in a dry environment will it be safe to leave it alone or is it somehow conductive and could possibly cause problems?

[nhuwar]

The zinc on steel is the protective layer" called an anode". I don't think the oxide would be very conductive and unless you have big piles of it in the I wouldn't worry to much about it.


But if your coming down with a cold you could snort it LOL, it's supposed to help you get rid of the Rhinovirus aka common cold.


Nick

[Gavinator68]

Ok cool..............I was thinking the same thing after I read your first post and I would not look forward to dismantling an otherwise solid TV-2 just to clean all of the perfect components unless it was necessary for longevity. This thing is absolutely gorgeous and has not been abused up to this point. Don't want to start now.

: )

[llwhtt]

If I remember my classes on corrosion from the military I believe it's called "galvanic corrosion". It's caused by two different metals in contact with each other, you might want to research it some more. I would imagine it's the aluminum that's powdery, it was (is) a problem on aircraft.

Craig

[nhuwar]

Originally posted by llwhtt
If I remember my classes on corrosion from the military I believe it's called "galvanic corrosion". It's caused by two different metals in contact with each other, you might want to research it some more. I would imagine it's the aluminum that's powdery, it was (is) a problem on aircraft.

Craig

Yes aluminum does create a white powder oxide but zinc is more active then 1100 series aluminum " or commercially pure aluminum" so the zinc will corrode in place of the Al. Yes this is galvanic corrosion. The potential difference is low so it won't quickly destroy the zinc, like stainless and silver will do to each other. You can pretty much watch the stainless corrode with the naked eye.

Just for clarification zinc in open air or even humid areas corrodes very slow, it's primary corrosion medium is chlorides so don't worry about it too much.

Hope this helps, I had to break out the books to answer this one too LOL

Nick

[Gavinator68]

The date codes on all of the components in this Tester indicate that it was built sometime in 1965 and it has seen little to no use since it's birth so I would image it would have been closed up on a shelf somewhere either on a base or a ship so what little corrosion is there is really no surprise. I was just curious as to the type. I just feel lucky to get a hold of such a nice piece of gear that was so well preserved.

: )

[nhuwar]

Ya I wouldn't be too worried about it.

[Colt45]

Ja, it's just ZnO. Don't worry about it.

Now chassis' with yellow fuzz - avoid eating/breathing that. Cadmium. It will kill ya.