Green corrosion

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

In anticipation of my haul out I will be re-packing the shafts. BUT, there is all this green stuff on the gland nuts etc. How do you remove it?

 

[O C Diver]

Wire brush.

Ted

Edit: stainless steel wire brush. My weapon of choice is a stainless wire wheel on a bench grinder.

Ted

 

[C lectric]

Don't bother as it is the result of copper corrosion or known in nicer company as, VERDEGRIS.

Yes , a wire brush will remove it but it will come back especially in places like that, where seawater mist is present.

Maybe remove the heavy stuff.

 

[caltexflanc]

It's not really corrosion per se, any more than a copper roof is corroding when it turns green. Best thing is just leave it alone. CocaCola does a pretty good job too and isn't as invasive/destructive as a wire brush.

 

[tiltrider1]

Wire brush, bead blast, wash it in solvent, I can keep going but its all a waste unless you are able to remove the oxygen from the surrounding air.

Just repack it and be happy.

 

[DavidM]

As others have said, fuggitaboutit. You wouldn’t remove the verdigris from a bronze sculpture would you?

David

 

[STB]

I like to think of it as a "fine patina"

 

[markpierce]

Why bother? But ff it (corrosion?) is not superficial and is threating its function, then replace the part.

 

[fgarriso]

It's not really corrosion per se, any more than a copper roof is corroding when it turns green. Best thing is just leave it alone. CocaCola does a pretty good job too and isn't as invasive/destructive as a wire brush.

Coca Cola is a mild acidic. Some weak drain cleaner may work also.
I have used some commercial products, but I can't remember
Maybe it was Brass cleaner.

 

[FF]

If it is upsetting to you bronze takes paint very well. In the wooden boat era much deck bronze was painted .

 

[O C Diver]

While it may not be necessary to remove the green stuff, if you're removing the shaft and replacing the rubber hose and clamps between the stuffing box and shaft tube, I would clean it down to bare metal to determine true condition. While I don't think of the hose as much of a wear item, I would periodically inspect the shaft tube to see if the engine was out of alignment and the shaft was wearing on the tube. Depending on the number of hours per year, this would be something I would consider doing every ten years or when the cutlass bearing(s) were replaced.

Ted

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Thanks all. I may do a quick shot with a wire brush and call it good. I was surprised that most of you find it un-necessary to shine it up.

Again thank you for your input.

 

[rslifkin]

For me, keeping the bronze bits shiny falls into the category of "looks nice, but I'll worry about it when I run out of important things to do"

 

[psneeld]

Like a copper penny, doesn't have to be shiny to work and work for decades.

 

[angus99]

Like a copper penny, doesn't have to be shiny to work and work for decades.

Unless you’re in Canada

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/programs/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/phasing-penny.html

 

[psneeld]

Unless you’re in Canada

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/programs/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/phasing-penny.html

Why? Don't they work in the old style fuse panels?

 

[Chrisjs]

Just wash it with vinegar - should take it straight off.

 

[angus99]

Why? Don't they work in the old style fuse panels?

Nah, they abandoned the NJ electrical code decades ago.

 

[GFC]

Bingo, Chris beat me to it. Vinegar works great. Give it an annual dose or more if it bugs you.

 

[soin2la]

Vinegar works great. Give it an annual dose or more if it bugs you.

Yep. keep a spray bottle of extra strength in the bilge.
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/allen-s-2-5-l-double-strength-cleaning-vinegar/1001103360

 

[rgano]

I have had a piece or two of bronze I wanted to keep looking good after I had gone to the trouble of removing the verdigris using some or all the methods above. I slather it with dielectric grease.

 

[BruceK]

Paint it green.

 

[caseclosed]

Clean it with a wire brush and apply Corrosion X its a great product. Apply to shaft couplings, motor mounts. Prevents rust and corrosion on all metal surfaces

 

[lady sue]

If your methods succeed, call the Statue of Liberty...she has the same problem!
Jim Ferry

 

[Tiffany]

Boeshield T-9 as all-around preservative

In anticipation of my haul out I will be re-packing the shafts. BUT, there is all this green stuff on the gland nuts etc. How do you remove it?View attachment 114253

As others have pointed out, the green oxide on copper isn't harmful or going to go away, especially in a salt marine environment. You can go over it with a wire brush to remove the loose excess and then spray it with BoeShield T-9 to reduce the growth. BoeShield also protects other metals and was designed to stop corrosion in aircraft aluminum, especially where panels overlap, leaving thin crevices that are hard to seal or penetrate with preventatives.

 

[Tim]

Vinegar

I second the vinegar suggestion. Spray with white vinegar. Long standing solution.

 

[Andiamo2018]

Clean it and spray it

The green corrosion can get bad enough to inhibit the ability to tighten the packing correctly. I would NOT brush it too hard like on a bench grinder - assuming you could get yours down into the bilge You don't need to remove the actual metal, just the corrosion.

https://www.go2marine.com/CRC-Heavy...NPdAa98VhRQ0QF2_E3tcd8i4tve3r7gQaAiW8EALw_wcB

This stuff works well on pretty much anything in the engine room that gets corrosion or rust.

 

[Sailinggod]

Muriatic Acid available from your local drug store. You can use a Q tip or small cotton swab to dab the area. Works great. Just don’t go overboard with it.

 

[Simi 60]

A lovely shade of verdigris
Puts lid down, walks away, uses boat.

 

[JohnEasley]

Most just leave it. I decided to experiment. Carefully brushed on some Ospho, which is phosphoric acid, and let it sit overnight. That ate a lot of it off. Rinsed it off and followed it up with a stainless steel wire brush. Once it was all cleaned up, I sprayed it with clear lacquer. Over a year later, they still look like new.