Water Well Journal

July 2015

Water Well Journal

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C orrosion isn't just eating away at your equipment—it's eating your bottom line, too. Jeffrey Williams, MGWC, CVCLD, of Spafford and Sons Water Wells in Jericho, Vermont, says corrosion brought on by road salt and other de- icing chemicals has cost him thousands of dollars in maintenance and replace- ment costs. "If I have to replace a truck because of corrosion, that's $16,000 or more I have to spend even though the engine and transmission are just fine," says Williams, president-elect of the National Ground Water Association Board of Directors. "It adds up quickly." Often referred to as rust, corrosion occurs when metals are exposed to ele- ments in our environment, including moisture and chemicals. The metal de- grades over time, which causes physi- cal, mechanical, or aesthetic damage. Magnesium chloride and calcium chloride de-icers used in states plagued with snow and ice during the winter months often cause the most prob- lems—even more so than traditional sodium chloride road salt. "Road salt is like a cancer for your drill rig," says Chip Nelson, sales man- ager for the Midwest with GEFCO Inc. in Enid, Oklahoma. To make matters worse, states and municipalities are pre-treating roads before the snow even falls. While it keeps the roads safe for drivers, it also increases your equipment's exposure to these chemicals. "Almost everyone with heavy equip- ment (in my area) is taking action to protect their equipment in some fash- ion," says Richard Thron, MGWC, owner of Mantyla Well Drilling Inc. in Lakeland, Minnesota, and NGWA's cur- rent president. "These chemicals are eat- ing through the metal and it's getting quite costly." The most common forms of corro- sion are pitting, uniform, crevice, and galvanic. In this two-part series, we'll cover why these types of corrosion form, what manufacturers are doing to protect equipment from corrosion, and how you can slow its progression. Pitting corrosion Williams battles pitting on his trucks, particularly under vehicles and on frame rails. Pitting is a localized corrosion that forms small cavities or pits. It's one of the most dangerous because it can be hard to detect and design against. It's most commonly found on aluminum alloys, stainless steels, and steel alloys where the oxide film is damaged by the environment or chemicals. Pits can be various shapes and sizes that are wide and shallow or narrow and deep. "The engine, transmission, and rear ends are just fine, but the frame is so bad that it's suspect," Williams says. "I've also seen air brake canisters that were pretty much rotted through. They certainly weren't anywhere near the end of their service life, but they were in such poor structural condition that they had to be changed." Pitting often causes mechanical fail- ures. Thron said brake lines on two of his trucks rusted out due to pitting cor- rosion, and the spring mount on a back- hoe trailer also rusted through. Uniform corrosion On the other hand, uniform corrosion is more aesthetic, a matter of appear- ance, than truly destructive. Also known as general corrosion, it's the most com- mon form of corrosion and the easiest to control. It typically occurs evenly over an area. It may start out as a uniform etch- ing of the metal or look like a dulling surface on one that was polished. If left untreated, though, the surface will even- tually become rough and could lead to other types of corrosion. How manufacturers prevent corrosion Manufacturers are doing whatever they can to make sure their equipment has longevity in the field. For example, truck manufacturers are using more cor- rosion-resistant materials in their body construction to discourage corrosion from beginning in the first place. These materials that include fiber- glass, aluminum, and composite plastics are often more corrosion-resistant than steel, but they can also cost more and are able to withstand less day-to-day abuse than steel can. All the same, because rigs are load- bearing machines, GEFCO still uses all steel in the construction of its rigs. Prop- erly painting the equipment helps it re- duce the occurrence of both pitting and uniform corrosion on steel. The metal components of GEFCO rigs undergo a blasting process before they're painted. This removes the min- eral oils from the materials and gives assurance the paint adheres well to the metal's surface. "A few years ago we had some paint problems in other areas of our com- pany," says Greg Haub, a vice president and general manager with GEFCO. "It wasn't on our water well rigs, but we found out the preparation of the metal by blasting was really a must in order to get a good coat." A good base is important because if moisture gets behind the paint, pitting corrosion will begin easily. Part 1: Dealing with pitting and uniform corrosion By Jennifer Strawn CORROSION continues on page 22 Twitter @WaterWellJournl WWJ July 2015 21 The wheel well and the wheel rim show on a trailer significant corrosion. Without preventive maintenance, corrosion can impact the life of your equipment. Photo submitted by Jeffrey Williams, MGWC, CVCLD, of Spafford and Sons Water Wells. "Road salt is like a cancer for your drill rig ."

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