How to galvanize a car body yourself

How to galvanize a car body yourself video

My Ghani has several chips on the rear fender down to the metal. Having lost the integrity of the galvanization in these places, I would not want to get by with putty and painting. In a conversation with a friend about this topic, what seems to me to be a rather interesting topic came up

So, at home you can galvanize any steel part as follows:
1) Take a solution of zinc salt, zinc sulfate or zinc chloride. If you haven’t bought one ready-made, then make it yourself by dissolving this metal in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. Similar kits for young chemists can be found in radio parts stores. Here zinc chloride is sold as soldering acid.

Sulfuric acid can be found in auto parts stores, as it is often used as an electrolyte for acid batteries.
2) When preparing the solution, first put zinc in an acid-resistant container, and then carefully pour the acid into it. For one liter of acid you will need about 400 g of metal.

Perform such manipulations in fresh air and away from fire sources, since the reaction product is also hydrogen.
It is flammable and explosive. 3) You can make sure that the acid has been completely developed by putting a little more zinc in the container after dissolving the previous batch.
If no hydrogen bubbles are released, then there is no reaction. 4) Separate the clear solution from the liquid sediment.

5) Take the part that needs to be galvanized and connect the minus of the current source to it.
6) Connect the plus to a piece of zinc metal.
7) Place them in the resulting electrolyte at a certain distance and apply voltage. You can get by with 12 volts, which are supplied by a car battery and charger.

Thanks to the current, zinc will settle on steel parts, metallic zinc will dissolve and enrich the solution.
It is very important that the wire to which the piece of zinc is connected does not come into contact with the solution. Otherwise, the galvanizing process will be ruined, since the wire will begin to dissolve in the solution. If the process proceeds correctly, a uniform gray layer will appear on the part.

If galvanizing proceeds too quickly, the steel surface may become loose and dark.
It is enough to use a current of up to 1 ampere. 9) After galvanizing, rinse the part in a solution of baking soda or water. This will neutralize any remaining acid.

After reading the above instructions for galvanizing the body, every experienced car enthusiast thought about how he would place the overall body of his car in the solution. The point is that there is no need to lower it anywhere. For galvanic galvanizing in garage conditions, bathing the body in an electrolyte bath is not carried out. Using this method, you can galvanize only a separate part of the car body.

To do this, clean its surface from dirt and rust using sandpaper.
An important point - you cannot use phosphoric acid or rust destroyer!
It does not affect the paintwork at the treatment site, since it does not contain acids and alkalis, odorless solutions are not volatile, not flammable.

The galvanized surface in an unpainted state does not corrode for 3 years, in a painted state 15-20 years.

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When doing a DIY body repair, a caring driver prefers to cover the bare metal with something before painting. And the choice, as a rule, falls on “something with zinc.”

However, few people know that there are negligibly few special compounds for real galvanizing on the market today. In stores, the car owner is most often sold soils containing supposedly zinc and incredible converters of rust into zinc.

All this has little to do with real galvanizing.

So, a spreading rust bug has appeared on your car. In the case of used cars, the situation is frequent, especially in the area of ​​sills and wheel arches. Usually these places are simply cleaned of loose rust, moistened with some kind of converter, and primer and paint are applied. Everything is fine for a while, and then the rust comes out again. How so? After all, during the preparation they used a rust-to-zinc converter! At least that's what was written on the label.

In fact, all such preparations are made on the basis of orthophosphoric acid and the maximum that such a composition can do is phosphate the surface, and this will be porous phosphating, which will subsequently rust. The resulting film cannot be used as independent protection - only for painting. Accordingly, if the paint is of poor quality or has simply peeled off, this layer will not protect against corrosion.

On the shelves of our stores there are real compositions for independent galvanizing, of two types - for cold galvanizing (this process is also called zinc plating) and for galvanizing (the kit usually includes both an electrolyte and an anode), but they cost an order of magnitude more than converters.

We do not take cold galvanizing into account; it was originally invented for coating metal structures; it is not resistant to organic solvents and mechanical damage. We are interested in the galvanic method of applying zinc, and everything necessary for this process can be done at home.

So, will it be necessary to galvanize a section of the body?
Before you begin, you should remember to follow safety precautions when working with reagents: use a respiratory mask, rubber gloves, safety glasses, and carry out all manipulations outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.

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Stage one. Metal preparation. The surface of the steel must be completely free of rust and paint. Zinc does not adhere to rust, much less paint. We use sandpaper or special drill attachments.

The easiest way to boil a small part is in a 10 percent (100 grams of acid per 900 ml of water) solution of citric acid until the rust is completely destroyed.
Then degrease the surface. Stage two. Preparation of electrolyte and anode. The galvanic process of galvanizing is as follows.

In an electrolyte solution (the electrolyte serves as a conductor of the substance), the zinc anode (that is, the plus) transfers zinc to the cathode (that is, the minus). There are many electrolyte recipes floating around the Internet. The simplest is to use hydrochloric acid in which zinc is dissolved.

The service life and reliability of a car depends 90% on the quality of its body. Therefore, when buying a car, knowledgeable people immediately evaluate this particular characteristic. When buying used or economy cars, liquid zinc can come in handy. And it is quite possible to galvanize a car body at home. All you need to give the body strength is some knowledge and tools.

The benefits of galvanizing a car body

Do-it-yourself galvanizing of the body is carried out in order to protect it from rust and the effects of chemical compounds, which are in abundance on the road. It is easier to carry out this operation once than to patch the body all the time.

Car manufacturers, as a rule, carry out this procedure only with the bottom of the body (usually only the bottom), as the most vulnerable point. Anodic protection is applied - a metal with a lower electrochemical potential compared to the main metal of the body.

Zinc is most popular due to its low cost and good chemical and physical properties.

Methods for treating surfaces with zinc

Today there are 3 main types of galvanizing:

• Thermal, in which the body is lowered into the molten metal. Sometimes the same melt is applied to the finished metal sheet and sent for rolling. Porsche, Ford, and Volvo cars undergo similar treatment. Quite an effective way.
• Cold, when finely dispersed zinc is applied to the body. More reliable than other methods. Often used for processing the bodies of budget cars.
• Galvanic, in which the finished part is kept in a container filled with zinc electrolyte. Under current, zinc sticks to the metal very tightly. The technology is widespread among large Japanese and European car manufacturers.

The first option is unlikely to be suitable for galvanizing at home.

During cold galvanizing, the body is cleaned of dirt and rust and finely dispersed metal is sprayed over it. The process is similar to spray painting.

Do-it-yourself galvanic galvanization of the body

A simple way to process individual parts looks something like this:

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1. Take a solution of zinc, sulfate or chloride. If this is not the case, you can prepare the solution yourself by dissolving the metal in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. The ingredients can be found in stores that sell radio components. Zinc chloride is used as soldering acid. Auto parts stores sell sulfuric acid, which is often used as an electrolyte in acid batteries.
2. You will need an acid-resistant container into which the zinc is first placed, and then everything is carefully and without haste filled with acid. Approximate zinc content: 400 g per 1 liter of acid. It is important to perform this action outdoors, away from fires, because the reaction releases hydrogen. An easy way to tell if acid has developed is to throw in some more zinc. If there are no hydrogen bubbles, then the reaction is complete.

   A clear solution separates from the liquid precipitate.

3. The negative wire from the current source is connected to the part intended for galvanizing. Plus connects to zinc.
4. The part and zinc are placed in the solution, and the voltage is turned on. 12 volts from the battery and charger will be enough. Under the influence of current, the dissolved metal will settle on the parts, and a piece of metal will enrich the solution.

   It is important that the wire to which the zinc is connected does not come into contact with the solution! Because of this, a reaction is possible and the process will go wrong.

5. When the process proceeds correctly, a uniform gray layer is formed on the part. The main thing is that the process does not proceed very quickly, since the metal may darken or become friable. To avoid this, a current of no more than 1 A is supplied.
6. At the end of the process, the part is washed in a food solution or water.

   This is done to neutralize acid residues.

Galvanic galvanizing does not at all involve “bathing” the body in an electrolyte. Individual car parts are galvanized using this method. During preparation, dirt and rust are removed, and phosphoric acid or rust destroyer should not be used.

Next, the piece of zinc is wrapped in cloth, preferably several times. Metal can be obtained, for example, from a disassembled round battery - the cup is made of just the necessary metal. The “plus” from the battery is connected to the cup, the “minus” remains on the machine’s ground. The wires are ideally connected with cigarette lighter clips, the main thing is that the fabric does not touch them.

A cup wrapped in a bandage is moistened with soldering acid or zinc chloride, and it is carefully moved over the workpiece. The metal will slowly settle on the surface.

At the end of the procedure, the galvanized area is washed with a solution of baking soda or water.

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Do-it-yourself galvanizing of a car - Metalworker's Guide

Galvanization is done to protect the car body from corrosion and the effects of various chemical compounds of the road surface.

The use of zinc is dictated by its low cost and pronounced chemical and physical properties.

Today we will talk about the main types of galvanizing metal, how to galvanize metal yourself at home, and what you will need for this.

Types of metal galvanizing

Today, three main types of galvanizing are used: galvanic, thermal and cold.

Galvanic galvanizing

Galvanic – aging a finished part in a bath containing zinc electrolyte. The current acts on the zinc, and it sticks to the metal surface of the body. This type of galvanizing is popular among European and Japanese car manufacturers.

Thermal galvanizing

Thermal galvanizing - the finished body is immersed in molten zinc.

This is a very effective galvanizing method that reliably protects the car body even after further processing.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to carry it out at home. Cars from Volvo, Ford, Porsche and GM brands undergo this treatment.

Cold galvanizing

This is a method in which finely dispersed zinc in the form of paint is applied to the surface of the car body, after it has been cleaned of rust and dirt . This galvanizing method is not as reliable as the previous ones, but it is much cheaper, and that is why it is used for galvanizing the bodies of economy options.

How to make galvanization in a garage

You won’t be able to carry out thermal galvanizing of a car body at home, but cold and galvanic galvanizing is quite possible .

When galvanizing metal at home, bathing the car body in a bath with electrolyte is not carried out.

Using this method, you can galvanize only a separate part of the machine body with your own hands, after cleaning its surface from rust and dirt.

Important! You cannot use rust destroyers or phosphoric acid, but if you still cannot do without them, then the part must be treated with an aqueous solution of soda.

As for cold galvanizing, it can be used in garage conditions without any problems, even if you have never done this before. The solution is applied either with a roller, or with a brush, or with a spray gun - in any way convenient for you, and dries very quickly.

This galvanizing can be used when it is necessary to process hard-to-reach parts.

How to prepare a solution for galvanizing

Before galvanizing the body of your car with your own hands, you will need to prepare a zinc-containing solution.

You will need pure zinc and sulfuric acid, which can be bought at the car market or in amateur radio stores, a container of the required size that is resistant to acid, and also some kind of power source (a regular car battery or charger is quite suitable for this).

To actually prepare the solution, you need to put a piece of zinc in a prepared container and pour acid into it in small doses (400 g of metal per 1 liter of acid). Remember! Follow safety regulations. Be sure to protect your respiratory system, eyes and hands.

Once the zinc has completely dissolved, make sure the acid has reacted completely. This can be done by adding another piece of zinc to the resulting solution: if you do not observe a reaction with the release of bubbles, then the solution is ready for use.

Step by step guide to galvanizing a car

To galvanize metal at home with your own hands, you need to do the following:

1. Take the solution you prepared.
2. Separate the clear solution from the liquid sediment.
3. Connect the minus of the current source to the part that needs to be galvanized.
4. Plus connect to a piece of zinc metal.
5. At a certain distance, place the zinc and the part in the resulting solution and apply voltage. The usual 12 V from a car battery and charger will be sufficient. Thanks to the current, the dissolved zinc will settle on the parts, and a piece of metallic zinc will dissolve and enrich the solution.
6. If everything goes well, the part will be covered with a uniform layer of gray, but if the process was very fast, the metal will darken or become loose. Therefore, the current should be no higher than 1 A.
7. When the galvanizing process is complete, you need to wash the part in a soda solution to neutralize any remaining acid.

Important! The wire connected to the piece of zinc should not come into contact with the solution, otherwise a reaction will occur and the entire galvanizing process will go down the drain.

If you follow the instructions for galvanizing a car body in a garage with your own hands and adhere to safety rules, then you will be able to handle everything.

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Do-it-yourself galvanizing of a car body

To protect the body of their car from corrosion, car owners use various methods. Some people store their cars in the garage and don’t drive them out in the winter, others wash them weekly, and others treat them with anti-corrosion materials. Unfortunately, today there is no single correct solution to prevent corrosion, but there is one method that can effectively resist the process of metal oxidation - galvanizing the car body.

This technology is far from new and has been used by some automakers for a long time. It is much more effective than all existing methods of fighting rust and can withstand it for decades. We will talk about what galvanizing a car body is in this article. We will look at existing methods of applying protective coatings in factories and at home.

What is galvanizing

Galvanizing a car body is the process of covering it with a thin layer of zinc. This metal is practically resistant to corrosion and protects structural elements not only from moisture, but also from other chemically active substances. Automobile manufacturers use galvanizing at the car assembly stage.

It can be complete or partial. In the first case, absolutely all elements of the body can be processed, both from the outside and from the inside.

The second option involves zinc coating only those parts that most often suffer from interaction with an aggressive environment: the bottom, sills, wings, etc.

Galvanizing methods

There are only three ways to apply a zinc layer to the metal of the body:

• galvanic;
• thermal;
• cold.

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Galvanic method

Galvanic galvanization of a car body involves placing it (or a separate element of it) in a container with a certain electrolyte. The container body is connected to the positive electrode of the power source, and the element being processed is connected to the negative electrode.

Without diving deeply into electrochemical processes, the technology can be described in simple language like this. Zinc particles in the electrolyte are accelerated under the influence of electricity and begin to move from the anode to the cathode, i.e. to the body, and cover it with a thin but continuous layer.

Galvanic galvanizing technology is rightfully considered the most effective way to resist corrosion, since the part is coated with a protective layer on all sides.

Thermal (thermal diffusion) galvanizing method

The thermal method involves placing the element being processed in a bath of hot zinc solution, where, under the influence of temperature, a thin layer of protection is applied to the metal.

Some car manufacturers practice applying zinc to the steel sheets from which the body is made, even during the rolling process. This method is slightly inferior in efficiency to the galvanic method, but also serves as excellent protection against rust.

The Americans were the first to produce cars with hot-dip galvanized bodies, but after a few years the technology spread to Europe.

Cold application method

This method is close to galvanic, but it does not require any capacitance. Here everything happens with the help of a special electrode, the active composition of which includes zinc. It is connected to the positive terminal of the power source, and the element being processed is connected to the negative terminal.

When the electrode interacts with the part, zinc particles under the influence of electricity move from the cathode to the anode, covering it with a protective layer. Cold galvanizing of a car body is most often used to process individual elements and is rarely used by automakers.

How to tell if your car is galvanized

Considering that not all companies that manufacture cars use the listed protection technologies, it would be a good idea to find out whether your car has undergone such treatment, and whether you can hope that its metal can resist corrosion. But how can you determine the galvanization of a car body if it is painted?

The easiest and surest way is to study the user manual. If the body has undergone similar treatment, you will definitely find the corresponding mark in the document. The second way is to check the car using the VIN code. The response received will contain information about whether the body has been galvanized.

Well, the last method is a visual inspection of the car. If the body has damage to the paintwork, and underneath you see a characteristic gray layer, you can be sure that the car is galvanized. You can also inspect the bottom, fragmentarily removing dirt and a layer of anti-corrosion from it.

It wouldn’t hurt to take a look at the floor of the cabin, after first removing the carpet.

Galvanizing car bodies: table of methods, brands and models

The table below shows popular brands and models of cars with galvanized bodies.

Galvanic galvanization	Thermal galvanization
"BMW"	"Audi"
"Mercedes Benz"	"Volvo"
"Honda" (Accord, CR-V, Legend, Pilot)	Ford (Escort, Sierra)
"Kia"	"Chevrolet"
"Hyundai"	"Opel" ("Astra", "Vectra")
"Cheri"	"Volkswagen"
"Seat"	"Porsche"
"Lada" (Granta)	"Skoda" ("Octavia", "Fabia")

Is it possible to do galvanizing at home and what is required for this?

Galvanizing a car body with your own hands is quite possible, but it does not imply complete, but partial coating of certain elements with a protective layer. These may be areas that are most susceptible to corrosion: fender liners, sills, areas under the feet of the driver and passengers, door cards, as well as places where the paintwork is damaged.

The home method of applying zinc protection is something between cold and galvanic galvanization. But more on that a little later. And now about what is required for this.

Required tools and tools:

• latex gloves;
• zinc chloride or sulfate (soldering acid);
• a piece of zinc;
• glass vessel;
• car battery or charger;
• a piece of clean rag (gauze);
• sandpaper;
• degreaser (solvent);
• baking soda solution.

If you do not have the opportunity to purchase a ready-made zinc salt solution, you can prepare it yourself. To do this, take sulfuric or perchloric acid and dissolve pieces of zinc in it in a ratio of 1:0.4, i.e. for one liter of acid – 400 g. metal

This is done as follows. Pour acid into a glass container (glass, jar) and immerse zinc in doses until they stop interacting. The reaction occurs in the form of dissolution of the metal with the release of hydrogen. Therefore, be extremely careful: work with gloves and away from open heat sources. When the reaction stops, the solution can be considered ready. Filter it and drain the precipitate. Now you can begin the actual process.

Galvanizing the body at home

Galvanizing of a car body can only be carried out in areas that have been previously cleared of paint, dirt, dust, rust, and process fluids. To do this, the area to be treated is cleaned with sandpaper, then degreased and dried.

Now you need to assemble the device itself. For it, we first need a power source that produces 12 V and 1 A output. A battery or charger for it is perfect. Next you need to make a zinc electrode.

This can be either an ordinary piece of zinc (plate, rod), or a housing (glass) from an ordinary alkaline battery. The last option is preferable and much more convenient. The electrode must be wrapped in a rag in several layers and the positive terminal of the power source must be connected to it.

In this case, do not allow the rag with which you wrap the zinc rod or plate to come into contact with the terminal.

The negative wire from the power source is connected to the car body. Next, all you need is to dip the improvised electrode into the solution and slowly move it over the surface to be treated. During this process, zinc particles will be deposited on the steel in a thin layer, creating a protective coating. If the work is performed correctly, the treated area will have a dense texture of light gray color.

Upon completion of the galvanizing process, the area is washed with a solution of table salt and dried. In the future, it can be covered with primer and painted.

Some useful tips

The area to be treated must be thoroughly cleaned and sanded with fine sandpaper so that its surface does not have visible grooves.

Do not allow the positive electrode cable or its connection to come into contact with the electrolyte.

Washing with soda solution or any other alkaline solution is required. This is the only way to neutralize acid residues. Otherwise, a relapse of corrosion processes is possible.

Periodically check the condition of the cloth on the electrode. As you work, it will gradually burn, so wrap it up in a timely manner.

Carry out all work outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, observing safety precautions. Do not allow the acid to come into contact with exposed skin or allow the generated hydrogen to come into contact with open sources of heat.

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The simplest and most effective method of galvanizing a car

The service life and reliability of a car depends 90% on the quality of its body. Therefore, when buying a car, knowledgeable people immediately evaluate this particular characteristic.

When buying used or economy cars, liquid zinc can come in handy. And it is quite possible to galvanize a car body at home.

All you need to give the body strength is some knowledge and tools.

Do-it-yourself galvanizing of the body is carried out in order to protect it from rust and the effects of chemical compounds, which are in abundance on the road. It is easier to carry out this operation once than to patch the body all the time.

Car manufacturers, as a rule, carry out this procedure only with the bottom of the body (usually only the bottom), as the most vulnerable point. Anodic protection is applied - a metal with a lower electrochemical potential compared to the main metal of the body.

Zinc is most popular due to its low cost and good chemical and physical properties.

Galvanizing a car body at home

If noticeable pockets of corrosion have formed on the body of your truck or car, but they are still not through, you need to take immediate action. As practice shows, if you do not stop body corrosion in time, the cost of subsequent repairs to your car will be many times higher. For this reason, you can’t hesitate!

In recent years, many motorists have noticed: even in large densely populated cities, road services mercilessly use salt. As a result, the bodies rot to holes in literally two to three years.

To resist the rusting process and the aggressive effects of road reagents, there is a very simple but effective way - do-it-yourself galvanizing of the body.

Galvanizing a car is carried out in order to protect the body once and for all from the formation of annoying “saffron caps”, as well as to prevent the further spread of corrosion throughout the body.

The zinc “crust” on the surface of the metal creates a kind of barrier that protects the steel from negative factors and the destructive effects of an aggressive environment. The zinc-based coating effectively resists the effects of salts, chemicals and moisture.

Please note that you can galvanize both a part of the car body (fender, trunk, hood, etc.) and any individual part. And this will require direct hands, certain knowledge, a specific set of materials and tools, as well as the desire to give your car additional strength.

How to galvanize a body yourself

The “home” method of galvanizing metal allows you to prevent the formation of corrosion on the car body and thereby reduce service costs. Liquid galvanizing can also be used for various metal products to further protect them from rust.

It must be said right away that this method is very simple and does not require large financial costs. In fact, this is the well-known Zinkor car, but with your own hands. This miracle remedy will be written in detail below, as the article progresses.

Preparatory work

This method involves the use of phosphoric acid with zinc dissolved in it, and will also require zinc (salt) batteries. You can use both small finger batteries and large batteries - in this case it all depends on the amount of work being done.

If you need to galvanize a large surface area on your car, then it is better to take large zinc batteries. First, you need to “print” them all and remove all the excess braiding.

If you wish, you can also use only the casing of a salt battery, after removing the graphite core and soot, but in principle you can leave all the “internals” in place.

On the body of the “bare” galvanized battery, on one side you need to secure a cotton pad with an elastic band, and on the other side (also using a regular rubber band) - the power wire. You can use a car battery or a suitable power supply as a power source.

How does galvanizing of a surface occur?

If you don't know how to galvanize correctly, read the short instructions first.

The “minus” from the car battery must be connected directly to the part of the body (or part) that you are going to galvanize with the battery - that is, using the battery.

We connect the wire that goes to the zinc body of the battery to the positive terminal of the battery. Please note that the negative terminal should never be disconnected, because the desired effect will not be obtained.

Before starting galvanizing, it is advisable to clean the surface to be treated from traces of rust, if any. You need to take orthophosphoric acid with zinc dissolved in it into a syringe and soak a cotton pad that is placed on the body of the salt battery. After this, you just need to move the “nozzle” over the entire area of ​​the surface being treated.

The most important thing is not to stop. If you keep the battery in one place for a long time, then burns appear, and if you move continuously over the surface, you get a neat and even layer of zinc. You will see the result almost from the first seconds.

Although some people call this method of galvanizing a car “artisanal,” it is truly a proven, simplest and, most importantly, effective way to combat corrosion. And, as an option, you can use a ready-made camping kit - a car kit for galvanizing Zinkor auto.

Using this product, you can quickly localize particularly advanced areas of rust, as well as remove all traces of corrosion on the car body. Galvanic galvanization allows you to reliably protect the metal surface from the reappearance of “saffron caps”.

Method of galvanizing metal using “white powder”

Typically, for galvanizing small areas of metal surfaces, phosphoric acid and a galvanized battery casing are most often used. However, for better processing, it is better to use soldering acid instead of phosphoric acid. It is hydrochloric acid in which zinc is dissolved. It is believed that the galvanization of the body in this case will be deeper and more durable.

You can purchase soldering acid at almost any radio electronics store. But it’s not entirely convenient that soldering acid for soldering at home is sold only in small bottles.

Therefore, if you need large volumes of soldering acid for galvanizing, it can be made at home from “white powder” - zinc chloride, which is sold by weight.

Main stages of work

Pour zinc chloride into a suitable container, then add distilled water and mix until a clear liquid consistency is formed (note that you need to wear rubber gloves when working with chemicals). From 1 kg of zinc chloride, approximately 3.5 liters of finished soldering acid are obtained.

The result is a galvanic bath, in which, if necessary, pieces of sheet steel and entire metal parts can be galvanized.

For further work, you will need a galvanized battery case and an iron bolt, at the ends of which cotton fabric must be secured with rubber bands.

The part that needs to be galvanized must first be thoroughly cleaned of rust with a grinder, using a cleaning disc with a metal brush. Before galvanizing, the metal must be “activated” - the oxide film must be removed from the surface using electricity.

How to activate metal

To do this, the positive terminal from the charger must be connected directly to the workpiece, and the negative terminal through a 20-watt light bulb to the electrode. A bolt with a cotton cloth at the end is used as an electrode, which must be moistened in soldering acid or electrolyte.

After applying current, we treat the surface of the part; as a result, the product is better cleaned of oxides. Only after this procedure can you begin directly processing the car - galvanizing the car body.

Galvanizing a car body with a battery in a garage

According to the good old tradition, pockets of corrosion on the body appear after the winter period, when the roads are sprinkled with reagent. To stop rust and prevent through corrosion, you need to stop this process as quickly as possible. And galvanizing the car will help in this situation.

For self-galvanizing you will need salt batteries, the body of which is made of zinc, a wire and a battery. A small piece of rag moistened with soldering acid is placed on the battery, and it is connected through a wire to the positive terminal of the battery. The made device must be pressed against the source of corrosion and moved carefully from side to side.

As a result of all manipulations, a film of silver coating appears on the metal surface instead of rust. An important addition to the work done will be the neutralization of the remaining acid, which can be extinguished with a solution of baking soda and water.

These are the simple “folk” methods used to perform the technology of galvanizing a car body with your own hands using the galvanic method. By the way, we forgot to mention another good product with which you can easily and quickly galvanize a metal surface - Tsinkar for cars.

For more information on how to stop rust on a car body with your own hands, you can watch a video tutorial that talks about all the nuances of galvanizing a car body at home using a battery and other methods accessible to the common driver.

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Galvanizing of a car body

It will probably not be a secret for most vehicle owners that during operation the car body begins to suffer from corrosion. There are a large number of ways to help protect yourself from such trouble. Galvanizing the body is considered the most popular and effective.

This method has been successfully used in European countries for decades. Our production is also developing and is gradually starting to use it. A huge number of those cars that were produced long before the advent of this technology are not protected. In this situation, there is a need for galvanizing the body, and you need to do it yourself.

Advice! If it is not possible to galvanize the entire body, then it is worth paying attention to those areas that are most often susceptible to the development of corrosion processes.

Advantages of galvanizing

Everyone knows that most often those parts of the car that are closest to the road surface suffer from corrosion. Why them? The answer is simple because they are exposed to chemical elements more than those further away and higher up. That is why it is necessary to galvanize the body so as not to incur constant costs for repairing individual parts in the future.

Galvanizing has a much lower cost compared to the amount you would need to pay for a new body. Almost all car manufacturers focus only on the bottom. A special anodic coating is applied to it, which is a metal that has a lower potential than the base metal from which the body is made.

Attention! Zinc is considered the most optimal material for protection, since it is low cost and has good anti-corrosion properties.

Body galvanizing methods

There are three main methods of galvanizing a car, which are most often used in practice:

• a method in which car parts are immersed in a specially prepared zinc-containing solution heated to a certain temperature is called thermal;
• The second, no less popular, is the galvanic method of galvanizing. In this case, the selected part is immersed in a special bath with zinc solution. Then an electrode having a negative charge is attached to the part, and a positive one to the bath body. As a result of this, the part is enveloped in particles that carry a positive charge;
• the third method is the cold galvanizing process. This method is similar to the galvanic method, but there is no need to immerse the desired part in a special container. It simply undergoes treatment with a special electrode, which in turn is connected to a positive charge.

Galvanizing cars at the factory

Most well-known automobile companies galvanize the body directly at the production stage. Some do this only in relation to individual parts, many galvanize the entire body. It is also practiced to galvanize the entire most vulnerable parts using a similar technology, and those less susceptible to corrosion are processed on one side.

Attention! The Lada Kalina production plant, as well as individual foreign manufacturers, use this technology.

Manufacturers of the Lada Kalina claim that almost half of the car body is galvanized. For full galvanization, individual parts are immersed in a galvanic environment.

The remaining parts that do not have a high risk of corrosion undergo only internal processing on the side where there is no full paint coating. According to automotive experts, if individual elements of Kalina’s body are not galvanized, then they are fully protected by a primer.

Basically, those areas of the body where it is not always convenient to detect the development of corrosion processes are subjected to galvanization.

There are other foreign manufacturers who introduce full or partial galvanization into production.

Some of them use the thermal galvanizing method:

Other well-known brands of cars are galvanized by immersion in a galvanic bath. These include:

• Audi;
• Honda;
• Mercedes;
• Toyota and others.

In the case when the entire car body is galvanized, its service life increases many times, but the cost of such a model will be much more expensive than a model that has not undergone this type of treatment.

How to do galvanizing yourself

Outside the factory, galvanizing of a car is most often done using the galvanic or cold method. To use them, you don’t need to follow very abstruse recommendations and technologies, since everything here is as simple as possible.

Cold galvanizing method

Before proceeding directly to the galvanizing process itself, it is necessary to first prepare the surface of the part or body. To do this, you need to clean the surface from dirt and traces of rust. after this, you can apply zinc, which has a finely dispersed state. The galvanizing process itself is similar to the spray painting method.

galvanizing method

It is possible to galvanize parts using the galvanic method, but it is quite problematic. Moreover, this process cannot be considered cheap.

preparation of solution

For galvanizing, you will need a special solution, which consists of zinc salts, zinc sulfate and zinc chloride. Since it is not always possible to purchase a ready-made solution, you will have to work hard and make it yourself. To do this, you need to dissolve zinc in hydrochloric and sulfuric acid.

advice! all the necessary tools can be purchased at car dealerships or those that specialize in selling radio components.

The zinc is placed in a suitable container and filled with acid. For one liter of acid, about 400 grams of metal are used. It is this proportion that will give a high level of galvanization.

galvanizing process

It is better to carry out all galvanizing work outside the room. Do not do this near fire or flammable materials.

Important! It is necessary to use personal protective equipment, since this work is dangerous to the skin and respiratory tract.

Before starting work, you need to make sure that all the acid has been produced, and then separate the precipitate from the main solution. the minus is connected to the selected part, and the plus is connected to the zinc. this compound is placed in a solution and a current is started. You can use a car battery as a power source.

under the influence of current, all zinc particles that are in the solution settle on the surface of the part. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the wire must be protected from contact with the solution. since this can make unpleasant adjustments to the work.

after all, that part of the wire that is at least slightly in contact with the solution itself begins to oxidize under the influence of the environment and, as a result, all the work will be in vain.

If precise and correct actions are performed, a gray layer will begin to form on the surface of the part.

After completing the galvanizing process, the part must be thoroughly washed.

Attention! Ordinary water is not suitable for washing the part. You should use a solution of water and baking soda. this mixture neutralizes acid residues.

features of using the galvanic method

After considering the method of processing individual parts of a car, the question arises of how the entire body can be galvanized. It becomes clear that in garage conditions it is not possible to make structures with a special container of such a size that the entire body can be placed there. Therefore, it will be necessary to gradually galvanize individual parts. For galvanizing, it is necessary to first prepare the surface of the part, that is, clean it with sandpaper.

Important! Under no circumstances should phosphoric acid be used to clean the surface.

During the processing process, simply wrap a piece of zinc with a cloth several times and attach a wire with a positive charge to it. The minus should go out onto the car body.

Special cigarette lighter clamps are best suited for connecting wires. The fabric with which the zinc piece is wrapped should not touch each other. You need to dip it into the resulting solution and slowly move it over the surface.

Gradually, a gray zinc layer will begin to appear on the surface, which has a slight silvery tint.

CONCLUSION

You can galvanize a car body with your own hands without special factory tools and accessories. This will help increase the body's resistance to corrosion processes and increase its service life.

When carrying out galvanizing, it is necessary to adhere to all existing safety rules and it is important to follow some simple tips that relate to chemistry and physics.

Source: https://www.autonastroy.ru/otsinkovanie-kuzova-avtomobilya/

How to galvanize a car body at home

If you begin to notice the appearance of corrosion on the body of your car, which are blind holes. Then you urgently need to galvanize these places. It can be carried out either at a professional service station or at home, by yourself.

Based on world practice, if this procedure is not carried out on time, then further repairs to the body of your car will cost much more! So hurry up! In this article we will tell you how to galvanize the body of your car at home.

What types of body galvanization are there?

Currently, there are several types of body galvanizing. We will tell you more about them below.

Galvanizing type galvanizing

This type of galvanizing involves holding a car body part in a special bath with zinc electrolyte. Due to the fact that the zinc is exposed to current, it begins to stick to the body. Currently, this type is often used on cars of Japanese and European brands.

Thermal type galvanizing

The car body is immersed in a molten zinc type. This type is very popular and also reliable, since it protects the entire surface of your car from corrosion for a long time. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to be able to do this method at home, and besides, it is only suitable for such brands of cars as Volvo, Ford, Porsche. Interesting fact: manufacturers of Mercedes and BMW cars resort to galvanic galvanizing when manufacturing them.

Cold galvanizing

This type is applied as follows. After the surface of the body that has been exposed to corrosion is cleaned, then a thin layer of paint with fine zinc is applied to it. Unfortunately, it is not as effective as the previous methods, but it is great for economy cars.

What is galvanizing? What are its advantages

What is galvanizing a car body? Is this really such a complicated procedure? We will try to answer your question.

Galvanizing a car body is the coating of corroded surfaces (or the entire surface) of the body with a special substance that contains zinc.

The initial effect is to protect the car surface from corrosion for a long period of time. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that this procedure is not so simple and very expensive.

It requires patience and considerable financial investment from the car owner. But galvanizing the body is currently a fairly popular procedure that is actively used by manufacturers of modern cars around the world! The main advantage of this method of protecting the car body from corrosion is its resistance to it, as well as the protection of the surface from moisture, salts and other external factors that have a detrimental effect on the body.

Source: https://avtoelektrik-info.ru/sovety/kak-sdelat-ocinkovku-kuzova-avtomobilya-v-domashnih-usloviyah

Types of galvanizing car bodies

The galvanized body is believed to be resistant to corrosion. It all depends on the method of applying Fn. Let's consider whether zinc really has unique properties or whether there is no point in overpaying.

Corrosion is the main enemy of every car. Moisture, temperature fluctuations, reagents scattered on the road surface, all this negatively affects the condition of the car body elements.

There are many methods for protecting surfaces from the negative influences of the environment, but it is believed that galvanizing is the most effective method, which has been used by many large automakers for quite some time.

Galvanizing is indeed very effective and has many positive aspects.

Zinc (Fn) is capable of forming a layer on the surface that will protect the car body from all aggressive components that can damage it. At the same time, the coating acts as a sealant. However, this method of protective treatment also has its drawbacks.

For example, it is very difficult to ensure the required adhesion between zinc and metal due to their different properties. In this case, the Fn layer must be clearly calculated, since from 0.85 to 6 microns of galvanizing are destroyed per year. Therefore, if the manufacturer gives a guarantee of 10-15 years, then the zinc must be applied in a layer of at least 10 microns.

A lot also depends on the specific type of processing.

Pros and cons of thermal galvanizing

Among the main advantages it is worth highlighting:

• High processing speed.
• Uniformity of the resulting protective layer.
• The strength of the body increases by 50% (but it all depends on the quality of processing and layer thickness).
• The quality of the coating does not depend on the complexity of the treated area. For example, edges and corners will also be reliably protected.
• The product does not require preliminary preparation before processing.
• The hot method of applying zinc allows you to create a layer with a thickness of 2 to 100 microns.
• For cars that have undergone full processing, the guarantee of durability of the body structure is about 15 years.

Healthy! Heat treatment is used by Porsche, Volvo and Ford.

But there are also disadvantages. For example,:

• This is a rather expensive processing method. It is necessary to prepare equipment for the conveyor, purchase huge immersion baths and much more.
• To constantly maintain the desired temperature in the bath, significant energy consumption is required.
• This type of production has a negative impact on the environment, so the manufacturer needs to take measures not to pollute the atmosphere or constantly pay large fines.
• After galvanizing, welding work is required and holes are drilled. All this violates the protective layer.
• Incorrectly performed processing will only speed up the process of body destruction.

Zinc metal

This technology involves processing not the finished product, but the metal itself during its manufacturing process. To do this, inorganic and organic polymer impurities with a high content of Fn, as well as its oxides, are added to the steel. After metal production is completed, it is molded, stamped, welded, etc. All this does not affect the quality of protection in any way.

However, zinc metal is significantly inferior to thermal and galvanic treatment. Therefore, it is more often used in the production of cars in the low-cost segment. For example, the KIA concern is a big “fan” of zinc metal.

In connection with all of the above, galvanizing can really significantly improve the characteristics of a car body. However, high-quality processing affects the final cost of the machine. Therefore, a natural question arises.

Is galvanizing really necessary?

Of course, if you ask the opinion of the owner of an Audi 80, BMW, Volkwagen or Mercedes-Benz, he will say that thanks to galvanization, the car body has remained untouched by rust for a long time. Even under difficult operating conditions, the car does not suffer from destruction of body parts. Everything is clear here; such large manufacturers are really capable of spending billions to organize a high-quality production process.

But, if we are talking about smaller concerns, then everything can change radically. For example, the owners of a Peugeot 307 with one-sided hot-dip galvanization experienced all the disadvantages of galvanizing. This treatment not only failed to provide the required level of protection, but also caused the car body to corrode much faster than metal that was not coated with zinc.

This is explained by the fact that low-quality (and sometimes even good) galvanization has the following significant disadvantages:

• We can talk about real protection only if complete galvanization has been carried out in strict compliance with the technological process.

Healthy! The table below shows vehicles that have been galvanized (partially or fully) and their level of protection.

• If the treatment is of poor quality, it will shorten the life of the car by 3-4 years.
• There is a risk that corrosion will penetrate under the galvanized layer and spread there completely unnoticed by the car owner.
• The zinc layer wears off over time, so it will have to be renewed periodically.

Some manufacturers, in order to increase the price of their products, often say that the car body is galvanized. It’s very easy to check this, just look at the technical specifications. If it simply says “galvanized,” then at most the thresholds and the bottom of the car were covered with a protective layer. Only the phrase “full galvanization” guarantees that the entire body has undergone high-quality processing.

In custody

The most amazing thing is that if you thoroughly treat the car with anti-corrosion agent, then such a coating will be no worse than galvanized coating in terms of durability and resistance to damage. Therefore, in pursuit of the best, you should think several times.

Source: https://avto-moto-shtuchki.ru/avtotekhnika/307-avto-s-otsinkovannym-kuzovom-spisok.html

What is zinc body coating

Galvanized car body

Every car owner has heard the expression “galvanized body” more than once, however, the meaning of this definition still remains unclear to many. In real operating conditions of transport, this concept characterizes the protection of the car body from the formation of corrosion centers.

Many automakers, when listing the advantages of their car, highlight the galvanized body as one of the points.

The process of galvanizing metal consists of applying a thin layer of zinc solution to metal elements, which then dries or hardens on the parts, and it is needed so that salts and reagents do not enter into a chemical reaction with the elements of the body, so that its strength is preserved.

When producing cars, engineers calculate such indicators as the rigidity of the body in bending and torsion, as well as the ability of the elements to protect the interior capsule from the penetration of impact energy during a collision. To do this, it is necessary to carefully calculate the thickness of the elements, their length and the loads acting on them.

It is very important that the metal of such structures maintains its integrity and rigidity throughout the expected life of the car. It is known that metal parts oxidize in air and undergo corrosion or rust formation , which has a negative impact on the rigidity of the body, leading to a significant decrease in safety.

It is for these reasons that cars with galvanized bodies are produced, i.e. we can say that zinc is an element of the passive safety of your car.

Types of car body galvanization

Galvanizing a car body at the factory

Galvanization is usually carried out in the industrial conditions of a car manufacturer. For this purpose, two methods of galvanizing a car body are used: galvanic galvanizing and hot-dip galvanizing.

• With the galvanic method, the car body, after it has gone through all the welding work on the conveyor, is immersed in a bath of zinc solution, and then an electric current is passed through this composition and the car body, which causes the zinc to “stick” to the metal parts.
• During hot galvanizing, a car is immersed on a skid in a bath of heated zinc solution, which, after lifting the body, cools on it and forms a thin zinc film. Hot galvanizing of metal is one of the most popular methods.

Both methods are quite effective in industrial settings. The only difference is that each automaker decides which method is the least expensive for them. In both cases, excellent adhesion of the zinc solution to the metal is observed, all hidden cavities are also galvanized. Cars with hot-dip galvanized bodies come off European assembly lines, while the Japanese use galvanizing.

The only thing that is found on budget cars is partial galvanizing of the body, i.e.

They process only those elements that during operation are most susceptible to the effects of salts and reagents: wheel arches, the bottom of the car, fenders, doors, hood cover. This method saves the manufacturer money.

And then the car body is covered with a layer of paint, the necessary parts are installed, and the fully assembled finished car goes to dealers for sale.

Self-cold galvanizing

Do-it-yourself galvanizing of a car body

During daily use of a car, there are situations when the external protective paint coating is damaged and a layer of zinc is exposed. In turn, stones, dirt, sand, snow and water when the car moves destroy this layer, which must be restored so that the part does not become rusty.

Cold galvanizing is the coating of car elements at home. To achieve this, the chemical industry produces a variety of products that help galvanize metal at home, i.e.

all work can be completed without contacting specialized workshops, which will help save the owner’s money, especially since the price of such funds is quite affordable.

It is worth noting that not all cars produced in automobile factories were galvanized.

There are still many foreign cars on the country's roads, mainly Japanese and German, which were produced in the 90s without the use of protective body technology.

Therefore, you can often observe situations where the bodies of such cars have traces of heavy corrosion, mainly in the lower part. In this case, the owners of such cars also need to protect the body of their car.

Preparing car parts for galvanizing

A car body element prepared for galvanizing

To independently protect a metal part of a car you will need:

• A room with an air temperature of 5 to 40 degrees Celsius (at such values, the zinc composition will quickly harden after application);
• Removing factory paint;
• Emery cloth with coarse and fine grain;
• Primer for galvanizing;
• Paint brush or sponge;
• Rags.

Applying a layer of zinc

Before starting the galvanizing process of a car, it is necessary to remove traces of rust and old paint from the part. For this, it is recommended to use non-aggressive means, because otherwise the surface of the element can be damaged. Next, you need to prepare a zinc composition, which consists of zinc powder and a liquid binder.

It is recommended to mix the components in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:4, because the composition must have elasticity in order to maintain the integrity of the paintwork after painting. If this is not done, the paint may crack and the entire job will need to be redone.

Also take care of the room in which you work, it should be well ventilated, because the vapors of the binder are poisonous to humans. Take measures to protect your eyes and hands from contact with zinc solution. After removing old paint and rust, you need to carefully process the part, covering it evenly.

After treating with the first layer, up to 95% of the dissolved zinc powder will remain on the surface of the element, so let it dry for about an hour, and then cover the part with the second layer. Don't forget about hidden cavities that also need to be treated.

Some experts recommend passing an electric current through the workpiece in order to repeat the procedure of galvanizing the body with your own hands. In this case, the current strength should not exceed 1 ampere, because this can make the part loose and the zinc layer with weak protective properties. Moreover, it is necessary to choose the duration of current transmission, all this will allow further avoiding corrosion of galvanization.

Article on the topic: Subtleties of deregistering a car due to disposal

Materials for performing the galvanizing procedure

Aerosol for cold galvanizing "Zinconol"

  To carry out the cold galvanizing process, it is necessary to use zinc-containing primer, which is sold in specialized stores.

The most popular means for cold galvanizing are:

• Aerosol "Zinconol";
• Corrosion protection agent “Zinkor”;
• Primer "Cinotan";
• Paint for galvanizing metal.

The most common product chosen by motorists is Zinconol, since it has all the necessary technical characteristics to protect metal. Another product that will help restore the protective functions of the metal is the composition for cold galvanizing “Galvanol”.

Painting a galvanized car body

How to paint a galvanized car body? This is a question many car owners ask. After applying the last layer of zinc, you must wait 24 hours for the solution to harden and the binder to evaporate, but be careful.

It is recommended to wash the part with a solution of baking soda; in extreme cases, you can also use water to completely remove the acid from the element.

Carry out the painting procedure in the usual way, and for this you need to apply a layer of primer, perform its finishing or fine polishing and evenly apply a layer of paintwork.  

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Source: https://auto-self.ru/ocinkovka-kuzova-avtomobilya-svoimi-rukami/