Field Trials of Magnesium Anodes

The problem of premature failure of galvanized steel hot‐water tanks and, more occasionally, galvanized steel cold‐water cisterns, has attracted much attention. For several years the B.N.F.M.R.A. have been investigating the causes of these failures and remedial measures and in the course of this work have organised fairly extensive field trials on the use of magnesium anodes for providing cathodic protection of the galvanized steel. In trials lasting about seven years at a number of sites where there has been a history of early failures of galvanized steel tanks or cisterns, it has been demonstrated that magnesium anodes provide a satisfactory answer.