Beta 14 eating anodes at a blistering rate

[JPA Cate]

Thank you VERY MUCH, SailorChic. Much appreciated.

Ann

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Compass790

Talked to a boatie who had a Beta 14 last summer & he said he had to get his heat exchanger replaced very early. had a helluva battle with the Beta agent to get it replaced under warranty. He had to get a report from an engineer who stated the materials used in HX construction were not suitable & threaten a court case. Got a replacement from Beta eventually & he said replacement was different alloy was a different alloy.
Not saying that is your problem but maybe it could be.
He liked the engine apart from that though.

This could well be the OP's fundamental problem - the HX construction is unsuitable for the job and the zinc's are working overtime to the defect.

Perhaps Beta had a "bad watch" and the OP got one of the lemons - would't be the first time.

If so, the is no easy/simple fix except to keep the zincs up and start counting the pennies for another (better) HX.

[nilespf]

Wotname,my comment was made to have the OP make sure an unknown path via an incorrectly connected lightning arrestor to the block could provide the path. However, given the speed in which the zink is dissolving, I'm inclined to believe there is a source of current rather than the prototypical dissimilar metal enveloped in an electolyte. The zink is in electrical contact with the block. The block is in electrical contact with the heat exchanger which is in electical contact with the zink via the electrolyte. I'm troubled with the speed in which all this is happening. My suggestion is to once again shut down all the electrical systems on the boat but do not isolate the battery. Then disconnect the (at the battery) connection to the negative side of the battery and measure the current returning.


PN

[sailorchic34]

question to the o p. Is your throttle and transmission shifter mounted on your steering column. If it is, is there a zinc on your Rudder. If not then, the pencil zinc might be protecting the rudder bits as well. That could definitely do it.

The other thing to check it's to make sure you don't have continuity between your engine flange and prop flange. It's not unheard of for an insulating washer to fail.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by nilespf

Wotname,my comment was made to have the OP make sure an unknown path via an incorrectly connected lightning arrestor to the block could provide the path. However, given the speed in which the zink is dissolving, I'm inclined to believe there is a source of current rather than the prototypical dissimilar metal enveloped in an electolyte. The zink is in electrical contact with the block. The block is in electrical contact with the heat exchanger which is in electical contact with the zink via the electrolyte. I'm troubled with the speed in which all this is happening. My suggestion is to once again shut down all the electrical systems on the boat but do not isolate the battery. Then disconnect the (at the battery) connection to the negative side of the battery and measure the current returning.


PN

Reasonable suggestion and with trying (MHO).
I agree the speed is alarming and your suggestion makes sense.
However if the HX is a lemon, it is possible that the zinc is just doing it's job in a very hostile environment. The OP did report that the engine has always chewed up zincs but is now getting worse so I'm torn between armchair deciding what is the root cause.

Really he has to investigate / try all (most?) of the suggestions so far or buy zincs by the dozen.

A radical method could be to disconnect all the wiring from the engine for say a month, fit a new zinc in the HX and note the rate of zinc depletion. If slow, then it's stray current (from onboard). If still fast, then it is galvanic action from within the engine - most likely the HX itself.

[nmccubbin]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Usually if some diodes are bad, alternator output is effected. Usually alternator won't produce full output. To test overall, disconnect wiring to alternator, meter leads to the pos (main wire to battery) and the case. Then switch leads. You should have high resistance in one position and low resistance in the other.
Most autoparts stores will test the alternator for free.
My guess is the zincs are getting wasted from a constant small source. If it was my boat, I'd shut everything off, disconnect one cable from the battery and measure between the cable end and the battery post. See if there's voltage. If there is voltage, start disconnecting items (one at a time) from the system and then recheck for voltage as before. Keep removing items until the volts are zero.

Lepke,
When you say to disconnect one battery terminal and put the voltmeter across the gap, what voltage should I see if there is a leak? Full battery voltage?