Cleaning Bronze Raw Water Components

[Amustad]

Sorry if this is a repeat question. I did a search and could not find the topic.

I'm looking for an easy and safe way to clean the green patina off Groco raw water strainers and seacocks. I know it's normal green, but I want to make it look professionally restored.

Two steps: clean and protect

Groco told me to try DR X, a sodium chloride concoction. It's expensive at over $30/Qt. I just bought one to try.

But then what? I need to coat the bronze to delay the return of the green patina.

Ideally, I'd like to find something easy and cheap. Something I can spray on and wash off, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[Pete7]

Used to put our inter cooler and pipes in the dishwasher on hot with lots of salt. Worked really well until the wife came home early one day

A bench polishing wheel would be perfect, perhaps an angle grinder with a brass wire wheel. Use one to clean the paint off our bronze prop and it makes light work of paint and barnacles etc.

Pete

[Amustad]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Used to put our inter cooler and pipes in the dishwasher on hot with lots of salt. Worked really well until the wife came home early one day

HaHa! Hard to sweep that one under the rug

[SailingHarmonie]

A good cleaning agent for this is oxalic acid and a stainless or brass wire brush (NOT steel!) Wear gloves, it's not very corrosive, but although it is a "natural" material, it is toxic in large amounts. Phosphoric acid will also work. You are asking a lot for a material to dissolve copper and tin salts that is spray on, wash off, easy, safe and cheap... Easy/Safe/Cheap Pick two! You really don't want to dissolve that patina and wash the result into the ocean. That would be bad. Copper and--especially tin--salts are very toxic to marine life.

The way to avoid the green returning is to keep salt water off. I have bronze parts in my engine room that were installed 5 years ago and look almost new, a bit duller, but no green at all. I don't get salt water on the OUTSIDE of my seacocks. If it happens I rinse them off. Just routine engine room care.

But in the long run, if you don't want it green, well... you'll have to change materials, or keep working it. Nobody I know spends the money to install bronze plumbing bits and then coats it with a hard finish. The green patina is exactly HOW bronze protects itself from saltwater corrosion.

You can apply wax and that will certainly help, but is hardly permanent.

If you want it to stay really shiny, you'll just have to polish it regularly.

[Jim Cate]

Some fastidious folks paint their bronze (below deck) fittings. If done correctly it will last for years. There have been threads here on CF with methodology and pix.

I think it silly...

Jim

[deblen]

After cleaning to shiny,spray with clear laquer spray in a can.


The green patina is normal & is mostly caused by sweat/condensation appearing on the exterior of the fitting while cold water flows thru it-or when the exterior of the fitting gets damp/wet for any reason.


Cleaning: https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-li...copper-cleaner

[Wotname]

Chrome plating will prevent the return of the green patina and keep the bronze item shiny for a very long time but I guess you are really wanting it to still look like bronze.

The only method I have seen work is clear coating with a rattle can of spray lacquer or clear enamel - but like all paint, it breaks down after a while. The time period is dependant on preparation, environment and painting skills.

I'm with Jim here, leave it green, that is what it is meant to look like in a nautical setting unless you have a crew of brass polishers on board.

[Amustad]

[QUOTE=deblen;3752234]After cleaning to shiny,spray with clear laquer spray in a can.

The lacquer (or maybe clear urethane?) spray is a good idea but more difficult to implement. It would be best to do that prior to the installation (which I'll do next time).

Maybe a wax spray or PTFE coating?

[wrwakefield]

Cleaning has already been addressed above by others.

To keep the bronze from re-greening, we coat our [clean and corrosion free] bronze throughhull components [those inside the hull] with CorrosionX.

It lasts for years and they don't green out. A light coat is all that is needed. It stays 'oily' for a long time...

We also rinse with fresh water whenever doing maintenance in an area with throughhull fittings...

I don't know if it is the best solution- and is absolutely not the only one- but CorrosionX works well for us.

Cheers, Bill

[Amustad]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

Cleaning has already been addressed above by others.

To keep the bronze from re-greening, we coat our [clean and corrosion free] bronze throughhull components [those inside the hull] with CorrosionX.

It lasts for years and they don't green out. A light coat is all that is needed. It stays 'oily' for a long time...

We also rinse with fresh water whenever doing maintenance in an area with throughhull fittings...

I don't know if it is the best solution- and is absolutely not the only one- but CorrosionX works well for us.

Cheers, Bill

Yes, I'll try that. Thanks

[Searles]

The only long term sure fire answer is to gold plate the bronze,pasts almost literally for ever ,and not that unusual,��⛵️⚓️

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Searles

The only long term sure fire answer is to gold plate the bronze,pasts almost literally for ever ,and not that unusual,��⛵️⚓️

You brought up an interesting point.
When I got a compass with a polished brass binnacle the dealer told me that for $200 he would have it gold plated and I would never have to polish it again.
I didn't but wish I would have.
Today it would cost half a fortune.
I've been on several boats where the owners have had the bronze toilets chrome plated, that seems like a good idea, it sure makes a better visual for the head and so much easier to keep clean.