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Electrolytic reaction - aluminum with stainless and brass

April 28, 2010

I need to fit a plate and tap to several 400 gallon black plastic water tanks which are being used for rainwater harvesting.

Plate that covers exit is 3mm plain aluminium. 4 bolts hold it in place and according to reply on this site if I use 18/8 stainless bolts there will be no reaction with the aluminium.
I cannot get a stainless steel tap. Can anyone tell me whether a brass tap would be OK or would it be better to use a plastic connection through the aluminium plate and fix the tap to the plastic tubing. Worry is that plastic would go brittle after time.

Chris Dore
Engineer and environmental gardener - Southampton, United Kingdom

Hi, Chris. This seems to be for your own personal use, and I'd just put a lot of teflon tape on the brass tap and screw it on in :-)

If this is for a product line, though, I don't think plain uncoated aluminum plate is sufficiently corrosion resistant regardless of what the bolts and tap are made of.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Ted is available for instant help
or longer-term assistance.
April 28, 2010

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