Copper/Steel Galvanic Corrosion

[DANNERx0]

I'm planning to build a continuous infusion mash arm for a eBIAB system as pictured below. Planning to use a Male NPT threaded steel cam lock to a Female NPT copper fitting.

Should I be worried about galvanic corrosion where the copper connects to the steel? If so, what can I do to prevent it?

 

[mainiac]

I am actually taking a similar approach on the brewing system that I myself am building. The nobility of copper and passive SS are both high (they are right next to each other on the galvanic scale), so I do not believe that they would be likely to react with each other. I am not a metallurgist, but I think it is a safe combination.

 

[SpentBrains]

Yes you should worry about any dissimilar metal use especially in a salt infused or electric current charged liquid immersion which accelerates electron loss. I'll try to find a chart online, but the more dissimilar the metals the quicker and more destructive your galvanic loss will be.

Using different metals is the same thing as electro galv. plating. the metal for the plating comes from somewhere and gets deposited on something...

Mitigation? sacrificial zinc anode like on outboard motors but the zinc will end up in the beer. You certainly could try teflon thread tape as an insulator, but I'm guessing you've already ruled out SS because of either cost or availability? Eventually you won't be able to get those two parts apart non-destructively.

Meanwhile here's a link:

http://www.legrand.us/cablofil/tech_resources/tg-materialsandfinishes.aspx

 

[LarMoeCur]

Go all copper or all SS. They make copper camlocks. Not sure of the price.