i noticed tonight when filling my water softener tank that the metal rods(in brine tank, part of a shut off mechanism) don't have any rust. they aren't galvanized, just plain steel. i would think sitting in salt water would have done them in. so, what gives?

 

Not as much oxygen?

 

Probably stainles.

 

No air! Air has to be present for rust to occur.

 

Metal at the bottom of the ocean rusts. Rust is oxidization of the metal. Water has oxygen in it. Stainless is resistant to oxidization. Water softeners are made of stainless.

 

thats just it, it's not stainless, aluminum, galvanized, or coated. plain old 1/8" rod. the tank is not air tight. it holds about 400# of salt(pellets or block). the salt itself dose not contact the rod,but it is (the rod)in salt water. i rebuilt part of the system about 4 years ago. it needed new washers on the float assembly. they were zinc plated,( zinc coating only lasted a few months) but now there just gray in color.
my whole reason for asking is maybe this lack of corrosion could be applied to our trucks somehow. i had thought of anodes like my boat has, but didn't think it would work well.