Aluminum Treatment that Conducts

[brtech]

Okay you metal experts out there. What would a suitable treatment to an aluminum piste section camlock that prevents oxidation, but conducts be? Nothing is going to be rugged enough, but is there something reasonably appropriate?

[Mergs]

Not exactly sure what you are asking for. Is the camlock corrosion because of dissimilar metals? ie is the camlock carbon/stainless steel and the piste aluminum and the issue being corrosion of one or the other affecting the conductivity from piste section to section?

If that is the case, then there is no way you're going to avoid it. One thing you can do, though, is try good old petroleum jelly, aka vaseline. It won't prevent corrosion, but it'll slow it down.

Another thing to do would be to plate/coat the camlock with a metal that has a lower galvanic potential coupling than the steel to aluminum coupling.

Otherwise, just keep wire brushing the corrosion off until you get to a point of having to replace the camlock.

Hope that helps.

[brtech]

Its aluminum to aluminum

It's not practical to wire brush the camlock every time you set up a strip.

We could do it once every 3-5 years

[Monash_Armourer]

Chromate conversion coating might be an avenue worth looking into. I'm not sure if it provides wear resistance like anodizing does, but it should atleast stop oxidation forming on the aluminium. I have no idea how costly it'd be either.

This might provide a little more info:

http://www.pioneermetal.com/finishes/chromate.php

[Mergs]

Anodizing creates a non-conducting surface. You would want alodine, but it isn't very durable.