Hi,

I have read much on the problems encountered with marine corrosion affecting marinette aluminium boats and thought this press release may come in handy.


SEABIS
exclusively prevents electrolysis corrosion

P.O.Box 4280
Bay Village 2261 Sydney Australia
02 4333 1996
www.seabis.net

COMPANY REACHES MILESTONES IN MARINE INDUSTRY-

find out why SeaBis is the first in the prevention of marine electrolysis corrosion


Aldinga Beach, Adelaide (September 6, 2008) – Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd, the manufacturers of SeaBis, today announced that they are the first company to develop a maintenance kit for boats and marina’s that prevents electrolysis corrosion. This achievement underscores Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd’s key role in the Marine and Boating Industries.

This significant milestone will be marked by SeaBis penetrating the global market with distributor enquiries coming out of Dubai, Canada and the US. “ Penetrating the international market is a great milestone for our SeaBis product,” said Glen Bishop, engineer and Director of Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd “We are very pleased that our customers have recognized the value of SeaBis. Penetration of the international market is the result of our commitment to fit all vessels (boats), irrespective of size, and marinas with a SeaBis electrolysis Corrosion Prevention System and this will motivate us to continue seeking on sellers and marine technicians throughout the world.

Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd has been involved in the development of the SeaBis Electrolysis Corrosion Prevention System since Jan 1985. It is known for such products as marine electrolysis corrosion prevention systems for boats and marina’s along with vessel corrosion analysis and anti fouling research and development. Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd is in a great position to build its sales internationally. We are definitely on our way to achieve the sale of 40 SeaBis Electrolysis Corrosion Prevention Systems each week,” added Glen, Director of Podean Electronic Industries. The company has recently indicated plans to send an engineer to Dubai to consolidate the first distributorship in the Emirates and has started to negotiate plans for the promotion of SeaBis into the Middle East.



SeaBis
The SeaBis Electrolysis Corrosion Prevention Systems are the only one of its kind that are capable of preventing electrolysis corrosion as opposed to slowing it down or limiting it.
There are many products in the market that limit or slow down marine corrosion, however, none have been found to be able to prevent the problem. SeaBis does.
Industry trends indicate boat owners seeking a solution to marine corrosion is on the increase as cost of corrosion damage escalate from year to year. Research indicated that out of 472 boats slipped per month
82% suffered electrolysis corrosion of which 78% had electrolysis corrosion damage.
“All should have a SeaBis fitted” says slipway owner, Allan Beswick from Access Yachts. John Hanley from Luxury Yacht Refinishers Pty Ltd was quoted to say “yes, all boats should be fitted with SeaBis, anyone solving this problem stands to make a fortune”. John slips around 25 boats per month.
Podean Electronic industries is one of the only Company’s that backs SeaBis with a full money back guarantee.

About Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd
Founded in 1985 Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd is the inventor and manufacturer of the popular SeaBis electrolysis corrosion prevention systems. Its SeaBis product is known for exclusively preventing marine electrolysis corrosion. The company’s mission is for boat owners to install SeaBis electrolysis Corrosion Prevention System to all boats and make SeaBis a household name in the marine industry. Podean Electronic Industries Pty Ltd currently serves distributors throughout Australia and New Zealand with upcoming distributors in Dubai, Canada and Florida, and manufactures as an Australian product in the greater Adelaide area. It has achieved grant funding and is supported by Austrade for its SeaBis product.. For more information about SeaBis, visit its website at www.seabis.net or request a product guide by emailing admin@seabis.net or contacting Angelika Koop ob 02 4333 1996



Notes for editors: Glen Bishop is available for comment and can be reached on 02 4333 1996

Lots of touting in the release with no mention of methodology. Wish we knew more about the product. Do you work (or any other affiliation) for them?

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Joel Albert, Potomac MD
"Charlie B" - 32' FBS
docked Deale, MD

An Aussie version of Merc Cathode, perhaps?

Jeff

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I'm STILL waiting for my bailout!

That's the Mercathode system, Doug. Very common in USA

Jeff

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I'm STILL waiting for my bailout!

Reply for jralbert: Lots of touting in the release with no mention of methodology. Wish we knew more about the product. Do you work (or any other affiliation) for them?

Methodology is simple- install the product ( hard wired to boat), detect stray current, source and eliminate stray current continue to monitor for stray current- boat has now been freed from stray current and remains free of stray current once and for all - hence no electrolysis. Can't get much simpler than that.

All the product details are provided on the web site. Yes I do have an affiliation with the organisation and have heard so many positive results from boaties who have installed the product I just thought I would share it around. They even provide personal contacts to boaties who are using the product and have had results up to 5 years and more. http://www.seabis.net/testimonials.htm.

Angeleika1 attached the following image(s):

Fastjeff:An Aussie version of Merc Cathode, perhaps? That's the Mercathode system, Doug. Very common in USA -Jeff
dougrose:I wasn't familiar with the Mercathode system, thanks for the reference. It seems to be designed to protect the outdrives on a fiberglass boat. I didn't know that these systems came so small, my experience is all with larger craft.

I wonder if anyone sells a system suitable for a Marinette? It is hard to tell if Seabis really is such a system.

dougrose:The Marinette system uses an electrode of known properties submerged in the water, and has a voltmeter that measures the "battery" formed by the electrode and the hull. When the voltage reading equals the known voltage between the water and the electrode, then the voltage between the water and the hull must be zero.

This system seems to do the same thing, but uses some existing part of the boat as the electrode. I'd want to know a lot more before buying one. The explanation is nil.

Big ships often use a system that forces current from an electrode in the water to the hull backwards from the natural "battery". Hydrogen bubbles form on the hull. It takes power to do this, and I have never seen it for small boats.

in reply to seaBis being the same as MerCathode System- No it is nothing like the mercathode system as quote "The Mercury Precision MerCathode system provides automatic protection against galvanic corrosion. It is a solid-state device that operates off a boat's 12-volt battery and provides protection by impressing a reverse blocking current that stops the destructive flow of galvanic currents. If your power package does not come already equipped with a MerCathode system, Mercury strongly recommends that you install one, particularly if your boat is equipped with a stainless steel propeller or other submerged stainless steel hardware."

Firstly the SeaBis system DOES NOT MEASURE VOLTAGE it detects and can measure stray current - to the best of my knowledge there is no other system or product that can measure stray current available - please correct me if I am wrong.

SeaBis does not use electrodes of known properties submerged in the water nor does it use a voltmeter to measure the battery- it uses a stray current detector which is hard wired to the boat creating the boat to be open circuited -

Here is how it works:

1. Installation Instructions - instructions explain how to install the system.
2.The stray current detector measures(electrical)stray current through any metal in contact with water.
3. The Anode Voltage Tester tests the effectiveness and activity levels of anodes attached to the boat
4. The Battery isolators electrically isolate the battery - using a manual or automatic switch
As a non isolated MANUAL System -The boat owner isolates the engine manually when it is off using a manual switch
As a non isolated AUTOMATIC system The engine is isolated automatically when it is off, using a switch that automates the on and off engine isolation switching
5. " Process of Elimination" Repair Instructions-instructions explain how to eliminate the stray current once it has been detected
6. Wiring Diagrams-assist with the installation of the SeaBis stray current detector

Conclusion: As Easy as 1,2,3.

Step 1. Identify the cause (corrosion caused by stray current),Step 2. Install a SeaBis Electrolysis Corrosion Prevention System Step 3. Test and correct the state of your sacrificial anodes Step 4. Eliminate stray current using the process of elimination instructions

Boat/vessel is now free of stray current

If you are really interested in finding technical answers and the product explanation and wiring diagrams on how the system works are not clear enough on the website please be my guest and ask their engineers they offer a FREE help line service where you can pose these questions and get direct answers from qualified marine engineers themselves.http://www.seabis.net/askanengineer.htm

Naturally as with any product before spending any money it would be wise to engage in due diligence and explore what you are buying before spending the money- one consolation is they provide a full money back guarantee- thats one way for them to get behind the product.

At the end of the day its all very simple - if you have electrolysis protection and it works - stay with it - if you don't and you want long term protection - guaranteed- explore the product and try it.

I think that the true measure of value is what you GET with a purchase, not what it might cost if you don't get it. The hardware supplied is a battery switch that looks very similar to the BEP Model 701 which is $35 at Bass Pro Shops. The meter looks like a standard digital VOM which sells for anywhere from $7 to $500 but you can get a really nice one for well under $100. And the stray current detector and monitor is a small box with some LED indicators and unknown circuitry. It is likely expensive since it may not be a mass-production item. And there are manuals and online support, nothing to sneeze at. Still, the introductory offer of $995 seems a little steep.

A part of this system appears to be isolating the engine from the battery. This is a good idea, since any stray current from the wiring system will find its way down the shaft and into the water, with bad effects.

Seabis provides shutoff switches so that the battery can be completely isolated from the engine. These 275 Amp switches are far too light for my boat, I need about 1200 cranking amps, but may be too light even for the usual V-8 gas engine.

In any event, every Marinette has electrical isolation between shaft and engine, and between shaft and hull. The underwater components are isolated without needing shutoff switches. The stainless shaft and bronze prop are their own world, protected by a zinc on the shaft.

Similarly, the rudders are isolated from the hull with plastic bushings and protected with zincs.

So, the only "wet metal" on my boat is the hull itself. The DC wiring is all within the hull, so there is no way that current can get out into the water.

Stray current in marinas is a problem, most commonly AC. I have seen it in mine, although the owner replaced the docks and wiring a few years ago and it has been fine since. A friend of mine protected his boat by draping a single piece of copper wire around three sides of his slip to route stray current around his boat.

We had one boat that put 12 VDC directly into the water through a miswire, and it caused currents in all the nearby boats. It showed up at my boat as about 150 mV between one prop shaft and the other! We troubleshot it by unplugging one boat at a time until it went away.

A device that can detect stray currents better than a good VOM would be very handy indeed. Still, I would want to know its principle of operation before scheckelling out for one. And, if you think I'm a hard sell, try FastJeff!

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"I remember when welfare was for poor people..."

Hi Doug,

I am the designer of SeaBis System and have been asked to clarify. Thank you for your honest appraisal.

Firstly I am pleased to meet someone who has done the due diligence. The following explanations are a little lengthy, but have to be to explain matters correctly.

To respond to your points:

1.“I think that the true measure of value is what you GET with a purchase, not what it might cost if you don't get it.” Of course totally agree with you and to be honest with you most products have been costed in accordance with their design, production, assembly and packaging etc and one would hope the value for dollar would be determined by product price and cost savings.

The SeaBis unit uses a microprocessor (small dedicated computer) to get accuracy and safety,

Accuracy. The microprocessor automatically adjusts threshold levels for 12 volt or 24 volt systems. The reason is 24 volt boats are generally larger so have a much greater wet metal area to pass the stray current. Accuracy on a 12 volt vessel is 0.0001 amp. We flash red Critical, on a 12 volt boat at 1 milliamp (0.001 amp – you will be able to see the electrolysis within 3 months.
Through to Amber - Caution at 0.00025 amp – you will be barely able to see electrolysis in one year.
To Green – Normal. The stray current is far too low to cause electrolysis – ever.

Safety. SeaBis limits the flow of stray current through itself to 2 mAmps -0.002amp. So ensuring absolute safely. It is dual fused so no matter what fault is present, irrespective of its use, no harm can occur - ever.

The VOM, or any multimeter whatsoever, used on voltage cannot indicate stray current. It can indicate the potential for current to flow. Not the actual current.

If used on milli amps, assuming the defects are on the negative side of the battery and you place the meter from the positive side to the wet metal. It will indicate stray current.

There are two problems:

All the defects are in parallel with the meter so will share the current. Very inaccurate. You are effectively placing a short across the battery through the meter in your hands. This is extremely dangerous and results in far too many battery explosions every year. The battery generate hydrogen gas – as was used in the Zeppelins, all of which exploded in a fire ball.

For full explanations on using a multimeter of any make, type or model see http://www.seabis.com.au/tips.html and scroll down the page to multimeter.

2. Electrical Isolation of engine and propulsion. “wet metal”

The one current path not isolated is the manifold/s. Cooling water through the sea to the seabed.

A bit technical but here goes: Resistance in fresh water, where the voltage difference is 12 volts, as is normal from manifolds to the seabed, is one ohm per meter. Energy loss, ie current actual quantity reduction, by energy exchange to heat in the water, is 10% in 50 meters. So if the depth of water is 50 meters and stray current is at 10 milliamps your vessel will receive 9 milli amps (0.009 amp). We commonly measure 100 milli amps and I have personally measured 9 amps of stray current. We flash red, on a 12 volt vessel at 1 milliamp. If your vessel is generating stray current it will pass to every vessel within 100 meters, causing electrolysis of all wet metal, engine manifolds, propeller hull glands, rudders …

3.Switches.

We have chosen the switches by PROVEN quality. WE don’t want any on site problems and switches are one area to be thought about carefully.

1200 cranking amps. I assume this is peak current figure, not RMS but please correct me if I am wrong. Typically there is a 10 to 1 ratio. So 1200 cranking amps has an RMS value of 120 amps.For verification see http://www.amelec.com.au/products.php?product=batteryswitches-manual and download their PDF on specifications.

Choice of switch for medium to large diesel or large petrol see http://www.seabis.net/productlist.htm and scroll down to Manual Battery Switches as options, with current ratings – actual proven ratings of RMS 275 to 350 amps, in cranking current peak terms 2750 to 3500 amps. For higher current ratings please contact me. Be wary if the seller quotes 2500 amps. Peak or RMS???

I hope I have answered your questions. Text is more difficult to pass detail as response is much slower and often less accurate. There is photographic proof at www.seabis.com.au Related links: Proof…

Regards,
Glen Bishop marine engineer
61 (0)8 8556 6593
info@seabis.net

File Attachment(s):
SEABIS.JPEG (22kb) downloaded 2 time(s).

RMS on Direct Curent? Please explain! RMS = Root Mean Squared is the methoid used to measure AC voltage! I think you probably mean peak amps.

If not please explain to old dumb electrician.

Roger

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The trouble with getting old, There is a lot of info in memory, I either can't find it or don't trust it if I do!

Hi Dave,

You understand well. SeaBis is a tool to identify the cause of stray current, accurately and immediately. The System provides guidance to repair the cause. Monitoring is ongoing as 80% of vessels will experience a new cause within 1 year.

Accuracy: A wire as thin as a human hair will easily conduct 0.1 amp. We flash red at 0.001 amp of stray current.

Safety: SeaBis limits the current being monitored to 0.002 amp so measuring is totally safe.

Portable system. The Marina Management System is portable and used by the Marina Maintenance Persons to identify the cause of stray current in the water. Commonly used by Surveyors. Principally to warn clients. It also reduces their legal liability in Duty of Care.

Because the SeaBis eliminates all stray current no electrolysis can occur hence it protects the vessel from electrolysis damage- permanently.

Regards,

Glen Bishop

Designer