Beta problem

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NickNap

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My BETA engine anode clogs the pipes of the heat exchanger when it's wasted - resulting in the overheat alarm going off and necessitating removal and cleaning. It won't last the season without doing this. I don't mind fitting two anodes in a season, but removing and cleaning the exchanger is awkward - anyone else have this problem?
Is there any way of encouraging the wasted anode particles away from the exchanger?
cheers
Nick
 
The anode on my Beta only moderately eroded over a season, with no debris apparent in the heat exchanger.

Could it be something else causing the blockage? I have always assumed that the product of the chemical reaction dissolved in water, or was gaseous, no solids.
 
I've not had your problem with the wasted anode blocking the heat exchanger - surely the 'bits' would be too small? Are you sure it's anode bits? Do you have an inlet filter?
My problem was that the anode completely disappeared after only 6 months! The anode is glued into the brass plug and there was no evidence of any left at all! I obviously replaced it quickly and the replacement is about half worn after 6 months.
The anode in fact could be twice as long(1½") and I have a supplier who could do this - DIEMOS Ltd Tel 01227 472822. Very helpful and fitted a new anode to the brass bush when I sent it to him.
PS their Shaft Anodes are a good price too!
 
I have had this problem since fitting a 35hp Beta five years ago. Two anodes a season and having to clean the stack every year. The anode seems to flake and amalgamate in the end cap and block the lower tubes. When buying parts from the local agent recently he agreed this seems to be a common problem and that there had been some discussion of leaving the anode out which I have now done. This was very recently and I will be keeping an eye on the internals for signs of corrosion. Watch this space.
 
Hi

I know exactly what you mean because I have experienced the same thing. When I came to change the anode the for the first time, there was nothing left of it. When I went to put the new one in, it would not fit because the anode had sort of dissolved and then reformed into a lump inside the heat exchanger.

The only way to solve this was to take the heat exchanger apart, clean out the dissolved anode, and put the heat exchanger back together again. This was a very time-consuming job as you have to tighten the bolts a little at one end, then a little at the other end until it is fixed. The forward end is easily reached because it is behind the companion way steps that lift away for access. I can only get at the aft end by lying in the cockpit locker on my head and groping about trying to locate the appropriate bit to tighten. Even then I wasn't happy that I had fixed it properly and had to call the engineer to check it over for me. At a price.

So I determined I would not be doing that again and vowed to check the anode more frequently and change it more often if necessary. Also I spoke to a friend who has exactly the same engine to see what her experience had been.

Her anode hardly wears at all. So we compared the likely reasons why mine should wear and hers doesn't. We do similar amounts of sailing and similar amounts of motoring. She keeps her boat on a swinging mooring, I keep mine in a marina. Obviously, she has no access to shore power, I do.

I came to the conclusion that being in a marina and being connected up to shore power was probably not helping, so I thought I would keep an eye on this.

I spoke to Beta about the problem and they also told me I could try leaving the anode out, but I wasn't happy with that. Surely the anode is there for a reason. And if it is wasting, it is doing its job.

You have reminded me that I haven't looked at the anode for some time now. I had better put it on my list!
 
My experience with the 35hp Beta has been good - the anode lasts for a couple of seasons and I have no evidence of blockage of the exchanger (though I'll have a good look at it at the end of this season). Could it be a stray current problem?
 
Mine's on a swinging mooring so stray current unlikely to be a cause. Glad I'm not the only person this has happened to, but strange that othrs have anodes last a couple of years!
Will ask at the boat show, but sounds like others have asked before me - not sure I like the idea of removing the anode altogether either....
 
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