SaltAway: did I get snookered?

R

Roy & Dixie

New member
After several suggestions to use SaltAway to clear, and keep clear the cooling passages in my F80, 1999 Yahama engine, I researched the product on-line. Their web page described all their claims, uses, and noted an applicator to put in-line between water hose and ear muffs. I called the major marine dealer in Ocala, FL (who caters to mostly inland, fresh water boaters) and asked if they sold SaltAway and they responded they did; that I could purchase a 1 qt concentrate bottle which includes the in-line applicator. When I arrived at store, the product is actually labeled: marPRO Salt Off. The directions and applications are exactly what I read on SaltAway's web page. The marine store said that the product is actually made by SaltAway and that at one time marPRO simply glued their label over the SaltAway label. I went ahead and made the purchase and plan to use it today. Does anyone know if the 2 products are, in fact, the same?
 
You "came to a fork in the road" and took it. I'd have done the same thing. It's easy to use, my Suzis actually have two flushing ports I use, one on the front for the upper engine water systems and one on the side for the lower unit. Need to use it to see why the stbd engine isn't peeing. At least I know that the over temp sensor works.

Charlie
 
This is timely. I was looking at their website today and deciding whether to try it or not. The previous owner of my boat probably never flushed the twin hondas and every time I use them, either in fresh or salt, the flow indicators get a grain or two in them and I have to clear them with a weedwacher line. Can repeated applications of saltaway actually clean a lot of the salt out of the water passages?
 
Miafun1":1cep5vo6 said:
Hmmmm.... Doesn't salt desolve in water??
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Yes, if the salt is elemental and free grains. The salt in the passages become very hard because of the heat, due to engine heat being transferred to the salt water--almost like a glaze. If you cannot rinse out the engine when running in salt water, then best to use one of the salt dissolving products.
 
I flush my Honda BF115 with fresh water after every use with fresh water, but wash down the entire boat, to include the canvas, with Saltaway. At the end of the season, I thoroughly flush the engine with Saltaway, albeit occasionally when convenient, I will flush the motor with Saltaway.

For those of you who rinse down your boat after being in salt water all day, you may have noticed that even after doing so, there may still remain a filmy salt residue on its surface unless you have rinsed its surface with fresh water for a very long time. Saltaway does a better job of removing this salt residue.

My reasoning for using Saltaway on my boat's surface is to dissolve any salt crystals formed in the pores of the canvass -- the presence of which could cause abnormal fabric wear. Please remember that Sunbrella is an Acrylic, which is very resistant to UV, but is more susceptible to abrasion then other fabrics. Saltaway also helps to remove salt crystals from other recessed areas as well as on my boat's general flat surface areas.

The area where I boat has higher salinity then the ocean, and on hot days, the salt thickly cakes onto the surface of my boat forming crystals. So in line with what Bob stated, it just made sense to me to use this product, but mostly on my boat's surface.



Rich
 
A Chamois (synthetic or natural) also will leave the surface dry and free of salt.

As far as salt on the Sunbrella--my sail boat covers and Bimini's were mostly rinsed off with rain-the Sunbrella lasted many years. If you are going to be taking the covers off, binding them etc, then definitely clean them. But we do this because of the vinyl windows etc, zippers etc as much as the Sunbrella.
 
I bought the Salt-Away for the applicator, now that the Salt-Away is gone I use white vinager- works just as good and a lot cheaper.
 
C-Hawk":2hud6oyl said:
I bought the Salt-Away for the applicator, now that the Salt-Away is gone I use white vinager- works just as good and a lot cheaper.
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When you mix salt with vinegar and water, it creates a salt: sodium acetate. Also, spraying a mild solution of Acetic acid on metal surfaces such as copper wires could cause corrosion. Salt Away, or just plane water will yield good results without negative consequences.

Rich
 
C-Nile":2dlxzngi said:
C-Hawk":2dlxzngi said:
I bought the Salt-Away for the applicator, now that the Salt-Away is gone I use white vinager- works just as good and a lot cheaper.
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When you mix salt with vinegar and water, it creates a salt: sodium acetate. Also, spraying a mild solution of Acetic acid on metal surfaces such as copper wires could cause corrosion. Salt Away, or just plane water will yield good results without negative consequences.

Rich
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Rinsing salt out with Salt Away also creates a salt - Sodium Sulfamate. In fact any acid will contain a counter ion that will make a salt with sodium. What matters is whether or not the solution increases the solubility of the various compound (including NaCl) that create a scale on the metal surfaces. Sulfamic acid (the primary active component of saltaway) is a weak acid but is a much strong acid than acetic acid. Either, if left in contact with metal at high enough concentrations for long enough will cause corrosion and both should be followed with additional fresh water. Sulfamic acid (being a stronger acid) is much better at removing the deposits that attach themselves to surfaces. It should be noted that "salt" - e.g. NaCl is probably not the only concern in terms of what clogs up engine components or creates the films we see on many things. Magnesium and calcium carbonates are also in sea water and they are responsible for the "scale" or "lime" deposits we see in many things. Weak acids are particularly good at removing these other types deposits.
 
rogerbum":30bqb42z said:
C-Nile":30bqb42z said:
C-Hawk":30bqb42z said:
I bought the Salt-Away for the applicator, now that the Salt-Away is gone I use white vinager- works just as good and a lot cheaper.
Click to expand...

When you mix salt with vinegar and water, it creates a salt: sodium acetate. Also, spraying a mild solution of Acetic acid on metal surfaces such as copper wires could cause corrosion. Salt Away, or just plane water will yield good results without negative consequences.

Rich
Click to expand...

Rinsing salt out with Salt Away also creates a salt - Sodium Sulfamate. In fact any acid will contain a counter ion that will make a salt with sodium. What matters is whether or not the solution increases the solubility of the various compound (including NaCl) that create a scale on the metal surfaces. Sulfamic acid (the primary active component of saltaway) is a weak acid but is a much strong acid than acetic acid. Either, if left in contact with metal at high enough concentrations for long enough will cause corrosion and both should be followed with additional fresh water. Sulfamic acid (being a stronger acid) is much better at removing the deposits that attach themselves to surfaces. It should be noted that "salt" - e.g. NaCl is probably not the only concern in terms of what clogs up engine components or creates the films we see on many things. Magnesium and calcium carbonates are also in sea water and they are responsible for the "scale" or "lime" deposits we see in many things. Weak acids are particularly good at removing these other types deposits.
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One of the benefits of this website is for all of us to learn from one another's diverse knowledge and experience, and I am truly grateful to participate. So in that spirit, I ask how did you determine that the primary component of Salt-Away was sulfamic acid, when the manufacurer has not released that information and consider it to be proprietary? I did a search and saw one obscure reference to your claim in an internet forum that I don't consider to be credible. The below link is from Salt-Away's website, and while they don't list their "secret" ingredient, they claim it is safe for many metals including aluminum. If they truly were using sulfamic acid, it would be corrosive to aluminum and other metals, yet in their literature, they explicitly stated it was safe for aluminum.

I'm not a chemist, and I do realize that acetic acid is weaker then sulfamic acid, but would choose not to apply either solution, weak or not, to the surface of my boat for fear of causing corrosion in wiring, wire contacts and other metallic surfaces. So if your assertion is correct, I would choose to use it only as an engine flush. That's why I would like to know how you came upon your information.

Salt-Away website:
[url=http://www.salt-away.com/formula.asp]http://www.salt-away.com/formula.asp

Rich
 
beermanPDX":2dx34xmq said:
Salt-Away MSDS

It states a pH of 6.2. Far less acidic than vinegar. It's about the same pH as milk.
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You are right Rob, I did not see that in the literature. PH neutral is 7.0. This would certainly be safe for metallic surfaces. This tends to refute the presence of sulfamic acid, albeit not necessarily if it is present in minuscule amounts. In comparison, as you stated, it is near the PH of milk. In this new light, I see no problem with applying this to my boat's exterior surface.

Thanks!

Rich
 
Salt-Away directions say not to rinse engines with water after flushing with Salt Away because Salt Away leaves a protective coating. Is this wrong?
 
dread":2o7esti5 said:
Salt-Away directions say not to rinse engines with water after flushing with Salt Away because Salt Away leaves a protective coating. Is this wrong?
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I think you are right about the coating, but don't remember. However, when I flush the engine with Salt-Away, I don't follow up with fresh water. The exception to this is that after I use the product to wash down the exterior of my boat and its canvas, I follow up with fresh water, because I don't want any residue to build up ( if indeed that is possible.)


Rich
 
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