Shipping Container Myths and Points to Ponder

I don't know if this has already been posted, but it does have some good points to consider if one is wanting to use shipping containers for a retreat or survival shelter.

What Every Prepper Should Know About Shipping Containers::Shipping and cargo containers for sale

 

I would think that "sacrificial blocks" of zinc would work just as well on a shipping container,for anti- corrosion as they do on the ship it self. And the blocks can be replaced as they corrode. (though they might work differently in contact with the ground.) @BTPost might know.

 

Sacrificial anodes work in the ground, I have exothermic welded (Cadweld) many bags of them on large bore ductile iron drainage piping. Most of those projects were at waste water treatments plants.

 

Thank you @ColtCarbine, I would like to get one of those shipping containers, myself, as a garage and material storage shed on my hunting property. So far, my "mule" a four wheel drive Toyota SR5, (for use only on the property) has lost a radio, rear windshield, and two side windows, to kids. It's still waiting for a timing belt.

 

Magnesium anode bags

 

Cadweld is an easy process, so simple even a plumber can do it.

 

I'm not familiar with the bags, do they just get wired to, or how are they used?

 

I do not have time at the moment but will find video of the installation of anode bags.

 

@ColtCarbine, thank you, I like the skill sets, and the willingness to share information on this site. And the speed of responses, is appreciated.

 

Sacrificial galvanic and active cathodic protection systems are great in theory and don't do too bad for things submerged to a fixed depth in water. But I have seen million gal municipal water tanks with the protective coatings galvanically blown off and rusted to heck with these systems. I have been inside hundreds of chlorinated water (rather corrosive) and fire protection water tanks. The best ones are consistently those coated with a very good 2 part epoxy that was properly applied and cured and no CP.

Personally, I'd sand blast the container with black beauty blasting media and coat with an industrial epoxy, probably Rustoleum 9100 series or something similar. You don't get this at Home Depot but thru industrial channels. This stuff is good for 10-15 years in chlorine and the outside of tanks generally look good for 15-20 years if the surface is prepped properly and the coating painted on properly (not too thick, thin, cold or humid). And for a container in the woods this would probably look good 20-30 years and with spot patching where corrosion is perking up, probably last longer still. And even the water based epoxy that you can get at HD would work, just will be less robust.

Now, the other thing to check, is some containers I've read are actually made from Core 10 steel. That is intended to rust and that rust provides a protective surface. I know that in acid rain environments like PA, NY etc. the core10 a couple decades ago didn't work so well but couple it with a good blasting and epoxy, I'd probably never worry about it ever again.

AT

 

ok 90 % of my experience with shipping containers has been on barges in salt water ...

and like everything else they will last along time if u take care of them ...

If u see rust wire wheel it down to bear metal
put a rust inhibitar on it prime it and paint it ...
{follow directions on bottles and cans }

keep the roof clean and maybee even coverd like a RV
keep the hinges oiled and greased ...

be carefull moving them ... If u move them like a redneck like I do then you may have problems ...
Basic maintence ...

when backing up to them with the doors open dont try to get that last inch or u will screw up your doors and hinges ...
If your are going to put it in the ground cold tar it first ,......

 

Well...I never recommend things we did "way back then" because there are so many better ways now (and, in some cases there were then, we just didn't know better), but I have a friend who has had a couple in place for over 25 years now that were reinforced with a pipe cage inside and painted with a thick coat of Sno-Kote and no signs of trouble.

While the issues must be addressed, I have always found it to be much less like rocket surgery than some folks make it.

 

I wonder if Rhino hiding the containet would be better than tar coating?

 

Am old fashioned but coating with tar sealant will last. Clean any spots that have rust first. Would double coat it everywhere to make sure you did not miss any place. Do not forget to turn it over and get the bottom very well. Set it on a gravel bed, drape plastic or rubber roofing over it, continue the drain bed up the sides about a foot, and cover with soil. It will be there when we are gone. Give that drain field natural fall and it will never leak. Be double sure to seal the vent pipes extra well.

 

My experience is again with water tanks, concrete and steel. Tar is pretty good for sealing concrete for preventing moisture (water vapor) permeating through the concrete and it works pretty good when submerged and the water traps the tar's solvents preventing outgassing. When exposed to the air, tar can outgas (solvents and smaller hydrocarbon chain molecules evaporate) and get brittle. if the concrete cracks then the tar cracks too and while any significant water vapor will still not permeate the concrete, water will flow through the crack. That's why so many basements were good and dry for a decade or more then leak and get wet every time it rains. A rubber coating will stretch and bridge those gaps.

For steel not underwater, tar will often outgas, can crack with thermal expansion and then rust can set in at the crack. We used to see tar sealed water tanks occasionally years ago, almost never any more, and below the water line they generally looked good but the roof etc. out of the water would often have rust streaks running from the cracks in the tar. (hated diving those tanks as we'd get tar on our gear and dry suits.) Tar is great in that it is cheap and easy to apply.

There is an interesting product out for basements etc. that comes from Scandanavia called Platon foundation wrap. It is a 24 mil polyethylene as I recall with dimples that cause it to stand away from the wall or floor creating a drain field. Can handle something crazy like 1000 PSF load without collapsing. I used it 6 years ago on my basement walls (on the outside) and really like the concept and it has worked extremely well so far. The key is to have good perimeter drains all around the bottom of it and it lets any water that does get to the surface it is protecting to flow straight down to the drains. Add a coating to seal the surface (I sprayed on Blue Seal rubber but tar would work) either concrete or steel and you should have a dry space.

But we have evolved into a discussion about burying a container which has numerous issues beyond just the corrosion and I would probably not coat something that will be above ground with tar. I'd used a decent paint or better yet an epoxy coating.

Just my experiences.

AT

 

Wow....gotta check that stuff out...