Factory Installed Electromagnetic Corrosion Protection - DAG-3200

[Xhumeka]

I searched the forums but can't seem to find any information on the "DAG-3200" that came installed on my 2020 1500 from the factory.

While charging my battery I noticed this little box dangling from it's wires, and upon closer inspection it seems to be an electronic anti corrosion device. I didn't even know our trucks came with these?

I think I found where it's supposed to attach (see pics below) but I wanted confirmation. It has a sticky adhesive side that came loose from wherever it originally was.

Do these things actually work? Again, never knew our trucks came with these:

 

[vincentw56]

That didn't come from the factory. Did you buy this used? If not, then your dealer installed it and charged you for it. And no, these don't work. I researched these before. The science says it doesn't work on vehicles.

 

[dts828]

Definitely not factory... Lol, typical dealer scam!

Sent from my GM1917 using Tapatalk

 

[AMS Guru]

They are 1000% complete BS and another way for dealers to make $$$. It's absolutely aftermarket and most likely actually a way to cause you electrical issues by trying to turn the whole truck into an "antenna". I'd remove it completely and call it a day......

 

[Xhumeka]

Thanks guys - I did opt for an anti-corrosion package from my dealer but I thought it was limited to an undercoating spray, they never told me there would be an electrical component to it. I think I will look into disconnecting it, there's enough chance for electrical gremlins in these fancy trucks without adding to the complexity!

Thanks again.

 

[GKIII]

There are systems like this designed to work on large submerged capital projects (think pipelines, offshore rigs, or large ships) but on surface vehicles they are completely useless. To be effective, they need an electrolyte medium (water or soil) to function between the protected structure and the sacrificial anode. So, unless your truck is constantly submerged this thing is for suckers.

I hope you didn't pay for this, if so I'd demand a refund...and leave that dealer rock bottom scores on the customer satisfaction survey from RAM.

 

[Trippi]

I had one of those YEARS ago on a 1990 TBIRD that I owned. Can't say if it did anything as I stored the car in the winters, but it never caused any issues either.

 

[HandyCruiser]

Active cathodic corrosion protection has been around since World War II. In my earlier environmental engineering days, I installed these on service station tanks. It works extremely well on many underground and submerged systems. But a vehicle is not grounded to earth. So I'm not sure how it would work. Often cathodic protection works by creating a very small positive potential different between the soil and the metal structure. How such a system would keep such a charge potential compared to water and soil randomly coming in contact with the body is unclear.

 

[Xhumeka]

I did some "google research" on this specific device, and this is what it claims:

Has the Final Coat electromagnetic corrosion protection technology been tested by independent, non-biased agencies or organizations?

YES, the Final Coat electronic corrosion protection module underwent extensive additional testing between 2002 and 2004 at the government's request. It is proven that it does indeed help to inhibit corrosion. Tests show a 98% to 99.7% reduction in corrosion on automotive sheet metal panels. For a complete list of testing organizations, see our Lab Tested page.

(they probably performed the testing on sheet metal panels submerged in water )

Full FAQ here: https://www.finalcoat.com/module_faq.html

Their "science" explained:

 

[Xhumeka]

Active cathodic corrosion protection has been around since World War II. In my earlier environmental engineering days, I installed these on service station tanks. It works extremely well on many underground and submerged systems. But a vehicle is not grounded to earth. So I'm not sure how it would work. Often cathodic protection works by creating a very small positive potential different between the soil and the metal structure. How such a system would keep such a charge potential compared to water and soil randomly coming in contact with the body is unclear.

It seems they explain the answer to your question at the 2 minute, 14 second mark of this vid:

 

[GKIII]

I did some "google research" on this specific device, and this is what it claims:



(they probably performed the testing on sheet metal panels submerged in water )

Full FAQ here: https://www.finalcoat.com/module_faq.html

Their "science" explained:

Certified by the FCC lmao, that's your biggest clue this thing is 100% bullsh!t. The only thing the FCC would certify is that the signal it's pulsing doesn't interfere with any nearby radio receivers.

This video is full of nonsense and just proves this is automotive snake oil. The zinc layer on galvanized steel has two functions:

1. Provides a direct barrier to prevent oxidation of the steel underneath.
2. In the event that barrier is compromised, it will act as a sacrificial anode and will oxidize instead of the exposed steel next to it. Corrosion is an electrochemical process, and zinc doesn't need an applied current to be "re-activated" to perform this function. The limitations of this galvanization is that if the exposed steel area is too large, it's still going to corrode...and again...running electricity through it is not going to help that matter whatsoever. Electrical current does not have any effect of the corrosion properties of the material it is running through.

This product is USELESS

 

[HandyCruiser]

It seems they explain the answer to your question at the 2 minute, 14 second mark of this vid:

Okay, so it's not cathodic protection. It's supposedly a radio (electromagnetic) signal generator that keeps exposed zinc from oxidizing. I don't see how that would help with an area where the zinc layer is already damaged. I've never seen where radio signals were used for this purpose either. And radio has been around for a VERY long time. I suspect if that this thing did work, it would take a pretty strong signal that would likely screw up a lot of the electronics in a modern vehicle. But who knows?

 

[GKIII]

Okay, so it's not cathodic protection. It's supposedly a radio (electromagnetic) signal generator that keeps exposed zinc from oxidizing. I don't see how that would help with an area where the zinc layer is already damaged. I've never seen where radio signals were used for this purpose either. And radio has been around for a VERY long time. I suspect if that this thing did work, it would take a pretty strong signal that would likely screw up a lot of the electronics in a modern vehicle. But who knows?

You cannot prevent zinc from oxidizing with an EM current. AND EVEN IF YOU COULD, that would mean it loses it's ability to act as the anode for the exposed steel (which is also a function of galvanized steel), therefore exposing it to corrosion risk anyway.

Also, they specifically mention "re-activating" the zinc...which is not a thing. I would assume they mean reversing the zinc's oxidation? Which...uh...a little electric current is not going to do.

This is one of those devices meant to trick people out of their hard earned money with complicated sounding jargon.

 

[HandyCruiser]

You cannot prevent zinc from oxidizing with an EM current. AND EVEN IF YOU COULD, that would mean it loses it's ability to act as the anode for the exposed steel (which is also a function of galvanized steel), therefore exposing it to corrosion risk anyway.

Also, they specifically mention "re-activating" the zinc...which is not a thing. I would assume they mean reversing the zinc's oxidation? Which...uh...a little electric current is not going to do.

This is one of those devices meant to trick people out of their hard earned money with complicated sounding jargon.

Okay. Just for fun, let us say their little box could reverse corrosion on zinc with a radio signal. The little box would then need to be turned off so the zinc could begin slowly corroding again. That would induce a very small positive charge on the exposed steel and that might reduce its rate of corrosion. But.... this would be a case of where you are in for a penny when you need to in for a pound. The effect of this dubious process on a door peck would likely be miniscule if their magic radio wave did work.

Again, we've been playing around with radio waves for about 150 years. And we've had galvanized steel just about as long. If radio waves could be used to prevent corrosion like this, someone would have likely figured it out a very long time ago and it would be commonplace today.

 

[Jim N]

This is the FAQ I Like:

Will my pacemaker be affected by the Final Coat electromagnetic corrosion module?

No, the module delivers a totally safe radio frequency (RF) that will not affect a pacemaker.

 

[GKIII]

Okay. Just for fun, let us say their little box could reverse corrosion on zinc with a radio signal. The little box would then need to be turned off so the zinc could begin slowly corroding again. That would induce a very small positive charge on the exposed steel and that might reduce its rate of corrosion. But.... this would be a case of where you are in for a penny when you need to in for a pound. The effect of this dubious process on a door peck would likely be miniscule if their magic radio wave did work.

Again, we've been playing around with radio waves for about 150 years. And we've had galvanized steel just about as long. If radio waves could be used to prevent corrosion like this, someone would have likely figured it out a very long time ago and it would be commonplace today.

The navy would be using these things to keep extremely expensive aerospace components from corroding while on a carrier at sea. Hell, I design weapons that are supposed to have a 30 year shelf life, no corrosion. Maybe I should buy one and pitch it to the military