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Basic Checklist For Corrosion Protection

You need to have a periodic test conducted by a qualified corrosion tester to make sure your cathodic protection system is adequately protecting your UST systems. This test needs to be conducted:

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Sacrifical Anode Cathodic Protection Systems

Within 6 months of instalation.
At least every 3 years after the previous test. *Unless your State requires testing more often.
Within 6 months after any repairs to your UST system.
Make sure that the profession tester is qualified to preform the test and follows a standard code of practice to determine that the test criteria are adequate.
If any test indicates that your tanks are not adequately protected, you need to have a corrosion expert examine and fix your system.
Testing more frequently can catch problems before they become big problems.
You need to keep the results of at least the last two tests on file.

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Impressed Current Cathodic Protection Systems

Same as above.
In addition too the above you need to inspect your rectifier at least every 60 days to make sure that it is operating with normal limits.
This inspection involves reading and recording the voltage and amperage readouts on the rectifier. You or your employees can perform this periodic inspection.
Make sure that your cathodic protection professional provides you with the rectifier's acceptable operating levels so that you can compare the readings you take with an acceptable operating level. If your readings are not within acceptable levels, you much contact a cathodic protection professional to address the problem.
You need to keep records of at least the last 3 rectifier readings.
You should have a trained professional periodically service your impressed current system.
Never turn off your rectifier!

It may help you to see your corrosion protection options displayed in the following table.

CORROSION PROTECTION CHOICES

OPTIONS	DESCRIPTIONS
Noncorrodible Material	The Tank or piping is constructed of noncorrodible material.
Steel Tank Clad of Jacketed with a Noncorrodible Material	Examples if ckadding or jacket material include fiberglass and urethane. Does not apply to piping.
Coated and Cathodically Protected Steel Tanks or Piping	Steel tank and piping is well-coated with a dielectric material and cathodically protected.
Cathodically Protected Noncoated Seel Tanks of Piping	This option is only for steel tanks and piping installed before December 22, 1988. Cathodic protection is usually provided by an impressed currect system.
Internal Lining of Tanks	This option is only for steel tanks installed before December 22, 1988. A lining is applied to the inside or the tank. Does not apply to piping.
Combination of Cathodically Protected Steel and Internal Lining of Tanks	This option is only for steel tanks installed before December 22, 1988. Cathodic protection is usually provided by an impressed currect system. Does not apply to piping.
Other Methods Used to Achieve Corrosion Protection	If you have tanks or piping that do not meet any of the descriptions above, check with your state UST agency to see if your UST system meets the requirements for corrosion protection. You also will need to ask about the operation, maintenance, and recordkeeping requirements applicable to this type of UST system.

NOTE: In addition to tanks and piping, all other metal components in direct contact with the ground that routinely hold products -- such as flexible connectors, swing joints, fittings, and pumps -- must also be cathodically protected.

To prevent leaks, all parts of your UST system that are underground and routinely contain product need to be protected from corrosion. The UST system includes the tank, piping and ancillary equipment, such as flexible connectors, fittings, and pumps. Unprotected metal UST components can deteriorate and leak when underground electrical currents act upon them.

One way to protect UST components from corrosion is to make them with nonmetiallic, noncorrodible materials, such as UST's made of (or clad or jacketed with) fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) or other noncorrodible materials -- as illustated by the FRP tank above. Noncorrodible UST's like these do not require corrosion protection.

UST components made from metal, however, that routinely contain product and are in direct contact with the ground and are in direct contact with the ground need corrrosion protection provided by cathodic protection or (in some cases) lining the interior of the tank, as described below.

NOTE: Metal tanks or piping installed after December 22, 1988 must have a dielectric coating (a coating that does not conduct electricity) in addition to the cathodic protection described below.

Cathodic Protection Using Sacrificial Anode System

Sacrificial anodes are buried and attached to UST components for corrosion protection. Anodes are pieces of metal that are more electrically active than steel, and thus they suffer the destructive effects of corrosion rather than the steel they are attached to.

Cathodic Protection Using Impressed Current Systems

An imprssed current system -- as shown above -- uses a rectifier to provide direct current through anodoes to the tank or piping to achieve corrosion protection. The steel is protected because the current going through the steel overcomes the corrosion-causing current flowing away from it. The cathodic protection rectifier must always be on and operating to protect your UST system from corrosion.