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316L swimming pool railings corroding

I'm Abdul Kader, Site Engineer, Swimming pool installation division, Muscat - Oman.

Well,
My problem is recently we installed hand rails in a swimming pool which is salt chlorination type, got rusted with in a few days. We used the materials in SS 316 L. We installed the pipes with elbows and wall supporting bracing in 150 mm down from water level.

Here,
Supporting brackets only got rusted but not in pipes and elbows.

Please help how to rectify the problem? and clean it?

Will it continue in future after cleaned the rusted area.

Please guide us to solve the problem.

Thanks and regards,

Abdul Kader
Site Engineer - Ruwi, Muscat & Oman
January 18, 2011

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The only known solution until now, to prevent AISI316 from rusting in swimming pools, marine (and most outdoor applications) is by electropolishing. In the Netherlands, this treatment is successfully used for all outdoor stainless steel applications. Most outdoor SS which is not electropolished starts rusting within a few months - unless you clean often.
Kind regards,

Klaas de Boer
- Heerenveen, the Netherlands
January 25, 2011

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March 1, 2011

With only the brackets rusting I wonder why they are different. Did they experience more iron contamination during fabrication, or are they perhaps not actually 316 by mistake?

Swimming pools are a very corrosive place for stainless steel. With the proper rust removal and repassivation treatment and a watchful eye they should be able to maintain it looking nice. Let us know if we can help.

Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois