Cathodic Protection
Key Features of Our Cathodic Protection Solutions:
Whether you’re in need of Sacrificial Anode CP Systems (SACP) or advanced Impressed Current CP Systems (ICCP), we offer a comprehensive range of products and services. From initial material supply to installation supervision, and through to testing and commissioning, we ensure reliable, long-term protection for your assets.
Why Choose Us?
- Top-Quality Materials: All CP products meet international standards.
- Professional Installation & Supervision: We ensure flawless setup for maximum efficiency.
- Cutting-Edge Expertise: Years of experience in SACP & ICCP, paired with the latest technologies.
Products
- SACP & ICCP Anodes
- Transformer Rectifier Units
- Junction Boxes (Including negative junctions)
- Current Control & Bond Boxes
- Test Posts
- Reference & Earthing Electrodes
- Insulating Flanges & Joints
- Pipelines Sleeved Crossings
- Test Coupons
- Cables, Connectors, & Splicing Kits
- All Related Accessories for CP systems
Services
- Pin Brazing & CAD Welding for secure electrical connections
- Soil Resistivity Testing, CIPS, DCVG Surveys, and more, using top-tier instruments
- Advanced Earth Testing for accurate data collection
Pin Brazing: Advanced Cable-to-Steel Bonding Solutions
Pin brazing is a high-reliability joining method widely used in cathodic protection (CP) and general electrical bonding of steel structures. It uses a small pre-fluxed brazing pin and a brief electric arc (1–2 seconds) to fuse a copper cable lug or stud to a steel substrate. The process melts a low-temperature silver alloy (~650 °C), minimizing heat-affected zones and distortion. As a result, the pipe or structure remains sound while the lug is metallurgically bonded. Pin brazing is ideal for on-site work because it is fast (≈60 s per joint) and all-weather, and it creates strong, low-resistance connections. Typical applications include continuity bonds across pipeline segments and flanges, bonding cathodic protection test leads, connecting sacrificial or bracelet anode cables to pipelines or structures, and joining cables on storage tanks, rail tracks, and other steel assemblies.
Field installation
- A pipeline in a trench being welded/bonded. Pin brazing equipment is fully portable, allowing quick CP cable joints even in confined spaces. In practice,
- The operator cleans the steel surface, attaches an earth clamp, fits the brazing pin (with ceramic ferrule) into the handheld gun against the lug and steel, then pulls the trigger.
- The powerful battery/current source produces an arc that melts the pin and flux – once the internal fuse wire breaks, the pin is pressed into the molten alloy. In about 1–2 seconds the metal solidifies, yielding a homogeneous, strong electrical bond.
- This automated, one-handed operation is easy to learn (training <1 hour) and avoids heavy welding gear.
- The entire circuit breaks automatically when the pin fuses, preventing operator error.
Easybond Pin Brazing Systems
BAC Corrosion Control’s Easybond™ pin brazing family offers complete systems and consumables designed for quality and ease-of-use. The Easybond Mk II system is a 36 V DC battery unit that delivers 240 A peak current for fused-pin brazing. It includes a brazing gun, earth clamp, battery pack, charger, and accessories – all rugged and field-ready. Key features include:
- Portable, robust design: All components are pre-connected for quick setup; equipment is shockproof and approved for offshore use.
- Powerful output: 36 V battery delivers 240 A to ensure rapid brazing of lugs up to 50 mm² cable cross-section. Multiple brazes (60–100+) can be made on a single charge.
- Worldwide support: Complete Easybond systems, spares and consumables are stocked in the UK and at authorized distributors globally. Same-day dispatch is available for emergency needs.
- Training and service: BAC/SKPS offers full operator training and equipment servicing worldwide, so your crew can use the system safely and maintain it easily.
For even lighter-weight performance, the Easybond Plus system uses a 38 V lithium-iron battery (no fused pins required). This advanced electronic brazing gun delivers up to 200 A and enables 120+ brazes per charge while being 60% lighter than the older lead-acid battery units. Its maintenance-free trigger electronics remove the need for consumable contacts. Both systems share the same high-quality BAC brazing consumables and produce instant, drip-free silver brazes.
Complete Consumables and Quality Assurance
BAC/SKPS supplies all pin brazing consumables needed for any CP project. This includes brazing pins (fused and fuse-less types), cable lugs, bond straps, and ceramic ferrules. BAC/SKPS pins come in versions with internal fuse-wire (for battery systems) and fuse-less “electronic” pins (for advanced units) to cover any equipment. Cable lugs range from small #14 AWG connectors to heavy 50 mm² lugs. All consumables are manufactured in-house under ISO 9001 quality procedures. In fact, BAC explicitly warns that using non-BAC consumables with Easybond tools voids the warranty. In short, every component – pin, lug, ferrule, or clamp – is engineered and tested to ensure consistent, reliable brazed bonds.
- Ultra-fast connections: Typical cycle is ~1–2 s arc + clean-up. Even including preparation, crews can complete a full CP bond in under a minute.
- Low-temperature process: The silver-brazing alloy melts at only ~650 °C, so the base steel sees minimal heat input. This avoids warping or damage to pipelines and preserves any internal coatings.
- All-weather use: Pin brazing works in rain, snow, wind, or humidity – you do not need dry conditions or special enclosures. (Unlike thermit welding, pin brazing has no open powder melt or mold that can fail in damp conditions.)
- Any orientation: You can braze on horizontal, vertical, or overhead surfaces. The integrated spring-and-magnet mechanism holds the pin steadily even upside-down, allowing attachments on flanges, girders, or ship hulls.
- Minimal melt zone: Only a thin silver layer fuses between cable and steel, without burning into the base metal. This ensures maximum bond strength with nearly zero damage to the parent steel.
- Strong electrical bond: Pin brazed joints have very low transition resistance (well below 0.1 Ω when properly applied). The solid silver interface provides excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance.
- Ease of use: Technicians become proficient quickly. An Easybond system can be learned in an hour, and its self-contained gun/trigger automates the brazing cycle.
Pin brazing is the preferred bonding method for many CP and structural projects. Typical use cases include:
- Pipeline Construction: Electrically bond straight seams and welded joints, add continuity jumper cables across flanges or pipe segments, and attach paralleling wires over coatings breaks. For offshore pipeline lay vessels, pin brazing allows fast bonding of hundreds of bracelet anodes and jumper cables in tight schedules.
- Tank and Vessel CP: Weld-on ties for tank bottoms and walls; attach cables to tanks and large vessels without hot work permits. Pin brazing requires only a small arc and leaves no molten sparks, making it safer in confined spaces.
- Reinforced Concrete (Rebar Bonding): Connect bonding straps or mesh to steel reinforcement in concrete structures. (A conductive layer of silver between rebar and tie wire ensures a reliable electrical path.)
- Rail and Infrastructure: Bond CP cables to rails, anchors, or bridge girders. Pin brazing was originally developed for railroad track bonding and remains ideal for that purpose.
- Offshore/Marine: Install cable connections on platforms, ships, or subsea equipment. The battery-powered system and silver alloy remain safe even in marine environments. No open flames or toxic gases are involved.
Engaging real-world visuals are key to marketing this technology. For example, the photo below shows an offshore pipeline section with sacrificial bracelet anodes; the green bonding joints on the pipe illustrate where pin brazing securely fastened each anode cable. Pin brazing excels in these environments by providing fast, weld-quality bonds without special molds or high heat.
Offshore pipeline with bonded bracelet (sacrificial) anodes. Brazed studs (green) attach each anode cable to the steel pipe. Pin brazing creates these strong, low-resistance joints quickly, even on vertical or submerged pipe sections.
Industry Standards and Compliance
Pin brazing is a fully recognized method in industry standards for pipeline and CP work. For submarine pipelines, the DNV-GL ST-F101 code explicitly requires that anode leads be attached by qualified pin-brazing or aluminothermic (thermit) methods. DNVGL F101 further mandates testing such as a maximum 0.1 Ω resistance per weld and a 1 kg hammer blow test (no tearing) – requirements that our Easybond connections easily satisfy. In practice, our pin brazing has been approved on projects worldwide to DNV, NORSOK and other marine standards.
Likewise, NACE and ASTM cathodic protection guidelines (e.g. NACE SP0177/ISO 15589 for bonded cables) call for durable, low-resistance CP attachments. Pin-brazed joints have been lab-verified and field-proven to meet these criteria. BAC’s manufacturing is ISO 9001 certified, and our brazing pins are metallurgically tested to ensure consistent alloy composition and strength. In short, Our pin brazing systems help you meet or exceed all relevant CP connection standards (DNV, NACE, ISO, etc.) while simplifying the installation process.
Technical Highlights at a Glance
- High Current, Low Voltage: Easybond Mk II – 36 V DC, 240 A output / Easybond Plus – 38 V, 200 A (Li-Ion).
- Brazing Cycle: ~1.5–2 seconds arc time; complete joint in ~60 seconds including setup.
- Operating Environment: 36–38 VDC battery or generator power; intrinsically safe <42 V; works from –10°C to +50°C, rain, or shine.
- Consumables Range: Pins and lugs for 1–50 mm² cables; special flush and threaded studs available. Ceramic ferrules guide molten alloy to joint.
- Training & Support: Easybond guns are ergonomically designed; BAC/SKPS provides operator training and full field-service support.
- Quality Assurance: All products made under ISO 9001:2008. Complete traceability and batch testing ensure every brazed connection is reproducible and reliable.
PIPELINES
MARINE
BAC designs and supplies Impressed Current and Galvanic Cathodic Protection systems to a wide range of offshore and marine structures including, piers, jetties platforms, jackets, sheet and tubular piling. Care is always to taken to consider overall installation costs, design lifetime and ongoing maintenance and monitoring costs when designing a solution for our clients. BAC also has a long history of protecting a wide range of maritime vessels from pleasure craft to oil tankers to the latest fast ferry designs – we can provide a solution.
Steel in Concrete
Cathodic Protection of steel rebar in concrete is increasingly recognised as an effective and efficient way of prolonging critical structures particularly in corrosive environments. BAC not only offers a full turnkey engineering and design service but also a full range of products from our Infinity Power, monitoring and control units, mixed metal oxide anodes, reference electrodes and LPR probes and meters.
>> MMRA Supply of CP Materials for Pre-stressed concrete pipes, Libya.
>> MTL (China Harbour) CP design, supply, (with remote monitoring and control) and commissioning at MTL Container Port, Hong Kong.
Pipelines
BAC Systems protect thousands of kilometres of pipelines worldwide. From high pressure gas transmission and distribution networks through to water, oil and product pipelines in every corner of the globe. Whether you have a new build project or an aged asset in need of rehabilitation BAC can survey, design, supply and install a system to meet your requirements.
>> National Grid Supply of CP Power Supplies, Gas transmis- sion pipeline network upgrade, UK.
>> GAMA CP Supply and commissioning, Disi Water Project,