Application
Padlocks and corrosion
Padlocks and corrosion
Over the years we have received a great deal of feedback on padlock corrosion. Unfortunately, even with superior products, corrosion is often inevitable especially considering that padlocks bear the full effects of the weather and other environmental pressures such as salt spray and chemicals in the air.
As a result of the elements, many of the materials and plating used in padlocks will corrode over time. Depending on the material and environment, this is actually quite normal and applies equally to other common brands of padlocks in our price range.
While steel bodies and alloy shackles offer the highest security, they are more prone to faster corrosion. Brass bodies offer lower security, however, will hold up to the weather much better. Lastly, stainless steel is a very good compromise with added strength and corrosion resistance.
Having done extensive testing and research, we have put together some suggestions for recommended installations for padlocks. The correct choice of padlock for each job can significantly reduce the chances of corrosion. This research is supported by a recent trial by a major government utility, who conducted some padlock testing on our behalf on an extremely remote and exposed site, with some very positive results for the Carbine Stainless Steel models.
![](https://www.ekacyberlock.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Carbine-padlock-cyberkey-blue-3.jpg)
Choosing the correct padlock for your installation
![](https://www.ekacyberlock.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/oil-company-image-1.jpg)
Is your site one of the following:
- A weather exposed environment
- A coastal area (<5km from the coast)
- A chemical affected area (eg: Industrial sites)
For these sites we recommend using only M marine grade SS models or BRNP plated brass body models with a stainless steel shackle.
Alloy shackles and steel padlock bodies will corrode quickly in these environments.
Stainless steel bodies and shackles offer very high corrosion resistance and are highly recommended for any site where you believe the padlocks will be significantly exposed to the weather.
Brass bodies with nickel plating (such as C45-BRNP or C50-BR) combined with stainless steel shackles are a good second choice for exposed environments, however these offer slightly lower security.
Stainless steel and brass body models with stainless steel shackles offer a very high level of security, even when compared to steel body models. Under Australian Standards testing, our stainless steel and brass models achieve 80% to 85% of the levels of steel padlocks in all the physical security tests (pulling, cutting, twisting and sawing).
The installation of shrouds, hasps, and the protection of the shackle from attack can often cover any reduction in security.
![](https://www.ekacyberlock.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/recomended-c-series-padlocks-300x139.png)
Recommended models for these environments:
C45-BR-SS
C45-BRNP-SS
C45-M
C50-BR-SS
Is your site: one of the following:
- A protected installation
- Away from the coast (>5km distance)
- Unaffected by chemicals
These types of installations can use any of our padlock ranges, depending on the security level required. Our M marine grade SS models or BRNP plated brass body models will last much longer against corrosion. However, in these situations BR brass and FE steel models with alloy shackles will also achieve high levels of corrosion resistance.
Recommended models for these environments:
Any of our C series range, depending on installation requirements and security level needed.
![](https://www.ekacyberlock.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/C-Series-New-1-300x139.png)
![](https://www.ekacyberlock.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/office-eka-padlock-2.jpg)