Patent ID: 8211289

Claim:
A method of at least one of cathodically protecting and passivating a metal section in concrete comprising: providing at least one sacrificial anode; providing a source of DC power with a negative connection and a positive connection; in a first protection step, electrically connecting one of the connections of the source of DC power to the metal section to be cathodically protected; and electrically connecting the sacrificial anode in series with the other connection of the source of DC power such that the voltage generated by the source of DC power is added to the galvanic voltage, generated between the sacrificial anode and the metal section, to produce a voltage greater than the galvanic voltage generated between the sacrificial anode and the metal section alone; and, in a second protection step, electrically connecting the sacrificial anode to the metal section with at least one electron conducting conductor that is not in series with the source of DC power to provide a path for electronic current to flow between the sacrificial anode and the metal section such that the current is generated solely by the galvanic voltage between the sacrificial anode and the metal section, wherein the source of DC power is added to the galvanic voltage before electrically connecting the sacrificial anode to the metal section with at least one electron conducting conductor that is not in series with the source of DC power.