Because the driving voltage of zinc anodes is lower than that of magnesium anodes, zinc anodes are usually used in areas with low soil resistivity, typical application areas include buried pipelines, storage tank walls, etc.

Zinc anodes can be installed vertically or horizontally in the soil and should be watered thoroughly before backfilling. Anode cables can be connected directly to the protected structure or via test piles. Typical cable connections to the protected structure include welding and mechanical connections.