Electroplating of zinc onto steel substrates from baths containing zinc acetate and acetic acid has been investigated under different conditions of bath composition, current density, temperature and super-imposed sinusoidal a.c. on d.c. A detailed study has been made of the influence of these variables on the potentiodynamic cathodic polarization, cathodic current efficiency and the throwing power of these baths. The surface morphology of the deposits was examined by scanning electron microscopy and crystal structure by X-ray.