Gas Fill / Tank Vent Ground

[Dave Hirshberg]

John , you don't need to ground the tank vent but the fill needs to be grounded to the tank first then the rest of the boats grounding system.

[ScottM]

My boat doesn't have a bonding system - is that bad? Just so I'm sure we're talking about the same thing, it would be a metal bar fixed to the keel with a ground wire to it, right?

[FELLOW-SHIP]

I HAVE A SEPARATE LITTLE TAB ON THE GAS TANK THAT I ATTACHED MY GREEN GROUND WIRE TO I ALSO ATTACHED A GREEN WIRE TO THE GAS FILL I THEN CONNECTED TO A SEPARATE WIRE BLOCK UNDER MY CENTER CONSOL AND THEN RAN A THICK GREEN WIRE FROM THAT TO MY BRASS THROUGH HULL SCOOP THAT FILLS MY LIVE WELL. IF YOU DO IT CORRECTLY YOU NEED A BOAT GROUND PLATE THAT COST’S ABOUT $50.00 AND HAVE EVERYTHING CONNECTED TO IT, BUT MOST GUYS ARE OK WITH THE SCOOP SINCE IT IS ALWAYS IN CONTACT WITH THE WATER OTHER GUYS USE THE MOTOR SINCE IT IS IN THE WATER AS WELL I LIKE THE BRASS OF THE SCOOP NOT THE ALUMINUM OF THE MOTOR ALL MY ELECTRONICS GREEN GROWN WIRES ARE CONNECTED TO THAT WIRE BLOCK AS WELL.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ocuyler]

Can I use the drain plug fitting?

[John R]

Did any of you connect a ground wire to the hulls bonding ground to the Tank Fill and/or Tank Vent? there is a wire (green - for hull ground, right?) next to my tank vent but there is nothing to actually bolt it on to. The tank vent looks judt like and is arrange like this Perko (which it might be): http://www.perko.com/cgi-bin/perko.p...509-vents_info ...

Thanks,

John

[PipeDreamsMarine]

I would use a DYNA plate for all of the bonding system. Bonding to though hulls is asking for trouble, if you keep you boat in all the time. And bonding to the motor..well just think about it .. Aluminum and salt water and a twist of electrons....

[TUGBOAT]

Ok Now Ya thru a new twist to ME !!Am I not spending enough on Her ? My fuel inlet has a Green wire running to a tab connected to the sending unit . Dyna plate ? Bonding system ?
This boat has been running since '83,Do I need one of these & will it improve anything ? I just looked in My MASTER WISH BOOK & found a Newmar ground shoe,is this the same & where does it go?I've wondered where's the ground? Thought it was thru the engine ? Me & Think'n.
Ok So I don't know much bout GLASS boats I ran STEEL & had Engineers !!Thats why I have YA'LL !!
Thanks,
"TUG" [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[PipeDreamsMarine]

A green Bonding wire is not the same thing as a Black "ground" wire. "Ground" is the return path for electrical power. All of your electrical equipment (radios,fish finder and engine systems)needs a ground to work. "Bonding" or Green wire is for an "earth ground" just like a ground rod on your house. All of your green wires should be to metal objects (t-tops towers, bow rails, though hulls, struts and antenna grounds)then they should run to one point at which it passes though the hull (DYNA plate)thus making the "earth ground". If per chance you where hit by lightening you would stand a better chance if the boat is bonded, this gives the juice a way though the boat to earth. By putting the green wires to Battery ground you are putting stray current back into your equipment and anything else that is bonded and in salt water this make electrolis. I hope this helps...In the case of bonding the fill a good bond will take and static charge and remove the danger of spark, by bonding back to the battery you stand the chance of causing some kind(a small chance) prolems with static discharge. The sending unit on the gas tank is an electrical unit so, it's gound should go back to the battery. But the wire from the tank tab should go to the bonding system

[ June 19, 2003, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: PipeDreamsMarine ]

[TUGBOAT]

Thanks for the help.Didn't really want to put anything on the bottom of the Hull !!
I'm unfortunatly the tallest "THING" on the boat !! We had light'n hit within 20' of Us coming up the channel.I don't know what was worse the Flash or Bang ? I do not remember
if I have a wire from the tab to anything else ?
(except the fuel fill.)A ground shoe is the same ? It would only have the one wire hooked to it as My SeaCraft has nothing Higher than Me & with Light'n it would be a lil' to late !!!!
"TUG" [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[Dave Hirshberg]

And to further Dons comments and round out the subject, the fuel fill should be bonded with a green wire to the tab on the fuel tank first. Then a green wire from the tab on the fuel tank can go to whatever type of bonding system you use (dyna plate, thru hull, engine, ect.). The whole idea is first to bond the fuel system so that when fueling the metal gas hose nozzle dosen't create a static spark on an ungrounded fuel fill and cause gas fumes to explode.
You all can do all the bonding you like, but if I see lightning I'm gettin out of the area. I don't care how good you bonding system is, its not going to take a direct lightning hit and not harm anything.