Grounding rudders, shafts, etc...

[scenarioL113]

Since I had to take my fuel tank out of the boat, "THANK YOU. MR. ETHANOL", I want to run new wires for my grounds.

The rudders, struts, shafts etc....the existing wiring is all original and I figure since the rear deck is removed it would be east to rewire the grounds.

I was planning on using #8 gauge primary tinned marine grade wire. Any comments....?

[CaptPatrick]

Start here:

Zincs, Bonding, & Galvanic Isolators

Bonding Help- Learning the hard way...









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[scenarioL113]

I did a quick search and could not find that link, thanks Capt!

[Ric]

I used a number 10 wire for grounding ,Factory had things bonded from the rubrail down to the copper strips on both sides,, and of course everything to a thru hull bonding plate,soldered ring terminals to the 10 wire are better than crimp ons,,connection stays good much longer, home depot copper roof flashing ,,preety thick stuff is much better than the crap they sell at boat us etc Of course you have to cut the strips out of the wide piece of copper flashing 31 feet long maybe 2 inches wide and you have a lot of waste left over after you cut the 2 strips you need, but! the copper is much thicker,,,if you have a new rubrail non metallic then you have to go a different way

[In Memory of Vicroy]

Ditto what Ric says about the sheet copper. I needed a bunch to install a gorund for my sideband radio, so got a sheet metal shop to shear a bunch of 4 foot strips in both 2 inch and one inch widths...not cheap, but sturdy. Get some copper pop rivets - mine came from the same sheet metal shop - and make a jig out to two pieces of wood and sandwich the strips so when you drill the ends of the strips they don't twist...two holes and two pop rivets per joint...then sweat solder the joint. Makes a very stout bonding strip that is easy to work with. The thin foil like copper is worthless as Ric points out.

UV

[Tony Meola]

http://www.gacopper.com/032-CopperStrap.html

Try Georgia Copper. I used there bonding strap. Its pretty thick as it is designed to be used as a lightning ground.