SCORPIO
Well-Known Member
I don't want a repeat of last seasons ferocious zinc loss. First time in 15 years with this boat that I experienced that kind of zinc loss. I'm talking about complete loss of several zincs that were new at the beginning of the season as well as the almost total loss of two hanging zinc 'guppies', total weight of lost zinc I estimate at over 12 pounds! I had a 'new' slip neighbor for about 3 months late last season, an old 1930's workboat that a guy restored after it had sunk. I noticed my zinc loss after he left at the end of the season when I hauled out. The erosion was worse on the port side, the side closest to the old boat. I suspect he was leaking current into the water and that my old isolator wasn't working leading to the astounding loss of zinc. I'm glad he wasn't in the marina longer as I'd probably have had damage to the outdrives. Most of the other boats on my dock are outboards with little underwater metals so I suspect my boat took the brunt of the damage. No one else I talked to had any excessive zinc loss, but again, all outboard owners.
I am going over the boat carefully before this season. I suspect the galvanic isolator, which looks like it may be original, is bad. It's a Corrosion Consultants Zinc Saver, about the size of a deck of cards. It looks to be wired between the AC ground buss bar and the bonding buss bar. I purchased a Promariner ProSafe FS30 as a replacement. It's many times the size of the old unit and has heat sink fins on both sides, resembles a small stereo power amp in size. It says it's rated up to 42 amps. Instructions say it should be installed between the shore power inlet green wire and the AC ground buss bar.
My questions:
1. Why was the old unit not mounted this way?
2. Is there a valid reason to have a second unit mounted where the old unit is currently AND install the ProSafe unit on the inlet?
3. Should I remove the old unit and just connect the wires together?
4. Where do the bonding system buss bars connect, to the engine blocks?
Boat is an 89 300 Dancer with Alpha One outdrives and I'm in salt water for the season, usually early May thru end of Nov. I'm on shore power when at the dock so my Promariner charger can keep my batteries up due to having Mercathodes on my drives.
I am going over the boat carefully before this season. I suspect the galvanic isolator, which looks like it may be original, is bad. It's a Corrosion Consultants Zinc Saver, about the size of a deck of cards. It looks to be wired between the AC ground buss bar and the bonding buss bar. I purchased a Promariner ProSafe FS30 as a replacement. It's many times the size of the old unit and has heat sink fins on both sides, resembles a small stereo power amp in size. It says it's rated up to 42 amps. Instructions say it should be installed between the shore power inlet green wire and the AC ground buss bar.
My questions:
1. Why was the old unit not mounted this way?
2. Is there a valid reason to have a second unit mounted where the old unit is currently AND install the ProSafe unit on the inlet?
3. Should I remove the old unit and just connect the wires together?
4. Where do the bonding system buss bars connect, to the engine blocks?
Boat is an 89 300 Dancer with Alpha One outdrives and I'm in salt water for the season, usually early May thru end of Nov. I'm on shore power when at the dock so my Promariner charger can keep my batteries up due to having Mercathodes on my drives.
