ground wires

[1956olds]

I have two ground wires in my bilge that came off thier connectors ,one is supposed to be bolted to a through bolt on the shaft standoff plate ,the other is supposed to hook to the port steering arm .I seem to have lower readings on all port guages that are evenly down from starboard guages so i think rehooking them should even out the gauge readings.My question is should the 6 guage wire be soldered to the new ends or just crimped and shrinked?this is a pic of the starboard side i didnt get one of the port side.Forgive the po's mess.Glen

 

[tbirdvet]

Soldered is always the best method and then shrink wrapped. How were the original ends done (crimped)?

 

[Skeetobite]

When re-doing our boat, we opted to crimp and shrink the ends for all of the grounds. We just crimped new ends on the bonding wires without the shrink though. Any corrosion we found in the wires was cut back to clean bare tinned copper. If that left us short, we ran an entirely new wire.

For what it's worth, we replaced around 50 lbs. of copper in our project. I feel that being extremely detailed in this area can be the difference between getting back to your slip under your own power or calling for a tow.

I would also check all of the grounds, especially at the engine for that side. A loose connection could lead to the drop off in your guages as you describe. Of course, this is just one of many possible causes.

Good luck with your project!

 

[Four Suns]

Soldered is always the best method and then shrink wrapped.

Really?! And where did that come from?

Here is a nice article:

http://www.rbba.us/documents/crimping.pdf

Don't use solder.

Get some ring connectors with built in heat shrink tubing on them. You also need to make sure you have the right crimp tool where the jaws/dies match the connector being used.

Check this post out:

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showpost.php?p=320573&postcount=23

Is your boat wired such that the bonding system wires (what you have shown) is also the ground for the DC electrical system? Or do you have a ground plate on the bottom of the boat for the DC ground?

 

[1956olds]

actually there is a box port side i found when i removed the gunnel carpet for replacement that is for grounding or corrosion protection.Yes they were all crimped.And i belive they were probably broken by someone that was looking to buy the boat as there was a GIRL trying to trade a house for it and the po said she had been down there a few times ,she had never owned a boat before either.I had checked all possible grounds and wiring before purchase and this is the only problem i have found .I use a extendable mirror that has built in lights for inspection behind engines etc. My crimpers are snapons latest as that is what i use at work for harness repair on crunched autos.I am just not up to date on marine wiring .I even have a computer engineering degree ,but marine still stumps me as did my old mg with earth groung ,it was kinda wierd wired .Thanks Glen

 

[1956olds]

Oh yea this may have happened when the new struts shafts and props were installed last season by the po.but youd think theyd of noticed.

 

[tbirdvet]

I still maintain soldered is best but then I have an electrician background and know how to do it (but not in salty climates). If in doubt then OK to crimp but do it correctly. I've seen too many wires pulled out from poor crimping.

 

[autovette]

What is difficult in soldering in a "salty climate"?

 

[Happy Hour IV]

Those are not ground wires, they are bonding wires. If the boat is properly wired then reconnecting or disconnecting any or all of them should not change your gauge readings.
If it does then a ground (negative) wire on your DC system is missing or broken. You do need to reconnect the bond wires for prevention of electrolysis. There is a ground bus showing higher up on the transom.

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Solder essentially takes the flexible stranded wire and converts it to a solid wire. As we all know solid wire tends to bend and break under the vibrations present in a boating environment. That is why soldering is generally not used in wiring on boats. The only place I use it with the fine wires related to the electronics and the NMEA interfaces.

 

[Mr Salt]

I still maintain soldered is best but then I have an electrician background and know how to do it (but not in salty climates). If in doubt then OK to crimp but do it correctly. I've seen too many wires pulled out from poor crimping.

Marine elctrici work is different than land electric. Your next statement will beelectrons oare electrons and that is correct. Bur you don't use tinned wire on land do you? You don't use solid wire ona boat, wxcept anteena coaxial. You want as few different types of metal touching each other as possible so you don't end with electrolysis between the metals. Just to show that marine wiriung is different that land wire the green wores are not ground wires they are bonding wores. The ABYC has mandated that all bonding be yellow in the future so that land based electricians don't think they are ground wire like you have in a three wire bundle. Marine and land wiring are the same but different. So be careful out there:huh:

 

[tbirdvet]

Good point Mr. Salt. I will concur with your position.

 

[1956olds]

Well i picked up my chapmans book this morning and read the chapter on electrical.I dont sleep much lately,and i was tired but it says" crimp and shrink" useing tinned connectors with forked or better yet oval ends.This method reduces galvanic corrosion and soldering not as much but it can be done .I see the ground buss on the transome and will remove and scotchbrite the terminal surfaces and electrical silicone them before re torqueing.If this dosent cure it ill start from the batteries and go toward the alternator and starter grounds untill i reach the guages rewcrimping cleaning and tightening along the way. Thanks ps good thing i dont get to splash untill may 5

 

[Four Suns]

I see the ground buss on the transome and will remove and scotchbrite the terminal surfaces and electrical silicone them before re torqueing.

On the transom? That would be your sacrificial anode (zinc/Mg/Al) and all the green wires tied to it are for the bonding system and NOT for the ground for the electronics. You are confusing the green wire bonding system on your boat for your DC ground and they are not the same. You are not supposed to ground your DC negative to the bonding system.

Go read this:

http://marinesurvey.com/yacht/ElectricalSystems_AC.htm

 

[1956olds]

happy hour 4 says that is a ground buss in the picture i posted in first post up higher on the transom, that was what i was refering to clean and retighten.I will also repair the wire ends for the bonding system with new tinned oval connectors and shrink tubing.I am not going to change the wiring system just repair it to original.There was no corrosion on the connectors or wires so the wires should be good .

 

[tobnpr]

Those are not ground wires, they are bonding wires. If the boat is properly wired then reconnecting or disconnecting any or all of them should not change your gauge readings.
If it does then a ground (negative) wire on your DC system is missing or broken. You do need to reconnect the bond wires for prevention of electrolysis. There is a ground bus showing higher up on the transom.

I'd be really surprised if there isn't a hull zinc as part of a bonding system.
OP- what hull zincs do you have? Towards the far right of the picture- near the keel- I see thru-hull mounting bolt and a couple more bonding wires to the right of it which looks like they might be going to a transom zinc.

If you have a transom zinc there, you need to reconnect to the transom zinc and not the ground bus.

 

[1956olds]

The transom zinc end didnt come off,only the end on the bolt for the prop standoff and the one on the port steering rudder arm. I will re crimp them to be sure they are tightly done though.thanks