Carl wrote:> I have just bought a fibreglass sailboat that needs rewiring. Reading> Don Casey's book "Sailboat Electrics Simplified", he states that the> battery MUST be properly grounded to the engine block. That's fine if> the boat has an inboard engine - but does this mean that I have to run> a grounding cable through the boat to the stern and attach it to the> outboard engine? Or is there an alternative "earth" on a fibreglass> boat?>
Interesting question, Carl.
I don't have a copy of that book so I'm not sure what Casey had in mind. Assuming you will have no battery connection to the outboard (as in electric starting, battery charging, etc.), I can imagine no reason why the engine must be bonded to the battery.
In fact, I can think of a few reasons why you would not want to bond it.
"chuck" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message news:1150990018_9283@sp6iad.superfeed.net...> Carl wrote:>> I have just bought a fibreglass sailboat that needs rewiring. Reading>> Don Casey's book "Sailboat Electrics Simplified", he states that the>> battery MUST be properly grounded to the engine block. That's fine if>> the boat has an inboard engine - but does this mean that I have to run>> a grounding cable through the boat to the stern and attach it to the>> outboard engine? Or is there an alternative "earth" on a fibreglass>> boat?>>
Interesting question, Carl.>
I don't have a copy of that book so I'm not sure what Casey had in mind. > Assuming you will have no battery connection to the outboard (as in > electric starting, battery charging, etc.), I can imagine no reason why > the engine must be bonded to the battery.>
In fact, I can think of a few reasons why you would not want to bond it.>
Good luck.>
Chuck
Yea, I would agree. No reason to do this with an outboard if it does not need an electrical connection. I would install a ground point and run the battery negative to that. Then you can connect up other grounds without clogging the negative terminal on the battery. Blue Sea Systems makes a stud that has a number of smaller connection points arranged around it in a circle. Quite handy.
chuck <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in news:1150990018_9283 @sp6iad.superfeed.net:
In fact, I can think of a few reasons > why you would not want to bond it.>
Just make sure the outboard has a nice shiny zinc to protect it from being eaten and it will be fine, electrically.
I also recommend you NOT leave it submerged just sitting there at the dock. Little creepy crawlers have this great love of tiny cooling system passageways, the kind between the foot cooling water opening and the top of the unpumped seawater up inside over the water pump. The little critters think you're making them an artificial reef and will start CLOSING those holes for the family....so the next time you start it, there's no water coming out the pisser in back....NOT GOOD.
Raise it out of the water and if you're storing it for next weekend, FLUSH IT with the hose ears and dock fresh water. It'll last lots longer!
Carl, That instruction is only relative to a boat with inboard power.
IF your outboard has a electic start or a battery charging capability, of course you will need appropriate wire for that. If it does not, you do not. When my boat had no electric require at the engine, there were no wires even going there. For the first two sesasons with the electric start, there was an isolated system with a garden tractor batttery stuck in the locker next to the fuel tank.
This boat has no external metal and so no ground bond at all and there are 300+ in outboard version just that way.
Matt Colie
Carl wrote:> I have just bought a fibreglass sailboat that needs rewiring. Reading> Don Casey's book "Sailboat Electrics Simplified", he states that the> battery MUST be properly grounded to the engine block. That's fine if> the boat has an inboard engine - but does this mean that I have to run> a grounding cable through the boat to the stern and attach it to the> outboard engine? Or is there an alternative "earth" on a fibreglass> boat?>
"Carl" <carl-lee-qc@hotmail.com> wrote in news:1151090387.562299.34550 @u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com:
Thanks for all the replies which collectively are very helpful. I> didn't make it clear in my original posting that the outboard does have> an electric start so I suppose that it does act as an "earth" - but> presumably only whilst it is in the water. When sailing or at the dock> the outboard is raised. My problem is getting my head around the> concept of grounding connections on a boat (as opposed to land-based> earth connections or vehicle grounds) - but, if I read your replies> correctly, it seems that it is not that important.> Thanks again, everyone.>
The outboard's starting battery isn't connected, or shouldn't be connected to the AC charger for the house batteries....so there's no reason at all to "ground" it to the AC line, opening it up to awful electrolysis currents from all the crap on the docks. I'd want to insure it was fully isolated, myself. I hate changing zincs.
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