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| Ground wire to Transom Garboard Drain... |
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Message |
    
Bob C.
Member
Username: captngoderich
Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, September 26, 2009 - 09:44 pm: | 
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Hi,
Not a direct I/O question but I apprecaite getting some knowledge. On my 1990 Searay 27' Sundancer with twin 4.3s I have always seen a green insulated, about 18ga wire go down the inside transom and appeared to be screwed to the brass bilge garboard, drain plug fitting. I always assumed it was another ground system to fight galvanic corrosion.
Yesterday I was resealing all the transom below water fittings and found the drain plug fitting is no way attached to the ground wire?? When I removed the drain plug fitting I could see the ground was screwed into the fiberglass in the bilge just by the drain plug fitting, but in no way electrically connected to the drain plug fitting. I was surprised, I had always assumed the wire connected to the drain plug.
Now the dilema is do I assume Searay screwed up?? and should I connect the ground to the brass bilge drain plug fitting?
The boat has a Mercathode system and really no drive corrosion issues, so I kinda hate to fix something that doesn't seem broke.
Again Thanks for any advice. |
makomark
Senior Member
Username: makomark
Post Number: 1567
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 28, 2009 - 01:36 pm: |
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The mercathode is pretty much self contained and will compensate to protect the drive unit within reasonable limits. I'd think the green wire is a searay addition.
I'd call them and ask where the wire should connect to (both ends) and see what they have to say. |
Bob C.
Member
Username: captngoderich
Post Number: 5
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Monday, September 28, 2009 - 07:05 pm: |
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Thanks makomark,
Think we got it figured out ... Previous owner, or sometime in her past life, someone tried to remove the transom plug fitting. From the factory the fitting was installed with 2 self tapping screws and a bolt that went through the hull on which the ground wire was fastened with a nut. Probably someone was resealing the fitting, took out the 2 screws and one way or another the head broke off the bolt. They pushed the threaded remains of the bolt into the boat and used 3 self tapping screws to refasten the fitting. (with twins it is really hard to get down to that area of the bilge to put a nut on a new bolt to replace the broken one, so they left it). I have now replaced the fitting with the proper bolt and fastened the ground wire back. All sealed with lotsa 5200. Anyways long story, had a happy ending, and a few scraped arms and knuckles!!
14 footers on western Lake Erie today!!
Thanks
Bob
home port Port Glasgow ON Lake Erie |
makomark
Senior Member
Username: makomark
Post Number: 1573
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 06:31 pm: |
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glad you got it figured out. |
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