bonding wire

[popey]

Hi there

I just went through a catalogue where I found my gas deck fill. It is an Attwood item and there stand: Note: Requires a bonding wire to prevent sparking when nozzle is inserted on gas and diesel models per USCG and ABYC H-24 requirements.

Question: Is this the something I have to take notice of, or is it the one installing the gas fill. Or otherwise - when I buy a boat with this deck fills, is this already installed or do I have to fix a cable each time refuelling?

Thanks for your reply

popey

 

[NHGuy]

Re: bonding wire

That's a slightly less used term for a ground wire. Your deck fill point needs to be bonded to the boat ground system, hence the term. I assume you are referring to a fuel fill. The metal fuel fill must have a positive connection to the electrical ground to prevent any possibility of a spark in the fuel cavity. A tiny amount of static electricity jumping between metal parts is all it takes to fire off fuel vapor, so the bond is used to prevent accidents, fires and explosions.

 

[popey]

Re: bonding wire

That's a slightly less used term for a ground wire. Your deck fill point needs to be bonded to the boat ground system, hence the term. I assume you are referring to a fuel fill. The metal fuel fill must have a positive connection to the electrical ground to prevent any possibility of a spark in the fuel cavity. A tiny amount of static electricity jumping between metal parts is all it takes to fire off fuel vapor, so the bond is used to prevent accidents, fires and explosions.

Thanks a lot for your answer. Is this mounted already or is this something that I have to connect each time refuelling?

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: bonding wire

NHGuy has it. Run a ground wire from negative ground (could be battery or terminal strip) up to a bonding lug around the filler neck. Any gas fitting that isn't secured to a ground (as in the frame of a car as typical automotive applications) has to be grounded separately in some fashion.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: bonding wire

In answer to your question: The fuel fill, as well as the fuel tank should have had a ground (or bond) installed by the manufacturer at the time of construction. It is a permanent install but over time it could corrode and break loose. The ground wires I have seen are green and at least 10ga. or greater in size.

If you cannot find a ground wire attached to the bottom of the installed fuel fill, you may want to install one yourself. Temporary ground wires would likely not work with certainty and could be a source of a spark themselves.

All you need to do, in theory, is be sure to maintain a physical contact between the fuel fill body and the fuel spout until you finish pumping.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: bonding wire

The problem with all of this is that the boat is not earth grounded, even through the negative battery terminal. Bonding wires make sure that all of the boat components are at the same potential relative to the negative terminal, but the negative battery terminal is not necessarily the same potential as the earth ground or the pump. There is a greater change that the boat is "earthed" if it is in the water and the metal drive parts are submerged. The only positive way of ensuring the same potential between the boat and the fuel pump is for you to have the pump handle in one hand and touch the filler neck with the other. It's also a good idea to do this with a car when refueling.

 

[boaterinsd]

Re: bonding wire

The problem with all of this is that the boat is not earth grounded, even through the negative battery terminal. Bonding wires make sure that all of the boat components are at the same potential relative to the negative terminal, but the negative battery terminal is not necessarily the same potential as the earth ground or the pump. There is a greater change that the boat is "earthed" if it is in the water and the metal drive parts are submerged. The only positive way of ensuring the same potential between the boat and the fuel pump is for you to have the pump handle in one hand and touch the filler neck with the other. It's also a good idea to do this with a car when refueling.

Question, on this as my boat has a metal filler neck. I am going to run a wire from it to neg battery post. I am also wondering as the trailer / boat isn't grounded, can a person take and run something from the trailer to drag the ground to insure its grounded? Just wondering as I had a pipefitters pipeline repair welding truck in at work a week ago that had 2 of these straps attached to the back of it. They had a generator and welding tanks and equipment on it. Could or would the bow eye be a good possible location ? just wondering.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: bonding wire

Question, on this as my boat has a metal filler neck. I am going to run a wire from it to neg battery post. I am also wondering as the trailer / boat isn't grounded, can a person take and run something from the trailer to drag the ground to insure its grounded? Just wondering as I had a pipefitters pipeline repair welding truck in at work a week ago that had 2 of these straps attached to the back of it. They had a generator and welding tanks and equipment on it. Could or would the bow eye be a good possible location ? just wondering.

Only if you have a metal boat and the hull is connected to a common ground. It's really not worth the hassle. Nobody really worries about filling up their car, and it is about as grounded as a boat on a trailer. How many times do cars catch on fire at the gas pumps due to static discharge, versus how many times cars are filled up each day?

 

[boaterinsd]

Re: bonding wire

good point, if I may so myself