Stainless Wire for Bonding Bilge Components

[scottinsydney]

Several of the bilge areas original green bonding cables/wires and connectors that attach to the strainers, rudder glands and other hull fittings have seen better days and now need to be replaced.

Hatteras seemed to attach the original green wires to bolts that would be continually under salty bilge water. I don't see how there could have been be any integrity to the bonding as the green wire would have deteriorated.

- Is there is any reason not to use flexible stainless wire between the hull fittings and the copper bonding straps? Under my custodianship, bilges are now dry, but water from strainer cleaning does slop around.

- When attaching a new wire to the copper strap is there any special technique to ensure longevity/integrity of the connection? Resistance for bonding should be zero so I'm told.

- On my boat the only anodes are on the rudders and prop shafts. Is this normal for an original 61MY? Previous boats always had a transom anode too.

[kingsley_oasis]

My anode locations sound the same as yours and are as shown on Hatteras prints for bonding layout. I do have some on trim tabs also.
Some bonding wires had failed before I got boat but using tinned wire and heat shrink connectors with electrical grease fixed them. Test resistance annually. My bilges are usually dry though.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I’ve got 70 something bonding points on Aslan. Other than a couple that had separated, they tested good. However, most of what was low mounted crumbled when manipulated. That sort of took the meter out of the game. So I replaced them all two years ago with #8 tinned boat cable. All were double shrunk with marine grade heat shrink with glue. Attachment points were all cleaned up and dielectric grease or Boshield applied. Connections, properly made up, will stand the test of time. I do have a half dozen OEM bonding connections up high that looked and felt good. Still, I cut them back a few inches, where possible, to fresh wire. Not an electrical engineer type, but I’d think you need the copper given the micro currents involved. Open to suggestions.

[rustybucket]

I’ve got 70 something bonding points on Aslan. Other than a couple that had separated, they tested good. However, most of what was low mounted crumbled when manipulated. That sort of took the meter out of the game. So I replaced them all two years ago with #8 tinned boat cable. All were double shrunk with marine grade heat shrink with glue. Attachment points were all cleaned up and dielectric grease or Boshield applied. Connections, properly made up, will stand the test of time. I do have a half dozen OEM bonding connections up high that looked and felt good. Still, I cut them back a few inches, where possible, to fresh wire. Not an electrical engineer type, but I’d think you need the copper given the micro currents involved. Open to suggestions.

Why do you keep adding projects to my to-do list??? aaaahhhhhhh!!!!! lol. That looks fantastic, pretty work!!

[JD5652]

The conductivity and resistivity of copper is an order of magnitude "better" than stainless steel... that makes copper a much better choice in this application.

This is the same reason that you use relatively large cable (#8 or #6 AWG) for bonding versus smaller (#12 or #14 AWG). A large cross-sectional area conducts better than a small cross-sectional area.

Here's one source....

https://www.thoughtco.com/table-of-e...ctivity-608499

Also, using tinned boat cable and sealing the ends prevents the erosion and corrosion of the copper as well as wicking of moisture up into the cable for those areas that are prone to moisture or the connections being underwater.

[krush]

Bonding is for equalizing the voltage, and there is very little current flow (except in lightning strike). The desire to have thick wire is likely misplaced. However, thick wire is more robust than thin. But, one strand is all that is needed.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

In my case, I replaced bonding cables with #8 primary boat wire because that’s what Hatteras originally installed.

[krush]

Good plan. Always use good materials, because the labor is more expensive anyway!

[jrbrein]

I recently replaced my entire bonding system with #6 gauge copper tinned wire using heat shrink and Boeshield much the same way that Robert did his.

There were just to many gaps with corroded wires that were disconnected. A silver chloride reference electrode is a great piece of equipment to own and use. I was able to determine what underwater fittings were being protected or not. What I also found was that the copper strap that Hatteras used was still in serviceable condition throughout the boat. I also have a copy of the ships bonding system from Hatteras that helped.

Since I have been formally diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, I felt justified in replacing and thus having redundant connections.

The original question was about using stainless steel. We are taking about - 955 millivolts or so for zinc. IMHO, as long as you are able to demonstrate the proper voltage potential indicating your zincs are working.

Jon

[jim rosenthal]

There is also a product called (I think) KoprShield, which is a conductive paste with copper particles in it, which can be used on the connections before you crimp them I got it at a local electrical supply house. Basically what it does is to fill in all the air gaps in the joint once crimped. I have bonding connections done that way which have been intact for years, so far, anyway. .