Bonding Issue

[Stillraining]

Ok I have an issue with my bonding system. First of all my bonding plate is not big enough so I have to figure out what to do there. It is only 3 x 9" right now. Also my mast has never been bonded to it, the chainplates however are, also the length of horizontal run from the main mast to the bonding plate is 20' and passes between both my fuel tanks which are fiberglass and 18 1" SS keel bolts, then under the gen set and engine to the bonding plate back at the shaft tube.I will post two pictures to show some of this.My concerns are1) The horizontal run is not a vertical one like every book suggests.2) The run would be laying on the bottom of the hull ( could it blow holes in it? )3) It would run between the built in fiberglass fuel tanks ( dosent seem to cool for the same reason )4) Past all the keel bolts, under the genset and engine. ( All atractive metels )5) Best way to increase, and secure a larger bonding plate and made out of what material? ( origional was only secured with 2-1/4" SS thru bolts about 5" center to center with no backing plate just small SS washers )All advice is welcome. ThanksPS: I am standing on the starboard fuel tank the port is opposite it.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Bonding

I'm no expert but I don't know why you think the plate you have is inadequate, particularly as you are far removed from the lightning epicenter of the world. If it were me, I'd simply elmininate the external bonding plate entirely and simply run a cable from the mast to a keel bolt and tie in the existing wiring from the chainplates.

 

[Stillraining]

Don

I have both read and been told that a minimum of 4 edge feet or one square foot is needed to be efective. I agree we dont get the lightning out here like some areas but I would hate living with someone being killed on my boat knowing I did nothing. Thats just me.I posted this on another wed site and only got one responce, I was told not to hook it to the keel bolts as they were SS ( Not a good conductor he said ) and also my keel was incapsulated so no direct metel to water interface.PS: Where did you find My topic listed ? I cant see it anywhere? Im wondering if I did something wrong as it is not showing up in the "New Topic" column on my computer.

 

[GuyT]

How are you getting the ground out of the boat?

You can have a bonding plate the size of N.H. but if you do not have a good connection for the current path to flow to the outside of the hull, it does no good. For me the issue should be not the size of the bonding plate inside the boat(for lightning protection), but how the ground goes outside of the boat. I have an iron keel and all my grounds are connected to the Stainless Steel Keel Bolts. And as far as the conductivity issue of stainless steel - yes it is a poorer electrical conductor than copper but when it comes to lightning, I dont think that matters. Those bolts connect directly to the exposed keel.The key for grounded systems is the path of least resistance. Make the connections as direct as possible - shortest lengths of wire and make them as heavy as you can.Of all the grounding methods I have seen posted, I like the type that use conductors from the shrouds to the water on the outside of the hull.If I can keep the current path outside my hull I think I am far better off.