Cat 30 Grounding Bus

[Bruce Murphy]

Please help.I am trouble-shooting a grounding prob. on my new (used) Cat 30.It seems that all of tyhe DC panel ground wires dissapear into the hull.I have hot power to the panel, but the ground is ng. When I jumper the AC ground to the DC panel (no ac on)we have power to the dc panel.I would say that this harness of black wires is not/or bad connected to a commonground bus. But where is it located?This problem started out as flakey, now solid down.Thanks, Bruce

 

[Lou]

grounding bus

I had an intermittent ground problem on my 1983 Cat 30 a few years ago. I pulled the plywood panel that the distribution panel is located on and found a ground bus just below the back of the plywood panel. Difficult to see and get to because there is not enough slack in the wires to pull the plywood panel out very far. I was able to tighten up the screws in the gound bus with a stubby phillips screw driver. When I reinstalled the panel, everything worked. Hope this helps. BTW I grew up on the Great South Bay, my father was a fisherman and clammer.

 

[Bruce Murphy]

Thanks Lou

Lou,I will take your lead and look for that bus. I have a tilt out panel on my 89' Cat 30 but I will look further down into the space behind and below for that bus bar. The wires just dissapear into the hull but I will dig deeper.Everything else is so accessable on this boat, I am suprised that I have to dig for a ground bus!The Great South Bay is still a great place to raise a family. Our two kids, 14 and 16 love sailing and all that comes with this area. The clamming has been good, the fishing tapered off this year but generally has been strong. You must have some good memories. I'm sure you miss that salt water although I'm sure you get your challenges big lake sailing.Thanks and I'll let you know if I find that bus....Bruce

 

[C Robb Worthington]

grounding wire

I just rebuilt most of my electrical system including installing new panels and two more batteries. On the ground side I found no grounding bus aside from one on the back of the panel itself which was then wired to the engine block. I discovered that that wire was somewhat corroded on both ends and had loose connectors. I cut away the corrosion and put on new connectors properly heat shrinked. It now runs directly to the negative side of the new Blue sea panel. By the way mine is an 88 C30.

 

[Bruce Murphy]

Still looking!

C Robb, thanks for the input. My project is a little on hold since all is frozen at this point and I just got the boat covered. I am still perplexed because the neg side of all my circuits go to a screw type bus on the boat hull behind the tilt out panel, then individual black wires (8 or so) go down into the hull. (to a common ground point I presume) I have cleaned the ground wire and engine metal for my engine ground, but I am not sure where even that wire ends up... I am finishing covering and removing batteries tomorrow so I will take one more look. Otherwise this will wait till spring although I would love to have solved prior. I'll post again tomorrow.THanks, Bruce