Ground Wire

[Rodsails]

Okay, after 3 owners & no idea how many different instruments I decided it was time to rewire the control panel I have some Raymarine & Datamarine some Seatalk some NEMA183. Some wires that go through both panels and have bitter ends to no place. But my question is I found a #8 Ground wire running from the Keel into the control panel and taped off any ideals why and were it should be connected?

 

[heart of gold]

That ground should go to the mast and standing rigging only.

 

[Bill Roosa]

the PO had a death wish for lightning electrocution. The panel should be grounded to the engine as it is (could be)a current carrying wire. If ALL the instriments have their own grounds and the engine ground returns to the batteries then you don't even need the panel ground. The keel to mast base is a lightning ground and should not be directly connected to the current carrying ones. Only at the keel should the two types be connected.

 

[Stu Jackson]

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...01&page=Marine-Grounding-Systems#.Ua0dfpymXFk

Grounding systems are so horribly misunderstood by so many people.

 

[Rodsails]

Looks like I should remove it from the keel so if I was to get hit with lighting I'm not sending it dead headed into the panel?

 

[heart of gold]

That West Marine article is the best one on this subject that I have read. The mast, lifelines and standing rigging should be bonded to the keel but nothing else. In a lightening strike, it gives the voltage a path to water with out going through your engine and associated electonics. After dealing with high voltage for most of my life, I have found though, in a fault condition(and lightening is the mother of all fault conditions), that it pretty much goes where it wants and all you can do is minimize the impact by trying to give it a path to Mother Earth that is easier than through the rest of the boat. Electricity likes to follow a path to ground and it will always follow the easiest one. Also, isolating the 2 systems will prevent an electolysis circuit under water, that being from your prop shaft to the keel or any other grounded metal bit exposed under water...but that is another discussion.