Loose grounding wire

[ernierogers]

I recently had an issue while motoring our 2006 Hunter 46 LE. A 10 ga. green wire with a yellow tracer about 2 ft. long became wrapped around the prop shaft just behind the coupling and pulled loose on both ends. I have found a yellow ring connector on a transmission bolt without a wire in it, but haven't been able to find where the other end might have come from.

After taking up most of the floor boards trying to find a possible place where the wire came from, without success, I did find another mystery wire. This one is a large (0 or 00?) green cable with a yellow tracer which disappeared down to the bilge through an access port near where the high water bilge pump lives. It was not connected to anything on that end and the crimped on connector showed no signs of having ever been connected to anything. The connected end disappeared up the starboard hull, possibly going to a chain plate.

Could this cable as well as the 10 ga. wire both have been install loose on the bilge end for future ground bonding or something else? Or do I need to keep searching for where these wires should terminate?

I know this is wordy, so I appreciate your patience as well as your reply!

Thanks,
Ernie Rogers

 

[Benny17441]

The electrical wiring code indicates that green wires with yellow tracers are used as ground wires. As it is not known who installed them and whether the color code was followed I suggest the heavy wire be traced to its origin. There is no confirmation that your two wires may be related to a common circuit so I would treat them as separate. The 10 gauge wire to the transmission may be a ground wire for a pump, a fixture or instrument that may or may not be present in the boat currently. Is there anything not working? The larger wire does look like an attempt at bonding but suggest you make sure what's at the other end.

 

[Don Lucas]

Did you check the bolts for the shaft strut as that normally has a ground wire? Also check to see if you sea cocks are bonded and 1 is missing.