Grounding Stainless Swimstep ??-gctid353903

[BLCarl Frequent Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close BLCarl]

I'm in the final stages of putting together and installing a tubular stainless swimstep. I'll be using some of the origional holes and need to drill a couple more.

One of the through holes passes through the transem near the batterys. It would be very simple to add a ground wire to the throughhull bolt. I haven't decided if it's a good idea or not. My 2452 is trailered to salt water and is only in the water a few days at a time so I don't think it's a critical choice but why not if it's easy??

While I'm thinking about it, Should I clear coat the brushed tubing with something? I would rather be able to buff it out than replace yellowing clear coat.

One more ? 3M 5200 is great stuff but a little too tuff and inflexible . Bayliner uses a soft putty like calk that might flex and seal when things are shifting around and it's still removable after years in service. I wonder what it is and where I can get some.

Let me know what you think.

[Guest Close Guest]

The ladder is usually not in the water right? So I wouldnt worry about grounding it, If you are really worried about any corrosion add a anode to the bottom step

[BLCarl Frequent Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close BLCarl]

Ofishal wrote:
The ladder is usually not in the water right? So I wouldnt worry about grounding it, If you are really worried about any corrosion add a anode to the bottom step

The ladder could be either way but the uprights are in the water so electricly the step is in constant contact. Anodes are in the plan . Would grounding it cause some other new considerations ?

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

There are pros and cons to the issue, You can add an anode to each bar, and you could use a through bolt for bonding. I have not bonded nor used a zink on mine, no corrosion so far, will check it when I haul out this spring. I have a friend with a 32' bayliner and he has issues with corrosion on the brackets, I suggested he use rail fittings instead of the bent 304 SS brackets.

[bhawes Guru Find all posts View Profile Close bhawes]

5200 is a bear to remove, but for the fittings that are below the water line, it's what I'd use. You do not want these things leaking. If the installation is properly done, you should never have to remove them. Anything above the water line you can use 4500 on.

[SomeSailor Guru Find all posts View Profile Close SomeSailor]

You don't want to clear coat it. Stainless gets it's corrosion resistance ... from corroding.

It needs oxygen to for the protective chromium oxide layer that makes it stainless. It's all conductive, so you'd wanna tie into the boats bond system somewhere nearby.

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

SomeSailor wrote:
You don't want to clear coat it. Stainless gets it's corrosion resistance ... from corroding.

It needs oxygen to for the protective chromium oxide layer that makes it stainless. It's all conductive, so you'd wanna tie into the boats bond system somewhere nearby.

I agree, Pat S.

[JimMc Guru Find all posts View Profile Close JimMc]

SomeSailor wrote:
You don't want to clear coat it. Stainless gets it's corrosion resistance ... from corroding.

It needs oxygen to for the protective chromium oxide layer that makes it stainless. It's all conductive, so you'd wanna tie into the boats bond system somewhere nearby.

I was thinking the same thing. Do not clear coat it.

[Guest Close Guest]

I wouldn't ground the swim step. If it's a trailer boat, I probably wouldn't even put zincs on it. It wouldn't hurt anything to do so but I doubt it's necessary given the short duration of eposure.

I had zincs on the swim step stanchions on my 2750 and they worked well but that boat was in salt water all the time.

[2850Bounty Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close 2850Bounty]

Bonding/Grounding....... not necessarily the same.

Zinc... one of three anode materials...... Zinc, Aluminum or Magnesium.

I'd listen to Mike on this.

.

[boatworkfl Supporting Member Find all posts View Profile Close boatworkfl]

Some more info would help with our advise/comments.

What size boat do you have, and salt or fresh water, and if salt water how lond in the water at any one time.

With this info you will get much better advise.

For commenters: Not many of us know each other by name just by our log in title.

[BLCarl Frequent Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close BLCarl]

2850Bounty wrote:
Bonding/Grounding....... not necessarily the same.

Zinc... one of three anode materials...... Zinc, Aluminum or Magnesium.

I'd listen to Mike on this.

.

Bonding/grounding? What's the difference?

My 2452 is in the ocean a few days a Month in the summer. I was just considering running a green wire from one of the through transum bolts to the DC ground buss. The AC is not far either,but I wouldn't think It's a good idea to have anything concerning AC attached to a metal swim step. A couple of zincs on the supports is easy and cheep. I may clamp some lights and a transducer to them too. I wonder if it would effect the Mercathod system? But I know I'm overthinking it now.

[SomeSailor Guru Find all posts View Profile Close SomeSailor]

BLCarl wrote:
Bonding/grounding? What's the difference?

Electrically, they should be the same. Functionally, they are two different systems. Bond wires are those Green safety wires that keep all of the exposed metal fittings of your boat at a safe voltage. Everything is "bonded" together via those green wires. Your boat's "Ground" system has a different function. It provides a ground path for all your boats electrical components and depending on where you're at... may not always be a zero potential to the water your boat is sitting in.

You only want to bond your swim ladder to the green bond wires at the transom. There should be a group of them back there for any railings and garboard drain and gimbal assy.

BLCarl wrote:
I wonder if it would effect the Mercathod system? But I know I'm overthinking it now.

Not at all. If bonded properly, your Mercathode system will compensate for it no problem.

[BLCarl Frequent Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close BLCarl]

SomeSailor wrote:
Electrically, they should be the same. Functionally, they are two different systems. Bond wires are those Green safety wires that keep all of the exposed metal fittings of your boat at a safe voltage. Everything is "bonded" together via those green wires. Your boat's "Ground" system has a different function. It provides a ground path for all your boats electrical components and depending on where you're at... may not always be a zero potential to the water your boat is sitting in.

You only want to bond your swim ladder to the green bond wires at the transom. There should be a group of them back there for any railings and garboard drain and gimbal assy.

Not at all. If bonded properly, your Mercathode system will compensate for it no problem.

Is the bonding grid attached to the Negitive battery terminal anyplace? It must be at least indirectly because the engine block is, and it's bonded. Is there a reason for the bonding to take a different path? I did install a ground buss to remove extra wires from the battery. I was just going to attach it there becaue it's 2" away but a few feet of wire isn't a big deal if I should attach it to something else. The AC system is seperate right? I know this is just a mental exercise but I am going to connect the step to something. It may as well be the correct place.

[SomeSailor Guru Find all posts View Profile Close SomeSailor]

The best way to think about them is three different systems that exist on one vehicle:

1) Bond Ground (Earth Ground) - This is the network of green wires that should connect all of your exterior metal fittings to keep them at the same potential. These work to provide a safe bonding circuit and to keep your galvanic potential the same throughout your boat. (one cell vice many)

2) DC Negative (Ground) - This is the return path for all of the DC current used on your boat. Without this nothing works on the DC side.

3) AC Safety Ground - This is the green wire that connects the AC Safety Ground to the Bond System. The purpose of this wire is to provide a lowest-resistance path to ground for any stray AC current that finds its way onto the DC ground system. This is how you keep stray AC voltage out of the water. Without this you have the risk of AC voltage between one part of your boat and another, or your boat and the dock.

Electrically... they will always be the same (if functioning properly) but functionally you want to keep them separate (both in your head and on your boat). Look for a buss bar with a grunch of green wires tied to it near the back of the boat. That is where you'd wanna connect the bond ground for the swim ladder.