Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 15 December 2015, 16:33   #1
Member
 
Wightdiver's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Fareham
Boat name: Red Dog
Make: Porters Renegade
Length: 6m +
Engine: 150 HP Yamaha
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 610
How do you earth a rib?

Just treated myself to a new sounder/plotter.

The electric cable has three wires, live, neutral, and one that they refer to as a “drain wire”. It then states that the product must be correctly grounded.

Any thoughts, other than I should have not read the instructions?

Thanks

Andy
__________________
Wightdiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 December 2015, 16:45   #2
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,934
just use the batt neg terminal.

it is usually of importance on bigger boats that are using AC power sometimes (genny) and or connected to shore power.
__________________
Xk59D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 December 2015, 19:10   #3
Member
 
Wightdiver's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Fareham
Boat name: Red Dog
Make: Porters Renegade
Length: 6m +
Engine: 150 HP Yamaha
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 610
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xk59D View Post
just use the batt neg terminal.

it is usually of importance on bigger boats that are using AC power sometimes (genny) and or connected to shore power.
So I just connect the negative lead and the earth to the negative terminal?
__________________
Wightdiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 December 2015, 21:07   #4
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Leicester
Length: 5m +
Engine: 135hp Mercury
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,431
Had this with my Dragonfly 7. The instructions for which said to connect the negative & the drain wire to the battery -ve terminal. I did - through a busbar on the main boat - & it works very well.
I've also used it on another boat (one of Rutland Water's fishing boats) connected just to a battery - the +ve to battery +ve and the -ve together with the drain wire connected to battery -ve - & it was fine with that as well.
Instructions for mine state "On vessels without an RF ground system the shield (drain) wire should be connected directly to the negative battery terminal".
Also states that it isn't suitable for positive earth systems but - and I'm talking cars here - I haven't seen one of those for years!

What have you bought?
__________________
paintman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 December 2015, 21:17   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,934
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wightdiver View Post
So I just connect the negative lead and the earth to the negative terminal?
Yes.

As I said, it only really matters if using a Genny or shore power on board. Larger boats are usually designed with a ground to sea strap, via the keel normally and steel boats. Although it is possible with glass too and use the rudder or shafts.....anyway, not for a rib
__________________
Xk59D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 December 2015, 21:24   #6
Member
 
Wightdiver's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Fareham
Boat name: Red Dog
Make: Porters Renegade
Length: 6m +
Engine: 150 HP Yamaha
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 610
Quote:
Originally Posted by paintman View Post
Had this with my Dragonfly 7. The instructions for which said to connect the negative & the drain wire to the battery -ve terminal. I did - through a busbar on the main boat - & it works very well.
I've also used it on another boat (one of Rutland Water's fishing boats) connected just to a battery - the +ve to battery +ve and the -ve together with the drain wire connected to battery -ve - & it was fine with that as well.
Instructions for mine state "On vessels without an RF ground system the shield (drain) wire should be connected directly to the negative battery terminal".
Also states that it isn't suitable for positive earth systems but - and I'm talking cars here - I haven't seen one of those for years!

What have you bought?
Dragonfly 6, some great deals out there right now. Thanks for the advice, understand now.
__________________
Wightdiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 December 2015, 21:42   #7
Member
 
Last Tango's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Denny
Boat name: Highland Bluewater
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,647
The negative terminal is connected to the engine casing, engine casing is in contact with the water (electrolyte) that's at earth potential..........job done
__________________
Last Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
rib


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 05:59.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.