TOPIC: Grounding question (fuel)

Finally got my fuel tank reinstalled and hooked up, new sending unit wired up with a ground wire from the tank to the main ground strip, a ground wire from the sender to the ground strip, I know it's redundant, and of course the main sender wire. Question is should the filler cap be grounded to the tank? As of now it's just screwed to the mahogany deck and a rubber hose goes to the filler.

good question I am using a belly tank also and was going to run a ground wire between the tank and filler cap

Charles

www.uscgboating.org/regulations/boatbuilder_s_handbook/fuel_standards_partp.aspx

Thank you! Just what we needed to know. Easy enough to fix.
I'm trying to post some pictures but for some reason everything I try today is rejected. Must be a bug on the site cuz I normally don't have any problems.
Cal

thanks I thought you needed to bond everything
Charles

A few years ago the USCG and ABYC released this

"Recent events have caused the boating industry to examine the policy regarding the bonding of plastic body fuel fills with metallic caps and retaining chains. Existing USCG & ABYC policy states that the bonding of these components is voluntary. A study by IMANNA Laboratories has shown that connecting the metallic retaining chain and cap of a plastic body fuel fill assembly to a boats bonding system may result in electrostatic discharge from a land-based fuel pump nozzle to the metallic components of the assembly when the boat is not in the water. This condition does not exist when the boat is in the water due to the equalizations of the ground potentials between the fuel pump nozzle and the boats bonding system.

It is recommended by ABYC and the USCG that new and existing installations of this type of fuel fill assembly DO NOT INCLUDE any attachment to the boats bonding system. Existing connections should be removed from the point of connection to the boats bonding system to the fuel fill assembly. Removal of the metallic components of the assembly is not necessary; however, the U.S. Coast Guard and ABYC still require that METALLIC body fuel fills be bonded.

For further information contact:

ABYC (410) 956-1050 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mr. Philip Cappel USCG at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 202-372-1076 or FAX 202-372-1934."

So if this is a metallic fuel fill fitting, connect it to ground. If it is a plastic fitting with a metallic chain, Do Not connect it to ground.

More on grounding fuel system fittings see http://newboatbuilders.com/pages/fuel.html

A few years ago the USCG and ABYC released this

"Recent events have caused the boating industry to examine the policy regarding the bonding of plastic body fuel fills with metallic caps and retaining chains. Existing USCG & ABYC policy states that the bonding of these components is voluntary. A study by IMANNA Laboratories has shown that connecting the metallic retaining chain and cap of a plastic body fuel fill assembly to a boats bonding system may result in electrostatic discharge from a land-based fuel pump nozzle to the metallic components of the assembly when the boat is not in the water. This condition does not exist when the boat is in the water due to the equalizations of the ground potentials between the fuel pump nozzle and the boats bonding system.

It is recommended by ABYC and the USCG that new and existing installations of this type of fuel fill assembly DO NOT INCLUDE any attachment to the boats bonding system. Existing connections should be removed from the point of connection to the boats bonding system to the fuel fill assembly. Removal of the metallic components of the assembly is not necessary; however, the U.S. Coast Guard and ABYC still require that METALLIC body fuel fills be bonded.

For further information contact:

ABYC (410) 956-1050 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mr. Philip Cappel USCG at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 202-372-1076 or FAX 202-372-1934."

So if this is a metallic fuel fill fitting, connect it to ground. If it is a plastic fitting with a metallic chain, Do Not connect it to ground.

More on grounding fuel system fittings see http://newboatbuilders.com/pages/fuel.html

Mine is a definite chrome plated metal filler and a steel tank.

Mine is stainless filler cap and aluminum tank so I will bond them

Charles

My nitpicking rant for the day. Be careful about using the wording bonding, when you are talking about grounding. In this case you are grounding. Bonding is connecting all metallic fittings in contact with the water, with a wire, and connecting it to the common ground. What's the difference? Not much. Grounding refers to electrical potential. Bonding is about preventing galvanic corrosion due to dissimilar Metals. Who cares? Mainly professionals like surveyors, engineers, naval architects and marine techs. It helps to keep the systems separated.

But even sometimes pros do it. Notice in the Coast Guard handbook they (we, I was there) use the word bond when talking about ground. (And I reviewed that for technical content and missed it) Even I do it from time to time.

Of course grounding can also mean running on the rocks! LOL.

My nitpicking rant for the day. Be careful about using the wording bonding, when you are talking about grounding. In this case you are grounding. Bonding is connecting all metallic fittings in contact with the water, with a wire, and connecting it to the common ground. What's the difference? Not much. Grounding refers to electrical potential. Bonding is about preventing galvanic corrosion due to dissimilar Metals. Who cares? Mainly professionals like surveyors, engineers, naval architects and marine techs. It helps to keep the systems separated.

But even sometimes pros do it. Notice in the Coast Guard handbook they (we, I was there) use the word bond when talking about ground. (And I reviewed that for technical content and missed it) Even I do it from time to time.

Of course grounding can also mean running on the rocks! LOL.