Everglades 455 CC, Owner'S Manual

Page: 93 / 200

93
Electrical System
6.13 Bonding System
& Galvanic Isolator
Your boat is equipped with a bonding system that
interconnects all underwater metal hardware and
thru-hull fittings to ensure that they are of the
same electrical potential. Anodes are attached
to the bonding system at the transom and the
engines. There is also an anode in the seawater
cooling system for the generator. Anodes dete-
riorate before the other metals, thereby protect-
ing underwater metals from galvanic corrosion
or stray electrical current. Since the anodes are
sacrificial, it is important to monitor them and
replace them when they have deteriorated to 50
- 75% of their original size.
The bonding system is connected to the DC ground
and the earth ground wire for the AC electrical
system. It provides a path for dangerous short
circuits in the AC electrical system to the safety
earth ground in the event of a fault in the shore
earth ground connection and when the boat is
away from the dock.
When the boat is connected to shore power at a
marina or city dock, all boats connected to shore
power are connected to a common shore safety
earth ground connection. This circuit provides
essential protection against electrical shock from
faults or short circuits in AC electrical equipment
and, unfortunately, provides a path for low voltage
galvanic current to flow between the bonding sys -
tem of other boats in the circuit. If one or more of
the boats in the circuit has a stray current electri-
cal problem or is not equipped with proper galvanic
protection, it will seek protection from your boat’s
bonding system through the safety ground circuit.
This could cause accelerated deterioration of the
anodes and/or severe damage to the underwater
hardware. To prevent damage from other boats
in the circuit, a galvanic isolator is installed in
the shore ground circuit that isolates your boat’s
bonding system from the other boats. It prevents
the flow of low voltage galvanic current while still
providing a path for dangerous short circuit cur-
rents in the AC system to the shore safety ground.
6.14 Electrical System Maintenance
12 volt AC Electrical System Maintenance
At least once a year, spray all exposed electrical
components behind the helm, in the transom area
and in the plugs with a protector. Removable light
fixture lenses should be removed and wiped clean
Typical Bonding Wires & Connections
Transom Sacrificial Anode
with a damp cloth and reinstalled. Some LED light
fixtures are sealed and not serviceable.
CAUTION
WHEN REPLACING LIGHT BULBS IN MARINE LIGHT
FIXTURES, ALWAYS USE A BULB WITH THE SAME RATING AS
THE ORIGINAL. USING A DIFFERENT BULB COULD CAUSE
THE FIXTURE TO OVERHEAT AND MELT OR SHORT CIRCUIT.