electrical hassle

Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7
I have been fighting a ground problem for some time and think I may have come across something but have no electrical expertise.
My thermal detector ( signal to heat gauge} is showing continuity between terminals when the wire is completely removed. I dont think this is normal??
The problem is I keep eating up water pumps due to electrolysis . It turns green and the bolts that hold the over plate on the pump corrode away then it starts to leak. I have current showing by holding one contact on the thermal detector and one on the water pump. I dont think this is normal either so am guessing this went bad or never worked. It only has one wire and it goes to ground, this is on a volvo d130s. Otherwise a great engine. Hope some elect head will know the answer.
Thanks
Randy
 

alldodge

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Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,583
thermal detector
I'm thinking a heat temp gauge, if your using that, then your just measuring heat at the terminal or something else?

You could have corrosion due to electrolysis and/or dissimilar metals. I'll guess your boat is plugged into shore power. This being the case you need a ground isolator to isolate your ground from the water. In most cases the boat with the best ground is the one which gets eaten up. A boat somewhere else with a bad ground is leaking current and causing trouble to everyone else.

What does your boat have to keep electrolysis down?
 
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