1995 16' Lowe 160 questions

KILNK

Cadet
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
19
I just bought this and it has been used in salt water. I will be mainly using it in fresh water with an occasional trip to the gulf. It has an anode installed on the hull. There is a wire from the anode that is not connected to anything. Do I connect it to the negative battery post?

Next The plastic fuel tank was uninstalled. I am reinstalling it and do I need to run a sepaerate ground wire to the sending unit besides using just the two wires from the sending unit itself?

Thanks.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Corrosion is caused by galvanic action acting on metals. Zinc is a good sacrificial element due to it's softness so that's the reason for seeing it on lower units and boats of some types. The idea is to tie everything to one central point. Battery - is usually that point, and if currents do occur the zinc molecules will do the sacrificing, not your aluminum or SS.

On your plastic tank, there isn't anything to tie to except the flange part of your sending unit. Even though the deck fill and the fill hose are electrically conductive and grounded at the clamp bracket but it doesn't do the tank any good because conductivity all but stops at the tank where the fill hose attaches and same goes for where the sending unit is installed....which is grounded under one of the mounting screws . Since the tank is a dielectric, it is highly resistant to conducting current and making sparks and all that so it's a lot safer than a metal tank that needs to be grounded to prevent a static charge buildup.
 

s.hadley81

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
245
If your doing mostly fresh water you will want magnesium anodes, zinc or aluminum for salt water.
 
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