Wiring Fuel Tank

[BYOB Fishing]

Well, the instructions for the new fuel tank says to connect a wire to the spade terminal on top of the tank, then connect the wire to an earth ground....i just wanted to ask if the negative side of the battery was acceptable for this...just feels strange wiring up a fuel tank. The wire is to eliminate static electricity.



Thanks!

Matt

 

[earl60446]

I would connect that to the boat (biggest piece of metal you got). It is as you say to discharge static.
Tim

 

[BYOB Fishing]

I thought about that too, but I was worried about any electrical charge damaging the aluminum. It won't bother the metal structure?

 

[Bob Landry]

You want to connect it to the most reliable ground. That would be the neg post of the battery. The hull is not good because you are never supposed to use that as ground although you may pick up traces of a ground on the hull because if the motor mounting. In the event of a static charge, you want it to discharge directly to ground or else it's still a voltage potential.

 

[BYOB Fishing]

Thanks Bob..

I'm eventually going to have the gas gauge wired in, and that will be connected to the battery too. Will there be any issues with that? Just not sure, and the directions aren't a huge amount of help..

Thanks!

 

[Bob Landry]

No problem with that at all. The purpose of ground is to have everything at zero electrical potential. The hull may also be at ground because of the motor mounting, but it's not intended to be that way and is not reliable as a ground point. Spend a few bucks and get a buss bar. Mount it in an inconspicuous place, connect the battery ground to it and run all of your ground wires to it. You'll have a trouble free installation and never have to deal with it again.

 

[Wallijig]

I troubled shoot my fuel gauge a couple weeks ago.
Mine grounded on the metal ring to battery and wire from gauge hooked to that center bolt with nuts on it.
I could not figure out why it did not work and discover that factory (17' Tracker) has it's own ground wire to battery from tank. Hooked that back up good to go.