[Public-List] Bizzare electrical problem

[Gordon Laco]

The glass in the hull can't carry a current, but moisture on it certainly can.  

On 2013-04-07, at 1:53 PM, Glennb <brooks.glenn at comcast.net> wrote:

> I can see stray electrical currents, but can fiberglass hulls conduct enough electrical energy to heat coax antenna cable to the melting point??? Never thought that was possible.
> 
> Btw,  i havent looked into the battery compartment yet - under the cockpit behind the engine- but everything is new back there this past year. Plus I did hose off the engine last spring as part of a serious cleanup following a lot of FG and wood sanding .
> 
> Gpb
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On Apr 7, 2013, at 8:54 AM, n4lbl <alan.schulman at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> That was true, but,,,,
>> 
>> http://www.thebatteryterminal.com/TechTalk_Batteries_on_Concrete.htm
>> 
>> http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/battery.asp
>> 
>> http://www.cartalk.com/content/business-batteries-and-concrete-floors-needs-be
>> 
>> 
>> On Sun, Apr 7, 2013 at 9:19 AM, Don Campbell <dk.campbell at xplornet.ca>wrote:
>> 
>>> That is the quickest way to drain a battery that sits without being
>>> recharged,  and if you set a battery onto concrete,  this is the way charge
>>> is lost to ground, i.e. through condensation between the battery and the
>>> concrete. By setting the battery onto a piece of wood,  that breaks the
>>> continuity of the water film and so maintains the charge in the battery.
>>> 
>>> Don
>>> On 4/6/2013 2:31 PM, Gordon Laco wrote:
>>> 
>>>> That's good advice.   I once had a shock (pun intended) when I casually
>>>> touched the probe of a multimeter to the inside skin of my boat while the
>>>> other probe was touching the SIDE of one of my batteries.    There was a
>>>> slight current.    I noticed everything was damp with condensation.   I
>>>> dried everything I could reach and was able to kill the stray current, at
>>>> least so far as my meter could detect.   If ever there was a good reason
>>>> for battery boxes and good ventilation, I reckon that taught me.
>>>> 
>>>> Gord #426 Surprise
>>>> (In Kingston Ontario doing the Antique Boat Symposium)
>>>> 
>>>> On 2013-04-06, at 1:58 PM, pat nolan <pnolan33 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> A lifetime accumulation of salt can cause all sorts of electrical
>>>>> gremlins .. I once told a guy with all sorts of electrical problems to wash
>>>>> his engine room. He thought that I was nuts , but it cured his problems.
>>>>> Scrub in the hard to get at places . measure with an ohm meter to check for
>>>>> connections.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> ______________________________**__
>>>>> From: Glennb <brooks.glenn at comcast.net>
>>>>> To: "alan.schulman at gmail.com" <alan.schulman at gmail.com>; Alberg 30
>>>>> Public List -- open to all <public-list at lists.alberg30.**org<public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>>>>> Sent: Friday, April 5, 2013 8:29 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Bizzare electrical problem
>>>>> 
>>>>> Alan,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks, interesting. The cooked wire does seem to be coincident with my
>>>>> engine start- first time since October.  So your suggestion seems feasible.
>>>>> The only thing I am having trouble visualizing is how the antenna coax is
>>>>> connected electrically to the ground.
>>>>> 
>>>>> i didnt describe the set up completely accurately.  The antenna is
>>>>> actually bolted to the aft SS pushpit, which is thru bolted to the deck.
>>>>> The antenna lead comes up through the taff rail.  Would the FG hull/deck
>>>>> conduct enough electricity to carry the resistance to the pushpit then back
>>>>> through antenna cable? i suppose the physical connection to the radio frame
>>>>> and radio ground would transmit the ground back to the engine through the
>>>>> master ground buss. Just not sure how the circuit could be made through the
>>>>> pushpit.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'll go check out the battery and starter ground etc tomorrow or Sunday.
>>>>> The radio does have a circuit breaker on the positive, but no fuse on any
>>>>> of the negative side.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Glenn
>>>>> Dolce 318
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>>> These businesses support your Association:
>>>> http://www.alberg30.org/store/**A30supporters.html<http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html>
>>>> Please support them.
>>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>>> Public-List mailing list
>>>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>>>> http://lists.alberg30.org/**listinfo.cgi/public-list-**alberg30.org<http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org>
>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>> These businesses support your Association:
>>> http://www.alberg30.org/store/**A30supporters.html<http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html>
>>> Please support them.
>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>> Public-List mailing list
>>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>>> http://lists.alberg30.org/**listinfo.cgi/public-list-**alberg30.org<http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org>
>> _______________________________________________
>> These businesses support your Association:
>> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
>> Please support them.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Public-List mailing list
>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-List mailing list
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org

 1365362609.0