Copper ground plate lighting electrode

[captainwireman]

Will the copper in the plate prevent marine growth or does it need regular cleaning? How about securing a length of bare copper wire under the waterline and securing this to the standing rigging backstays?

[boatpoker]

Don't know if I can upload a pdf but lets try .... ABYC Lightning Protection

[captainwireman]

Great information. My cat got hit but most everything was disconnected except that sweet new Shakespeare antenna

[model 10]

We have a 6"x18"x 1/4" copper plate on the bottom and it gets all kinds of growing things. Way more than the bottom itself, but I think it's all conductive or offers no resistance.

[Paul L]

They require periodic scraping to remove hard growth.

[boatpoker]

I am familiar with sintered bronze ground plates on boats but have never heard of a copper ground plate used in this application. Can you point me to such a product ? or is this a home made plate ?

[model 10]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

I am familiar with sintered bronze ground plates on boats but have never heard of a copper ground plate used in this application. Can you point me to such a product ? or is this a home made plate ?

I guess it's home made but I didn't do anything execpt bolt them on. I bought 2 such pieces from a metal shop. One is lag bolted to the lead keel through the hull and the other is for the HF radio.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Guy

I guess it's home made but I didn't do anything execpt bolt them on. I bought 2 such pieces from a metal shop. One is lag bolted to the lead keel through the hull and the other is for the HF radio.

Mine is just bar stock.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Mine is just bar stock.

FYI I believe mine is a bronze bar, not copper.

[Frankly]

The one I installed on Cbreeze is solid copper 20"x 6"x 1/4" with 4- 1/2" silicone bronze bolts. Barnacles love it. Recent thinking is that the plate edge is where the discharge is supposed to occur so I started painting mine and then scrape the paint around the edge before launch.

Bought the plate from Storm Copper and soldered the flat head bolts to the plate before I installed it. Two conductors from the bottom of the mast to the bolts. The copper plate is just in front of the mast step.

[Frankly]

Forgot picture.

[captainwireman]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

I am familiar with sintered bronze ground plates on boats but have never heard of a copper ground plate used in this application. Can you point me to such a product ? or is this a home made plate ?

CAUTION!
On the IACS Conductivity scale copper rates at 100%
Phosphor bronze comes in at 15%

In the TE-4 Lightening Protection PDF they caution using standing rigging because of the fittings. Mine just happen to be phosphor bronze.

[russell1952]

I put 2 ground plates on my cat one for the SSB radio and one on the other hull for protection, they get some growth but comes off easily. The function of the plate is not to conduct lightning to ground but to lower the electrical potential difference of the boat so it is less of a target.

[Frankly]

Originally Posted by russell1952

The function of the plate is not to conduct lightning to ground but to lower the electrical potential difference of the boat so it is less of a target.

Be sure you stand up on the bow and shake your fist at Zeus and explain your theory to him.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Frankly

Be sure you stand up on the bow and shake your fist at Zeus and explain your theory to him.

I kind of go along with that idea too, but I used the biggest and best cable from the mast to the lead keel just in case it ain't the correct idea. I heard another idea the other day from a Sport fishing boat captain. He said on those kind of boats, the damage comes up from the water.