Be Protected
As part of your spring maintenance and upgrades there are some key areas of concern if you own a gasoline fueled boat and are replacing certain components that are either mounted directly on your engine or located in a space where an engine is or a fuel tank is located. The term to remember here is "ignition protected" and it applies to some common items that fall under the routine maintenance or upgrade category. This designation applies to gasoline fueled boats only (as far as engine and tanks torage is concerned) and LPG gas storage areas as well as battery storage areas and is actually covered under USCG regulations as well as ABYC Standards. That said, way too many boaters ignore or simply don't understand what the regulations dictate. The bottom line here is that things like starter motors, alternators, ignition components like distributor caps, or any electrical device located in engine room spaces or fuel tank spaces must be rated for ignition protection. The problem is further complicated by the fact that this is a marine only requirement and the fact that the designation of a component as being ignition protected rated is sometimes obscure to the average boater. Component labeling requirements allow some latitude in how a manufacturer can mark their equipment to let you know that the part meets the specifications. Any example is shown here on a gas engine ignition distributor cap: In the center of the photo above you are looking at an engine distributor and you can see it has a label on the cap. The label reads "SAE J1171 Marine". Now a lot of dockside gurus over the years have figured out that marine gas engines are actually marinized automotive engines and think that the marine labeling is merely an excuse for the parts people to charge more money for the part. I can say definatively that in this case you will be taking your life in your hands if you substitute an ignition protected component with a standard automotive component. In the above example J-1171 refers to an automotive standard that identifies ignition protected, which means that the device will not be a source of sparks in the event of a fuel leak that could blow your boat sky high! J-1171 is not the only standard that is referenced. UL-1500 is another possible reference, and on components made overseas, you may see a reference to ISO 8846. This designation applies to things like fuses, circuit breakers, alternators, starter motors, ignition distributors and / or caps and switches, bilge pumps, and blower fans that may be mounted in the above described areas of your boat. The bottom line here? Look for one of the above references on the new parts you install this spring as you get ready for launch, and don't let the dock guru tell you that you can save big money by going down to the local autoparts strore and buying the automotive equivalent. Simply put, it is not going to be equivalent! This is NOT an area where you want to try and save money.
As part of your spring maintenance and upgrades there are some key areas of concern if you own a gasoline fueled boat and are replacing certain components that are either mounted directly on your engine or located in a space where an engine is or a fuel tank is located. The term to remember here is "ignition protected" and it applies to some common items that fall under the routine maintenance or upgrade category. This designation applies to gasoline fueled boats only (as far as engine and tanks torage is concerned) and LPG gas storage areas as well as battery storage areas and is actually covered under USCG regulations as well as ABYC Standards. That said, way too many boaters ignore or simply don't understand what the regulations dictate. The bottom line here is that things like starter motors, alternators, ignition components like distributor caps, or any electrical device located in engine room spaces or fuel tank spaces must be rated for ignition protection. The problem is further complicated by the fact that this is a marine only requirement and the fact that the designation of a component as being ignition protected rated is sometimes obscure to the average boater.
Component labeling requirements allow some latitude in how a manufacturer can mark their equipment to let you know that the part meets the specifications. Any example is shown here on a gas engine ignition distributor cap:
In the center of the photo above you are looking at an engine distributor and you can see it has a label on the cap. The label reads "SAE J1171 Marine".
Now a lot of dockside gurus over the years have figured out that marine gas engines are actually marinized automotive engines and think that the marine labeling is merely an excuse for the parts people to charge more money for the part. I can say definatively that in this case you will be taking your life in your hands if you substitute an ignition protected component with a standard automotive component. In the above example J-1171 refers to an automotive standard that identifies ignition protected, which means that the device will not be a source of sparks in the event of a fuel leak that could blow your boat sky high! J-1171 is not the only standard that is referenced. UL-1500 is another possible reference, and on components made overseas, you may see a reference to ISO 8846. This designation applies to things like fuses, circuit breakers, alternators, starter motors, ignition distributors and / or caps and switches, bilge pumps, and blower fans that may be mounted in the above described areas of your boat. The bottom line here? Look for one of the above references on the new parts you install this spring as you get ready for launch, and don't let the dock guru tell you that you can save big money by going down to the local autoparts strore and buying the automotive equivalent. Simply put, it is not going to be equivalent! This is NOT an area where you want to try and save money.
