Bonding systems should utilize which size green wire for ensuring underwater fittings are at the same potential?

In bonding systems, the choice of wire size is crucial for ensuring that all underwater fittings maintain the same electrical potential, which helps prevent galvanic corrosion. The recommended size of green wire for bonding, particularly in marine applications, is #8 gauge. This gauge strikes a balance between being sufficiently thick to carry the required current without significant voltage drop and being easily manageable in terms of flexibility in installation.

Using #8 wire helps to ensure adequate conductivity, which is essential because underwater fittings can experience varying potentials due to different corrosion rates of metals in contact with water. If these fittings are not bonded properly, it can lead to corrosion issues since dissimilar metals can create galvanic cells when they are in contact with an electrolyte (like seawater).

Wires that are thicker, such as #6, may provide even lower resistance, but are often over-engineered for typical bonding applications where #8 is deemed adequate. Conversely, thinner wires such as #10 or #12 do not provide enough conductivity to handle the associated currents, which may lead to overheating or insufficient bonding effectiveness.

Thus, the standard practice of using #8 green wire for bonding systems ensures excellent performance and helps mitigate corrosion effectively in marine environments.