·M.A.

N:-B&W Diesel M·A·N

Service Letter No.: SL 86-2l3/UM

July 1986

Highly Efficient Propeller Shaft Earthing Device

L-GF/C/A, L-GB/GBE, and S/K/L-MC/MCE Engines

Dear Sirs,

In our SL 83-l93/0W, we gave our general recommendations concerning

necessary precautions against spark erosion damage in main bearings.
However, from time to time, we still receive reports of micro-pitting
in main bearings as a result of electrical discharges. ,In these cases,
investigations have shown that the repeated damage is due to either
insufficient maintenance of the earthing device or poor quality of the
installed propeller shaft earthing device.

Even though the propeller shaft earthing device is outside the delivery
scope of the engine manufacturer', we feel it necessary to emphasize our
quality specification of the earthing device and to give some general
maintenance advice:

The propeller shaft earthing device must be capable of reducing the

natural potential of the propeller shaft, which is around 450 mV, to
below 50 mV.

Measurements and experience have proved that this can most easily be
done by using a solid silver track as a slip ring, and silver/graphite
material as brushes. The silver track material is superior because of
its low electrical resistance, and the silver/graphite brush ensures
that the system is self-lubricating and self-cleaning.

MAN.·B&W Diesel A/S . CENTER SYD . Stamholmen 161 . DK·2650 Hvidovre . Copenhagen· Telephone + 45 1 492501 ' Telex: 16483 bwdiel dk
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 - 2 -

To enable frequent checking of the functioning of the earthing device,

the system must include a separate monitoring circuit consisting of an
electrically insulated silver/graphite brush connected to a permanently
installed millivolt meter. This measuring brush may use the same silver
track as the earthing device.
Another key parameter for ensuring correct earhting is ultralow
resistance in the combined earthing device.
Therefore, the resistance between the slip ring and the propeller shaft
must also be minimized, which can be done by polishing the propeller
shaft and the rear part of the slip ring before mounting. The
resistance in the cable from the brushes to the hull must also be taken
into consideration, by choosing a cross section not smaller than 45 mm2
and by minimizing the length of the cable.
To emphasize the quality criteria for the combined system - propeller
shaft - slip ring - brushes - cable, we can inform you that reduction
of the potential to the specified value of 50 mV requires a total ~
resistance of the order of a few milli-ohms.
It is recommended that the readings of the millivolt meter are recorded
once a day in the engine log book.
Furthermore, a functional check of the earthing and measuring device
should be made frequently, e.g. once a month as follows:
liThe functioning of the earthing and measuring device is checked,
first by releasing the earthing bushes from their contact with the
shaft slip ring, which should then give a "high" voltage pulse of
100 - 400 mV, read at the meter. This indicates that the monitoring
circuit is in order. Secondly, when the brushes once more are
brought into contact with the slip ring, the reading should again
fall below the 50 mV limit.
The silver track and the silver/carbon brushes should not need any
regular cleaning, but if oil is found on the track, it should be
cleaned off carefully, using an electro-cleaner or similar solvent'
Should further information be required, such as an evaluation of the
efficiency of an existing earthing device, or evaluation of the bearing
condition and name of suppliers of new highly efficient earthing
devices, please contact us.

Yours faithfully,
M.A.N.-B&W Diesel Service