Welding On Aluminum Boat-Battery Disconnect

[Chasin' Dreams]

I have to do some mig welding on my aluminum boat. I have heard all kinds of mixed info and opinions on whether or not you should disconnect your batteries before welding anything on a welded aluminum boat. I messaged an aluminum boat fabricator friend of mine about this but haven't heard back from him yet about it. I may just err on the side of caution and disconnect all my batteries prior to welding but thought I'd ask if anybody here has any experiences with something going wrong with electronics etc when welding on an aluminum boat?

 

[noluck]

i have never had a problem, but never hurts to use caution!

 

[Reel Gone]

I don’t have enough experience on Aluminum but have witnessed the outcome of a couple ecm’s getting damaged on trucks and machines that I would disconnect them.

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

Ya it's the electronics I'm concerned about so I will just err on caution and disconnect them. Not gonna add that much extra time to the job anyways. I weld on my heavy equipment like excavators, dozer etc without disconnecting but they are old school with no computers etc so not much to worry about on them. My alum fabricator got back to me and he said he doesn't disconnect but he said to make sure to ground right on the item I'm welding and not far from it and to try not to arc onto anything else.
Also concerned about gas fumes so I'm going to put an industrial fan near by blowing away from the weld area I'll be working on.

 

[macro]

Ya it's the electronics I'm concerned about so I will just err on caution and disconnect them. Not gonna add that much extra time to the job anyways. I weld on my heavy equipment like excavators, dozer etc without disconnecting but they are old school with no computers etc so not much to worry about on them. My alum fabricator got back to me and he said he doesn't disconnect but he said to make sure to ground right on the item I'm welding and not far from it and to try not to arc onto anything else.
Also concerned about gas fumes so I'm going to put an industrial fan near by blowing away from the weld area I'll be working on.

Careful with the fan. You dont want to blow your shielding glass away from your weld pool. Good luck

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

Thanks Macro ya I'm gonna position it far enough away to not mess up the shield gas.

 

[trophywife]

better question, what are you modding? and yes, please disconnect!! momentary arc and ecm goes bzzzt.

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

Nothing too serious just changing how a bilge is mounted in the stern. Float gets clogged up and it's a nightmare to reach it where it's at to do maintenance on it.

 

[trophywife]

Nothing too serious just changing how a bilge is mounted in the stern. Float gets clogged up and it's a nightmare to reach it where it's at to do maintenance on it.

I glued down a piece of bent alu, bent and drilled so it acts like a screen

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

I glued down a piece of bent alu, bent and drilled so it acts like a screen

Right on good idea. I'm thinking about making an aluminum box for it with screened sides and move it closer to my inspection hatch. Then I can just spray it/vacuum it out quickly anytime crap builds up back there. God knows why the factory installed them so far in to the back away from the inspection hatch. Need to be an 8 year old kid 100 lbs max to even get in there to clean it properly