amp grounds

[Crownvicon28s 10+ year member]

is it better to ground amps seperately or ground them to the batteries?

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[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

I've tried both ways...doesn't seem to really make a difference. I think you will get a 50/50 response on that question.

 

[91Chevy 10+ year member]

Grounding to the battery would require longer wire, which would be more resistance. So it probably doesn't make a difference as long as the ground you use is a good chassis ground.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

i ground to the batteries but they are in the back anyway

 

[dB-SPL 10+ year member]

Some will say yes and some say no. Grounding through the body/frame means it's traveling through steel rather than a seperate run of copper (a much better conductor). But there's also more steel there than a run of copper.

 

[blimblam 10+ year member]

i ground to the batteries but they are in the back anyway

let's say i have a battery up front and battery in the back, can i just ground my amps to the battery in the back? i'd assume so right?

 

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

So if you run an extra battery, you can run your amp ground the the battery negative? And have a ground for the second battery?

edit - lol asked same question

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

let's say i have a battery up front and battery in the back, can i just ground my amps to the battery in the back? i'd assume so right?

yes

So if you run an extra battery, you can run your amp ground the the battery negative? And have a ground for the second battery?
edit - lol asked same question

its usually good to ground the rear batt to the front batt unless you have a good frame ground spot in the back

 

[blimblam 10+ year member]

alright, thanks man.

 

[iwearpro 10+ year member]

Its best to ground to the battery directly..Here is why, take a loose battery,hook up your battery positive and ground right to that battery on the bench and it will fire right up.. The battery supplies the ground not your chassis. You run a ground wire from the battery to the chassis so the accesories in the car that is grounded to the chassis will work. If you run 1 run of cable for the positive and ground the amp to the chassis the ground has to work its way through all the metal in the car,through spot and seam welded panels and what not.. Those who say more resistance is in the long cable is wrong AS LONG AS THE CABLE SIZE IS CORRECT FOR THE DRAW NEEDED.

Im sure his will cause a heated discussion but think about it. The battery supplies the ground not the car.

 

[Crownvicon28s 10+ year member]

Its best to ground to the battery directly..Here is why, take a loose battery,hook up your battery positive and ground right to that battery on the bench and it will fire right up.. The battery supplies the ground not your chassis. You run a ground wire from the battery to the chassis so the accesories in the car that is grounded to the chassis will work. If you run 1 run of cable for the positive and ground the amp to the chassis the ground has to work its way through all the metal in the car,through spot and seam welded panels and what not.. Those who say more resistance is in the long cable is wrong AS LONG AS THE CABLE SIZE IS CORRECT FOR THE DRAW NEEDED.Im sure his will cause a heated discussion but think about it. The battery supplies the ground not the car.

Hope this is right because my amps are grounded to the batteries now, I changed it this morning from the amps having seperate grounds. It does make sense though.

 

[MakeshiftAudio 10+ year member]

I do both via running a dedicated one to chassis, and run from there, just for removing potential problems.

See, the big 3 increases the connected from the batt in front to the chassis. The amount of steel from that point to the tap is considerate, but the cross sectional area is as well. It's a toss up. Measure resistance with a volt meter between the batt neg and your chassis grounding spot, just be sure to measure the cable's resistance if you're using extenders to reach the areas.

 

[iwearpro 10+ year member]

You got it! Now add some batteries to that thing! lol

 

[Crownvicon28s 10+ year member]

I do both via running a dedicated one to chassis, and run from there.

So you come off the neg batt terminal back to the a spot on the chassis, into the battery, then into the amps? Just want to make sure I have this right.

 

[MakeshiftAudio 10+ year member]

So you come off the neg batt terminal back to the a spot on the chassis' date=' into the battery, then into the amps? Just want to make sure I have this right.[/quote']
Yes, I have it go from the front batt, to back batt, then to chassis ground and amp from the batt.