Big 2/3

[SilveyPuck08v2]

I already have my positive-alternator wire ran with 1/0 gauge & fused @ 175amp. (same rating as the factory wire)

I was gonna add 1/0 to the factory battery-chassis ground, then for the engine block ground run 1/0 from the alternator bracket-chassis. However, the factory battery-chassis ground spot isn't great. So I decided to ground the battery-chassis & engine block-chassis runs at a common spot on the frame. (is it ok to ground these at the same spot?)

This made me start thinking........

Could I not just use a run of 1/0 from my battery-alternator bracket for my grounds? I know if I did this my amplifiers would have to be grounded at the battery, as the 1/0 wouldn't use the chassis. Would the factory grounds be suffice for any factory components grounded to the chassis?

It just doesn't make sense to have the battery & alternator connected using two wires via the chassis when I can go straight from the alternator case to the battery. (Given that I run my amp grounds directly to the battery)

Maybe leave the 1/0 battery-chassis ground & move the alternator case-chassis ground directly to the battery? (alternator case-battery + battery-chassis) Also, I left the factory wires, so the grounds have 2 seperate points. But current will take the path of least resistance, so this won't matter. Correct?

It just seems that this would be better for current flow. Someone please explain this to me.

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[SilveyPuck08v2]

5ft of 1/0 awg weld wire to the user with the best answer by midnight tuesday //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

Ground to the frame. There are other grounds that use your frame as well. Some vehicles have rubber or polyurethane engine mounts. Power don't go to well through them. You want the best grounds possible.

 

[SilveyPuck08v2]

Ground to the frame. There are other grounds that use your frame as well. Some vehicles have rubber or polyurethane engine mounts. Power don't go to well through them. You want the best grounds possible.

Alright, I'll just connect the 2 grounds together on the frame. The alternator casing will be the best spot for the block ground, correct? I'm assuming the grounds don't have to use factory spots since the current will take the path of least resistence. (I'm not gonna attempt to remove any factory wiring)

I have a Jeep GC with a new Duralast Battery & a huge factory alternator, Bosch 136A. I'm just running a small ZED Audio 25x4 amp & JL 500/1, using the stock h/u. So I'm hoping this is all I'll need to prevent voltage drops.

 

[I Like Waffle]

I think youre fine with the common ground spot for both the wires, thats actually better to have as long as its a strong ground. Make sure you have a good frame to body ground as well, alot of people dont think of it but all the cars components ground to the body not the frame. So i try to add a ground from the actual cabin of the car (firewall) to the frame or engine, somewhere they can be linked together. Preferably the frame as the engine isnt really a good conductor.

What you said about the alternator bracket to batt is a good idea also, given you have the room a ground from the alternator directly to the battery would be optimum. BUT you also need to keep the other 2, as theyre important also, the more grounds the more amperage you can flow without a problem. Ideally you want a good pathway from each component of the car/electrical system to the other component, so i would leave your other 2 wires there and simply add another.

Youre correct about current taking the path of least resistance, personally i like to leave the factory grounds as long as theyre in good shape, and generally theyre a PITA to get to on the other end anyway. Leaving the factory grounds just adds more current capability to the system, alot of cars seem to have 4 gauge for the factory ground which if they do i leave it there.

Personally i like to do this method when running alot of juice

Alternator Bracket - Frame

Alternator Bracket - Battery

Frame - Body (firewall or fender)

Frame - Battery

This is given that you wire your major components directly to the frame where possible, if not, you should add another body to battery ground.

When you do all this, make sure you use the closed type copper tube terminals with electrically conductive grease to prevent corrosion. I like to use the closed type copper lugs, grease inside the lug, and clean and tape up the end of the lug to the wire to seal it. The ground points at the battery typically corrode easily, but it largely depends on the quality of wire youre using. Another good thing about those lugs is you can beat them basically flat if you need to use a bunch of grounds and such.

Oh, and the gold plated stuff isnt worth a ****.

 

[I Like Waffle]

Alright, I'll just connect the 2 grounds together on the frame. The alternator casing will be the best spot for the block ground, correct? I'm assuming the grounds don't have to use factory spots since the current will take the path of least resistence. (I'm not gonna attempt to remove any factory wiring)
I have a Jeep GC with a new Duralast Battery & a huge factory alternator, Bosch 136A. I'm just running a small ZED Audio 25x4 amp & JL 500/1, using the stock h/u. So I'm hoping this is all I'll need to prevent voltage drops.

You should be fine with that, but that cherokee probably has alot of electrical crap on it that pulls alot of current. I think i remember reading that newer cars use atleast 30a of current off the top to operate the engine and normal things, not including lights or AC and stuff like that. BUT given that you have a strong big 3, good grounds, and a good front battery i think youll be alright.

 

[SilveyPuck08v2]

You should be fine with that, but that cherokee probably has alot of electrical crap on it that pulls alot of current. I think i remember reading that newer cars use atleast 30a of current off the top to operate the engine and normal things, not including lights or AC and stuff like that. BUT given that you have a strong big 3, good grounds, and a good front battery i think youll be alright.

It's the base Laredo with a V6 & 4x4, has a lot of electrical components & features though. I did switch my radiator fan from electric to mechanical, so that should help some. (due to a design flaw by Chrysler) Without any of the Big 3 wires it idles between 13.9-14.1v, so my guess is it'll be around 14.4-14.5v after I add the 1/0.

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

Just standard big 3 will be sufficient. Your alt cannot put out enough juice to need more than 1/0 can carry.

 

[SilveyPuck08v2]

I think youre fine with the common ground spot for both the wires, thats actually better to have as long as its a strong ground. Make sure you have a good frame to body ground as well, alot of people dont think of it but all the cars components ground to the body not the frame. So i try to add a ground from the actual cabin of the car (firewall) to the frame or engine, somewhere they can be linked together. Preferably the frame as the engine isnt really a good conductor.

What you said about the alternator bracket to batt is a good idea also, given you have the room a ground from the alternator directly to the battery would be optimum. BUT you also need to keep the other 2, as theyre important also, the more grounds the more amperage you can flow without a problem. Ideally you want a good pathway from each component of the car/electrical system to the other component, so i would leave your other 2 wires there and simply add another.

Youre correct about current taking the path of least resistance, personally i like to leave the factory grounds as long as theyre in good shape, and generally theyre a PITA to get to on the other end anyway. Leaving the factory grounds just adds more current capability to the system, alot of cars seem to have 4 gauge for the factory ground which if they do i leave it there.

Personally i like to do this method when running alot of juice

Alternator Bracket - Frame

Alternator Bracket - Battery

Frame - Body (firewall or fender)

Frame - Battery

This is given that you wire your major components directly to the frame where possible, if not, you should add another body to battery ground.

When you do all this, make sure you use the closed type copper tube terminals with electrically conductive grease to prevent corrosion. I like to use the closed type copper lugs, grease inside the lug, and clean and tape up the end of the lug to the wire to seal it. The ground points at the battery typically corrode easily, but it largely depends on the quality of wire youre using. Another good thing about those lugs is you can beat them basically flat if you need to use a bunch of grounds and such.

Oh, and the gold plated stuff isnt worth a ****.

I'm not gonna be running much power, now anyways. Just a small ZED Audio 4 channel & a JL Audio 500/1v2. So around 600w RMS. The factory wiring is 6 awg.

I like your idea for the added grounds, but for my application I don't think it will be needed. Especially since my wires are all gonna be very short. The alternator + bolt is about 10'' from my battery + & the casing bolts are about 15'' from the battery -

I don't use gold plated crap for anything, nor will I spend $30-40 for two chunks of metal. I'm using $4 terminals from Autozone. No plating, just metal. Then I picked up longer bolts from Lowe's & some locking washers to add the Big 3 1/0 wire using lugs.

It's actually 2/0 weld wire & weld lugs. My dad is a superintendent @ CommScope (telecommunications & fiber optics) & I was able to get the supplies from one of there engineers. He crimped them together using the same hydraulic crimper used to wire multi-million dollar machines, so it should hold. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

& here's the spot I used for my ground, after I sanded it was a bitch to get a power drill in, but I managed.

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

Dude, that is more than good enough for what you need. But for your power wire, I would tape em up with red electrical tape. Cause some dumb mechanic will think they are grounds and fack something up.

 

[SilveyPuck08v2]

So you're saying that with the little power I'm running I won't need to add a body-frame wire for the factory components? I used a grommet & drilled the body where the amps are so I could ground the amps on the frame, not the body. (didn't have enough wire to run straight to the battery)

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

Yeah, there is no need to do a body to frame wire. Especially if you are grounding the amp to the frame. No need to make more work than necessary. Your factory components run just fine right now without doing a body/frame wire, so why should you have to add one now?

 

[SilveyPuck08v2]

Dude, that is more than good enough for what you need. But for your power wire, I would tape em up with red electrical tape. Cause some dumb mechanic will think they are grounds and fack something up.

Well I now have an in-line fuse sitting on the battery for the alt-batt run & it's only 4-5' on either side.

Plus I do 99% of my maintenenace/repairs. But good looking out.

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

I wouldn't worry too much about the alt to batt run. I would put the fuse on the batt to amp run.

 

[SilveyPuck08v2]

Yeah, there is no need to do a body to frame wire. Especially if you are grounding the amp to the frame. No need to make more work than necessary. Your factory components run just fine right now without doing a body/frame wire, so why should you have to add one now?

I just wasn't sure. I knew the amps would be fine since they & the 1/0 are grounded to the frame, I just wasn't sure if the factory components would need 1/0 also with the added draw of amplifiers.