Ground Wire

[andytb 10+ year member]

when running your ground wire do you guy run it back to the battery or just run it to the chassis

Click to read more...

 

[wesl56 10+ year member]

chassis... since it is grounded

try to use as short of a ground wire as possible, and make sure you have a cean, tight, metal-to-metal connection

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

actually run it to the battery if you want... 0/1ga is better than the chassis (has less resistance than a unibody)... but just grounding to the chassis works as well.... make sure it's to a solid peice of metal, and not the sheet metal, you have to attach to the subframe for anything over say 300w. I'm unsure why the whole "short ground" thing came from... it doesn't make any sense....

 

[wesl56 10+ year member]

less wire, less resistance

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

actually run it to the battery if you want... 0/1ga is better than the chassis (has less resistance than a unibody)... but just grounding to the chassis works as well.... make sure it's to a solid peice of metal, and not the sheet metal, you have to attach to the subframe for anything over say 300w. I'm unsure why the whole "short ground" thing came from... it doesn't make any sense....

For the record though.... I've run all of my systems to the chassis except my woman's BMW which has the batt in the trunk

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

actually run it to the battery if you want... 0/1ga is better than the chassis (has less resistance than a unibody)... but just grounding to the chassis works as well.... make sure it's to a solid peice of metal, and not the sheet metal, you have to attach to the subframe for anything over say 300w. I'm unsure why the whole "short ground" thing came from... it doesn't make any sense....

You don't have to mount to frame, but it's much better if you do.

I noticed a signifant increase in votlage by changing the ground to the frame. There is too much paint/welds/etc if just mounting to sheet metal.

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

less wire, less resistance

Someone smarter than me was saying a modern unibody was roughly the same resistance as a 4ga wire... so using high grade 0/1 would be better than the chassis....

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

You don't have to mount to frame, but it's much better if you do.
I noticed a signifant increase in votlage by changing the ground to the frame. There is too much paint/welds/etc if just mounting to sheet metal.

Hence the over 300w... I've used the sheet metal (first system) and it worked fine.... for 1 PG XS2300 and a 45x2 kenwood amp.... but it would be crazy on anything bigger... put a hole in the floor and just go to the subframe...

 

[wesl56 10+ year member]

Someone smarter than me was saying a modern unibody was roughly the same resistance as a 4ga wire... so using high grade 0/1 would be better than the chassis....

of course it would be better, but i would doubt that the $$$ and effort of running another 1/0 run just for ground would be worth the improvement

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Someone smarter than me was saying a modern unibody was roughly the same resistance as a 4ga wire... so using high grade 0/1 would be better than the chassis....

Interesting...I have never put a system in a unibody. I wonder if you mounted to the ****** or something you might have a little better shot. (assuming the big3 was completed)

Hence the over 300w... I've used the sheet metal (first system) and it worked fine.... for 1 PG XS2300 and a 45x2 kenwood amp.... but it would be crazy on anything bigger... put a hole in the floor and just go to the subframe...

I am just curious why you choose 300w.

I know the resistance becomes great and all. Do you lose amperage as well? It would seem like 11v (what you get after voltage drop using the sheet metal) is 11v whether its a small amp or a big one.

I am also curious if there is a tool where you can test the quality of the ground. Like a DMM for -12V.

 

[iagrdshaka 5,000+ posts]

A couple ground runs to the battery up front never hurt anyone. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

 

[wesl56 10+ year member]

I am also curious if there is a tool where you can test the quality of the ground. Like a DMM for -12V.

just test for continuity with a multimeter

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

just test for continuity with a multimeter

Sorry, this is where my knowledge rather ends for me.

What is the process for this?

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

A couple ground runs to the battery up front never hurt anyone. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

I was thinking....

I could mount two 0/1 grounds to the frame, connect two 0/1 grounds from the battery to the same frame rail and accomplish the same thing for cheaper?

I drive a truck so it's a real frame.

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

of course it would be better, but i would doubt that the $$$ and effort of running another 1/0 run just for ground would be worth the improvement

Well if you'd spent time and money on 2-3kw, an HO alt, extra batts and such you might as well spend the extra money and time....