how bad is a small ground

[Goldenknob 10+ year member]

What is the down fall for having a smaller ground for you amp than power wire?.. I have a 8 guage power wire and about a 12 guage ground... that is about 2 feet long.. I will be upgrading as soon as I get my new 4 guage install kit.. but in the meantime?.. could this be a cause of my headlight dimming? I've already upgraded "the big 3" to 4 guage wire.

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[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

"...wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?"

"whhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn"

And so on.

-Nick

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Nothing electrically is wrong with a smaller ground - as long as it's still rated to carry the current for that distance. You can get away with a slightly smaller ground conductor, as the distance it covers is generally a lot less than the power wire - but 12awg? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif C'mon, that's not going to work unless you're pulling 20 amps or less.

 

[Raffi 10+ year member]

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.....turned radio off!

 

[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

- but 12awg? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif C'mon, that's not going to work unless you're pulling 20 amps or less.

precisely...

 

[Goldenknob 10+ year member]

welll...... my amp has 2 25 amp fuses on it..

I'm just waiting on my wiring kit to come in... it's a pain to get to my amps

 

[Decipha 10+ year member]

what you running? And you said ampS i would deff upgrade if your running more than one

 

[Goldtaz1 10+ year member]

What is the down fall for having a smaller ground for you amp than power wire?.. I have a 8 guage power wire and about a 12 guage ground... that is about 2 feet long.. I will be upgrading as soon as I get my new 4 guage install kit.. but in the meantime?.. could this be a cause of my headlight dimming? I've already upgraded "the big 3" to 4 guage wire.

Having a small ground for your amp is like having a small wang and trying to screw a **** star. The desired results will be minimal. No pun intended.

 

[ruckus]

I think I rather fool around with a smaller power than a ground. Atleast a smaller power will only make you not have sufficiant power on drops. Too small of a ground can actually damage your equipment.

 

[Goldenknob 10+ year member]

well actually atm I have to small a power too.. I'm running an 1000w audiobahn, for my subs, and a 1000w pyramid, for my mids and highs, off an 8 guage power wire... suprisingly it hasn't blown my fuse yet which is only a 60A.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

well actually atm I have to small a power too.. I'm running an 1000w audiobahn, for my subs, and a 1000w pyramid, for my mids and highs, off an 8 guage power wire... suprisingly it hasn't blown my fuse yet which is only a 60A.

i dont think eaither of those amps will do half of what they claim. and i think the pyramid will do less than that.

but 4 guage, split into two 8's is definatly nessicary.