Why Run A Ground Wire From The Battery to the amp?

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

To the positive but not to the negative, the Neg from the alternator is grounded to the frame which the battery connects to.
What kind of degree can you get in 2 years ?

What happened to the origional lolmaniac?

ps, it isnt connected to the frame, it is connected to the engine block which is connected by a wire to what.... THE BATTERY!!!

Don't believe me , go pull your motor and see.

Wanna know why there isn't a wire used there? Because the engine block is made of a higher grade metal with a lower resistance and works better for conducting than the steel used in frames

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

You can't unless the battery dies WHILE the car is running. The alternator steps up voltage and generates it while the engine is running, but it cannot produce that power without getting an initial charge from the battery. Go take your battery out and try to start your car.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

ehh, this is kinda right, but i dislike your wording.... the alternator actually converts the mechanical energy from the spinning motor into electrical energy by spinning copper inside of a magnetic field. Sure it uses electricity to work the voltage reg, but depedning on the design of the alt it can function without it

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Oh yea, another problem with grounding to the frame of a vehicle is the fact that all newer cars are pretty much going to a Unibody construction, without a frame.

 

[Hintzyboy 5,000+ posts]

ehh, this is kinda right, but i dislike your wording.... the alternator actually converts the mechanical energy from the spinning motor into electrical energy by spinning copper inside of a magnetic field. Sure it uses electricity to work the voltage reg, but depedning on the design of the alt it can function without it

True. I guess what I was getting at is that the altenator can't make power on it's own. The batt has to supply power to the starter to turn the motor over to spin the alternator to generate energy. Was just too vague and left out some things. My bad

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

True. I guess what I was getting at is that the altenator can't make power on it's own. The batt has to supply power to the starter to turn the motor over to spin the alternator to generate energy. Was just too vague and left out some things. My bad

its all good, I knew you understood the concept, just wanted to clarify some wording, and throw in some info, since it appears we have an audience of 30+ viewers lol

 

[UNDERGROUND_BUM 10+ year member]

I dont think it has anything to do with ruining him, considering he is trying to debate something nondebatable.. I think your are just trying to look cool and joke on him because of maniacs experience.. How about you try and explain?
Calling him an idiot for him connecting to the frame instead of the post on the batt? Your so cool //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

i never called him and idiot......... ur an idiot. lol i could care less about trying to look cool.

 

[Justintoxicated 10+ year member]

ehh, this is kinda right, but i dislike your wording.... the alternator actually converts the mechanical energy from the spinning motor into electrical energy by spinning copper inside of a magnetic field. Sure it uses electricity to work the voltage reg, but depedning on the design of the alt it can function without it

It did on my old truck, battery would not hold a charge not even enough to power a window or FM radio, but I could still drive around fine. Your right its connected to the block not the frame I was mistaken. Still im going to be ignnorent and assume my frame provides more than enough ground for the battery . But for my geo, I might run a seperate wire now that I have more understanding.

thanks

 

[Justintoxicated 10+ year member]

True. I guess what I was getting at is that the altenator can't make power on it's own. The batt has to supply power to the starter to turn the motor over to spin the alternator to generate energy. Was just too vague and left out some things. My bad

Not for a manual, no starter needed, just get it rolling, which was often the case with my dead battery. Same with my ATV, no battery needed to get the stator(similar to alternator) running. Just bump start or kick it over. Hell the bike did not even come with a battery stock, just a stator and voltage regulator which works in a similar fashion to an alternator, using the crank motion to create energy through magnetic fields. Still going to tell me that all the power comes from the battery, it certainly does not or your battery would be dead in no time? What about vehicles without batteries that have electronics, like my bike? Ok now im being a smart ***.

 

[evildave101 10+ year member]

You can't unless the battery dies WHILE the car is running. The alternator steps up voltage and generates it while the engine is running, but it cannot produce that power without getting an initial charge from the battery. Go take your battery out and try to start your car.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

but you can use the batt. to start the car, then remove the batt, and the car will remain runninng, IF the alt. is putting out correct voltage

 

[Hintzyboy 5,000+ posts]

It did on my old truck, battery would not hold a charge not even enough to power a window or FM radio, but I could still drive around fine. Your right its connected to the block not the frame I was mistaken. Still im going to be ignnorent and assume my frame provides more than enough ground for the battery . But for my geo, I might run a seperate wire now that I have more understanding.
thanks

Your battery obviously needed to be replaced. And a frame ground may be perfectly adequate depending on how much power you're running. But if you get dimming and voltage drops, direct ground would be my first fix

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

It did on my old truck, battery would not hold a charge not even enough to power a window or FM radio, but I could still drive around fine. Your right its connected to the block not the frame I was mistaken. Still im going to be ignnorent and assume my frame provides more than enough ground for the battery . But for my geo, I might run a seperate wire now that I have more understanding.
thanks

I never said it was inadequate for your setup. In fact, the frame is adequate for 80% of the setups out. If you read through the thread I say that you only need to do this with high power applications, which range from large amps, welders, and generators. While installing all of the above I opted to use a direct ground wire.

Also on any unibody vehicle with more than 1000 watts I choose to run a separate wire, unibody's just don't work well...

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

but you can use the batt. to start the car, then remove the batt, and the car will remain runninng, IF the alt. is putting out correct voltage

and adequate amperage. remember in electronics there are 2 sides. Voltage and amperage the two combined are what gives you power.

One could even argue that an alternator puts out watts, and if whoever invented the alternator would have had 1 set voltage for alternators in general, we probably would be calling them watts now //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Aroc 10+ year member]

Well I'm lazy so I use the battery ground as well, but technicaly you are not supposed to, not on the car your trying to jump anyways. Perhaps it is just a means to ensure the battery is properly grounded (car won't start but also will not damage the battery if it is not properly grounded).
The battery's ground itself is not a true ground unless it is grounded. It is a loop in the end but I still can't imagine 0ga would conduct better than 2 box frame rails that are 1000 times more massive?

So if I'm understanding this right your saying the battery terminal is actualy the ground (not the frame) and it's only grounded to the frame so that other items in the car only need a power wire?

You cans ee how to properly jump a car

here http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/roadside/jumpstart.pdf

here http://www.pepboys.com/car_care_corner/car_care_basics/maintenance/jump_starting_your_battery_using_another_car/

here http://autorepair.about.com/cs/doityourself/a/bljumpstart.htm

Electricity flows in the path of least resistance, the frame of the vehicle should be able to absorb more power than negative mass inside small battery hence making the frame on the vehicle the true ground.

Are you seriously not understanding the man! I understood after his second post!

Illmatic perfect explanations.

Now here a random curve ball at what point do we throw in a 2nd run of 0/1 for the +/-. How much power or should I say current can we hold with a single run of 0/1 +/-?

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Are you seriously not understanding the man! I understood after his second post!
Illmatic perfect explanations.

Now here a random curve ball at what point do we throw in a 2nd run of 0/1 for the +/-. How much power or should I say current can we hold with a single run of 0/1 +/-?

there are some good posts on this forum by a dbdrag competitor from Europe. He stated at which point you gain for adding another wire to his setup. I'll find his posts

 

[yama168 10+ year member]

thanks lilmaniac2 for the write up you did... I learned something today besides looking at ****....

Aloha