Question on ground

johnjitsu · 05-25-2007, 05:51 AM

Best Ground:

--Old school, short as possible (i.e scrape paint, use nut & bolt)

--New school, run length to battery, just like you would power

--Additional advice/ suggestions/ input, if different from above choices, is appreciated.

What say you?

**Carbeaux** · 05-25-2007, 05:54 AM

I don't run ground to battery. I ground to "frame".

Guess that makes me old school?

So be it. I can't wrap my brain around any benefit of going to the battery though.

bestatchess · 05-25-2007, 06:01 AM

Old School + "big three" cable upgrade

johnjitsu · 05-25-2007, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carbeaux

I don't run ground to battery. I ground to "frame".

Guess that makes me old school?

So be it. I can't wrap my brain around any benefit of going to the battery though.

Yeah- I agree with you.

My question comes from a car audio forum where it was discussed extensively- a majority supported running a ground direct to the battery. One of the posts stated that by going direct you will not have a drop in voltage.

I always thought that by grounding as short as possible and direct "to frame" the chances of noise are lessened. I'd like to learn more on this...

ttugrad95 · 05-25-2007, 07:44 AM

I grounded to the body in the area between the drivers seat and door sill. I have a seperate grounding distribution block that is under the drivers seat. I have no alternator noise. The only noise that ever gets into my system is from my damn Cingular cell phone. Drives me insanse.

**Carbeaux** · 05-25-2007, 07:47 AM

I know that this might be stirring the pot, but do a grounding kit. I think that's what Best is alluding to (maybe) in his post. I have no hands on experience myself to back this up, but with that (grounding kit) and going to frame, I simply can't imagine that there would be enough of a difference between the two to matter. In fact, if you think of the frame as your "wire" going back to the battery, that's pretty heavy gauge.

baseballfanz · 05-25-2007, 09:25 AM

I'm with the Old Schooler on this one too.

debos titan · 05-25-2007, 10:06 AM

i grounded mine to the bolt that holds the seat down works great and it is only about a foot long...

DRTYAZN · 05-25-2007, 11:53 AM

old school... has always worked, and will always work... ground to frame, which is connected to battery's ground anyways... saves on wiring too...

Justintoxicated · 05-25-2007, 01:01 PM

Running the length of the battery just increases resistance in your ground. I think the idea though would be that you can't have a better ground for your amps than your battery this way.

IMO just make sure you have a really good excessive ground for both...

I will never understand the point in this new method other than to reduce the chances of a ground loop and the said above. But I'm not sure that is worth extending the length of the ground wire unless your having issues.

I heard grounding to seat bolts and body / frame was really bad. But thats how I have mine, I just hit the area around the bolt with a grinder. Not optimal but it is short...

**tech12volt** · 05-25-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justintoxicated

Running the length of the battery just increases resistance in your ground. I think the idea though would be that you can't have a better ground for your amps than your battery this way.

IMO just make sure you have a really good excessive ground for both...

I will never understand the point in this new method other than to reduce the chances of a ground loop and the said above. But I'm not sure that is worth extending the length of the ground wire unless your having issues.

I heard grounding to seat bolts and body / frame was really bad. But thats how I have mine, I just hit the area around the bolt with a grinder. Not optimal but it is short...

'

There is nothing wrong with doing this way. Just make sure your alternator and motor is grounded to the frame with same gauge wire as the charge wire. And upgrade the charge wire if its factory

johnjitsu · 05-25-2007, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech12volt

'

There is nothing wrong with doing this way. Just make sure your alternator and motor is grounded to the frame with same gauge wire as the charge wire. And upgrade the charge wire if its factory

Do you mean the positive cable? Should I upgrade all the cables to the same gauge as planned for my system (factory batt/alt cables)?

**tech12volt** · 05-25-2007, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnjitsu

Do you mean the positive cable? Should I upgrade all the cables to the same gauge as planned for my system (factory batt/alt cables)?

With charge wires and ground wires . use this simple rule. the bigger the better and use quality wire. The more strands the better

johnjitsu · 05-25-2007, 10:32 PM

Much thanks!!!

brianl286 · 05-26-2007, 07:24 PM

I'd say old school cuz the battery is grounded to the body /frame anyways