Best Ground Location
#1
Best Ground Location
Sorry for the new thread, but it really didn't fit with any of my previous ones.
I have read in several threads that it is best not to ground an amp to the seat belt bolts because you will get an intermittent ground. I am installing my amp behind the rear seat in my 05 Supercrew and need to know where would be the best location to run the ground. I plan on running 8 gauge from one amp and 4 gauge from the other to a ground distribution block, then grounding with 1/0. I just don't want to get stuck with a bad ground once I get everything installed.
I did a search and couldn't find a post where this was covered, so if one is available you can just point me in the right direction.
I have read in several threads that it is best not to ground an amp to the seat belt bolts because you will get an intermittent ground. I am installing my amp behind the rear seat in my 05 Supercrew and need to know where would be the best location to run the ground. I plan on running 8 gauge from one amp and 4 gauge from the other to a ground distribution block, then grounding with 1/0. I just don't want to get stuck with a bad ground once I get everything installed.
I did a search and couldn't find a post where this was covered, so if one is available you can just point me in the right direction.
#2
#6
Originally Posted by Patman03SprCrw
There should be atleast 2 major body strap grounds going from the cab to the frame under your truck.
1. Alternator to Battery
2. Battery to Engine Block
3. Engine Block to Chassis
I noticed the braided ground strap from the chassis to the body, but did not do anything with this. In only noticed one, but wasn't really looking either. Should I add cable to this connection also? Additionally, there is a small (looks to be 8 gauge) wire from the negative battery cable to the firewall. I assumed it was not necessary to add anything to this either, but figured I'd ask.
#7
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#8
Originally Posted by Patman03SprCrw
If you want to do more of the larger cable to the body, dont remove the stock one, but simply add to it.
#10
Originally Posted by Patman03SprCrw
seat bolts to the body
body bolts to frame
probably wont help you anymore by doing it
body bolts to frame
probably wont help you anymore by doing it
I guess I will just finish my install and if I have any issues then I can add an extra cable on the chassis to body strap and see if it makes a difference.
#11
The best way to find out if its a good ground or not is to check resistance between the proposed ground and the battery. Seat bolts and body panels can be notoriously bad grounds, as logical as they may seem. Spot welds, glued together body panels, and other factors lead to very high resistance between the grounding spot and the battery. You've already hit one of the most important aspects of a quality install by doing the big 3. Heres what you do to check your ground.
1) Get a length of 8 or 6 AWG long enough to reach the battery (as an "extended lead") and check resistance of said wire with a DMM. Remember this number as it will be important to you very soon.
2) Attach the "extended lead" to the negative terminal on the battery. Now touch one lead of your DMM to the proposed ground and the other to the end of your 8AWG. Subtract that number from step one and that is your total resistance. If its a good ground it will be less than 1 ohm.
Thats all you need to do to check if the ground in question is a good ground. Hope this helps.
1) Get a length of 8 or 6 AWG long enough to reach the battery (as an "extended lead") and check resistance of said wire with a DMM. Remember this number as it will be important to you very soon.
2) Attach the "extended lead" to the negative terminal on the battery. Now touch one lead of your DMM to the proposed ground and the other to the end of your 8AWG. Subtract that number from step one and that is your total resistance. If its a good ground it will be less than 1 ohm.
Thats all you need to do to check if the ground in question is a good ground. Hope this helps.
#12
Originally Posted by Crewwzin
The best way to find out if its a good ground or not is to check resistance between the proposed ground and the battery. Seat bolts and body panels can be notoriously bad grounds, as logical as they may seem. Spot welds, glued together body panels, and other factors lead to very high resistance between the grounding spot and the battery. You've already hit one of the most important aspects of a quality install by doing the big 3. Heres what you do to check your ground.
1) Get a length of 8 or 6 AWG long enough to reach the battery (as an "extended lead") and check resistance of said wire with a DMM. Remember this number as it will be important to you very soon.
2) Attach the "extended lead" to the negative terminal on the battery. Now touch one lead of your DMM to the proposed ground and the other to the end of your 8AWG. Subtract that number from step one and that is your total resistance. If its a good ground it will be less than 1 ohm.
Thats all you need to do to check if the ground in question is a good ground. Hope this helps.
1) Get a length of 8 or 6 AWG long enough to reach the battery (as an "extended lead") and check resistance of said wire with a DMM. Remember this number as it will be important to you very soon.
2) Attach the "extended lead" to the negative terminal on the battery. Now touch one lead of your DMM to the proposed ground and the other to the end of your 8AWG. Subtract that number from step one and that is your total resistance. If its a good ground it will be less than 1 ohm.
Thats all you need to do to check if the ground in question is a good ground. Hope this helps.