Last Ditch Wiring Effort

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wayland1985

Silver - Posts: 353

Joined: December 31, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 4:20 PM / IP Logged

My amplifier has been giving me trouble for a while now. The manufacturer recommends re-grounding the truck before I send it back for warranty. I'm planning on keeping my stock ground and adding a secondary one. Where should I re-ground the battery?

The frame? The Fender? The Firewall?

MY TAKE ON THE OPTIONS: the frame mounting will be a pain, because the only area i can fit a drill is right behind the radiator, so I'll have to remove the fan. The fender is nice and easy, but doens't seem like it will be most effective. The firewall, to me, is the most effective route, since it is directly welded to the body (where the amp is grounded). BUt again, space is an issue.

~wayland

DYohn

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Joined: April 22, 2003

Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 4:41 PM / IP Logged

You are re-grounding the battery? Where is it grounded now? Did you check to make sure the engine ground strap is good? What's the vehicle?

And more importantly perhaps, what problem are you trying to solve that led to this effort?

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flynntech

Copper - Posts: 275

Joined: April 15, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:03 PM / IP Logged

I agree with with DY, try cleaning the connections that are already there or just upgrade those wires with thicker cable. No need to re-invent the wheel.

wayland1985

Silver - Posts: 353

Joined: December 31, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:28 PM / IP Logged

The stock ground to the engine block is fine, and I don't want to mess with it. It's tucked away far back on the block, requiring me to remove parts to replace it. The problem is the amp likes to shut off when pumping too hard to too often. The amp is wired fine, and I've gone through lots of trouble shooting. This is the last shot, before we declare the amplifier the problem. My plan is to add a secondary ground to the battery.

94 Ford Explorer XLT

the amp is located in the cargo area, and grounded 3 feet away to a body panel below the rear passenger seats. the surface has been scraped of all paint.

~wayland

Ravendarat

Platinum - Posts: 2,806

Joined: February 23, 2004

Location: Canada

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:35 PM / IP Logged

I would ground the the firewall. It always seems to work for me and it cant hurt to upgrade your grounds anyways so you mayswell give it a shot before you declare the amp the problem, personally though, I doubt this is your problem.

double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Xracerx

Member - Posts: 39

Joined: November 28, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:37 PM / IP Logged

Break out the ohm meter and check your grounds. I always run a ground from battery to frame to alt. then check it with a meter.

DYohn

Moderator - Posts: 10,741

Joined: April 22, 2003

Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:38 PM / IP Logged

A secondary ground to the battery is generally not necessary and sometimes a bad idea. Make sure the engine ground strap is good (it should be a braded cable between the engine block and the chassis or frame.) Now if the amp (depending on what it is) is running fine and shutting down on its own during loud musical transients, then I doubt very much it has anything to do with the ground. It is more likely either 1) low system voltage (check the voltage at the amp power fuse while the system is running. If it dips below 11 or 11.5 volts, it is an alternator overload and/or battery problem. You could simply be drawing too much current off the alternator) or 2) overheating (does the amp get hot and shut down when it is hot?) or 3) low impedence loading (I assume you have eliminated this?)

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wayland1985

Silver - Posts: 353

Joined: December 31, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 6:33 PM / IP Logged

The amp is running at 1 ohm, and is 1 ohm stable

It doesn't get hot, it is fan cooled, and the face is open to the entire cabin. Even in the summer it doesn't heat up.

Brand new 200 amp alternator (rated at 200 amps)

I'm sure there is one hell of a bottle neck though, because the alternator power wiring is 2 gauge, where the grounds are all stock about 8 gauge...I definately need to upgrade the ground...

Voltage remains at about 14.4, and doesn't dip below 13.7 before it shuts down

~wayland

Ravendarat

Platinum - Posts: 2,806

Joined: February 23, 2004

Location: Canada

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 6:34 PM / IP Logged

What amp is it?

double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

wayland1985

Silver - Posts: 353

Joined: December 31, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: November 28, 2004 at 6:35 PM / IP Logged

Audiobahn A1800D

Here comes the firing squad....

~wayland

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