Last Ditch Wiring Effort
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=43975
Printed Date: May 15, 2024 at 3:28 AM
Topic: Last Ditch Wiring Effort
Posted By: wayland1985
Subject: Last Ditch Wiring Effort
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 4:20 PM
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
Replies:
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 4:41 PM
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? ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: flynntech
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:03 PM
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.
Posted By: wayland1985
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:28 PM
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
Posted By: Ravendarat
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:35 PM
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.
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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer
Posted By: Xracerx
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:37 PM
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.
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 5:38 PM
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?) ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: wayland1985
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 6:33 PM
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
Posted By: Ravendarat
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 6:34 PM
What amp is it?
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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer
Posted By: wayland1985
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 6:35 PM
Audiobahn A1800D
Here comes the firing squad.... ------------- ~WAYLAND
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 8:01 PM
so you have 2 awg power wire from the alt to the battery, , , , , but yous still have stock grounds... yeah, ,thats one hell of a bottle neck, ,, you definately gota run 2 awg from the engine to the firewall, , , then 2 awg from the batt to the fire wall. You ground always has to be the same size or bigger than your power wire.
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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.
Posted By: wayland1985
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 8:06 PM
Right, but why would i need to run from the engine to the firewall? Isn't the battery to the firewall enough? ------------- ~WAYLAND
Posted By: Xracerx
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 8:20 PM
Just run it from Alt to Engine to firewall along with your battery ground. All three will meet at the engine block. You need to ground the firewall cause the body and frame have rubber insulators.
Posted By: uthinkuknoaudio
Date Posted: November 28, 2004 at 9:02 PM
The firing squad has arrived lol ... Maybe all that chrome is effecting your amp lol. Ground to the firewall. I have never had any problems doing it and its always worked out fine.
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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: November 29, 2004 at 1:42 PM
wayland1985 wrote:
Right, but why would i need to run from the engine to the firewall? Isn't the battery to the firewall enough?
You need to get that (-) from the alt to the same metal as the battery which is the body metal. The engine is on rubber mounts, so theres no grounding there, , and that lil ribbon cable from the engine to the body is too flimsy to handle the new alternator. ------------- 2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.
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