Quick grounding question

**GingerPrince** · 11-06-2004, 06:28 AM

As everyone knows, grounding is the key to good sound. Short ground runs, solid ground etc.

Question is, is grounding to -ve terminal on the battery directly a good or a bad thing? Reason is I'm installing some equipment in my footwell, which is where the battery is, so I can run <1 foot ground wire directly to the battery.

Cheers,

Sy

**HummDinger** · 11-06-2004, 06:57 AM

I think it would be better to ground directly to the battery. It should not make a whole lot of difference but may help reduce line noise if you get any.
Just my thought...produced from my one still active brain cell..

**IntellaWorks** · 11-06-2004, 08:33 AM

Yea, if you can do it in a foot go ahead. I don't see anything wrong with that.

**GingerPrince** · 11-06-2004, 01:15 PM

Cheers, done it, works fine, and no noise

NEO35 installed in the TVR......until I fully figure out the TFT screen mount!

**sdashiki** · 11-06-2004, 01:59 PM

I dont know if u actually grounded to the (-) terminal on yer battery. BUt dont. Bare metal somewhere, anywhere in the car is ALWAYS the way to go.

Look at jumper cables, most dont listen to the instructions, but the car with the GOOD battery YOU DO NOT connect the NEG to the NEG terminal, you connect it to the engine block or metal on the car.

Your batterys neg terminal is for the car to ground itself, anywhere u touch bare metal to metal, you get a good ground. DONT GROUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Nasty.

**GingerPrince** · 11-06-2004, 06:26 PM

What's your reasoning for this?

The only reason when jump starting that you use the chassis rather than the -ve terminal is to avoid sparks by the battery, where hydrogen is given off to minimize sparks. I don't see that this will happen when it's connected, only when messing with crocodile clips etc...

I'm not grounding in the engine compartment. As i said, in my car the battery is in the (passenger) footwell. The mp3 player is in the passenger footwell, too.

You have to realise also that my car is fibreglass with spaceframe chassis. There are only about 4 good grounding bolts on the entire car. The battery is far nearer (1 foot as opposed to about 6 foot) than the nearest grounded bolt.

Originally Posted by sdashiki

I dont know if u actually grounded to the (-) terminal on yer battery. BUt dont. Bare metal somewhere, anywhere in the car is ALWAYS the way to go.

Look at jumper cables, most dont listen to the instructions, but the car with the GOOD battery YOU DO NOT connect the NEG to the NEG terminal, you connect it to the engine block or metal on the car.

Your batterys neg terminal is for the car to ground itself, anywhere u touch bare metal to metal, you get a good ground. DONT GROUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Nasty.