Can you trick an inductive ground pickup?

[Amart88]

I missed the part where you mentioned you removed the factory ground? Mine has all sorts of crap running to that ground so that might have something to do with it as well.

Basically you want everything that grounds to go through that pickup (amp ground and factory ground). If I remember correctly it constantly samples load and adjusts accordingly, but it should only be looking every 30-60 seconds not every second. That makes me think it might have something to do with that factory ground. This is all info I read about the charging system and second hand knowledge from some alt manufacturers and techs I've talked to over the past couple years, I have too many grounds so I was never able to try it myself.

Yeah I would have to have 4 1/0 wires going through it lol no way that would work. Also the factroy "ground" was just a piece of sheet metal sticking up from the tire well with a bolt in it. I just cut it out and moved the groun(s) to just above the tire well. It's a unibody car so I can't see it making a huge difference. Only other thing is the factory ground wire is gone. It was like 4 gauge so I had no use for it. If those little things could make a diffference GM should get a kick in the ding ding for that. Only other thing I did was add 2 addition grounds from the ground buss bar which in (bolted to bare metal) to the alt bracket. So idk. I will try that MLA soon and see what happens. Sometimes when I am playing the voltage will slowly drop to 13.3 ish and sometimes it will spike to 14.2 or 3 and then back to 13. 8 and so on. The car is a mental case if you ask me lol

[snafu]

Post a pic of your new grounding arrangement.

[Amart88]

Post a pic of your new grounding arrangement.

Heres a video of it. go to 1:04

Edited June 1, 2012 by Amart88

[snafu]

Well, you have numerous connection points between the charging system and ground now. Stock, the inductive ring around the ground cable was able to monitor the state of the charging system via the battery's ground cable. This is no longer possible.

I have not worked on one of these vehicles yet, so I do not have first hand familiarity with this arrangement. However, it would make the most sense that you isolate the ground distribution block from the vehicle where you currently have it mounted. Then, I would reference ALL grounds to this block except the alternator grounds - stock battery (if it is still there), aftermarket batteries, amplifiers, etc. You would then connect a single 1/0 AWG cable from the distribution block to the chassis of the vehicle, passing this cable through the ring. As for your alternator grounds, you may be able to connect them to the same point at which you have this main cable connected but you won't be able to tie them to the distribution block.

Look at it this way, the only way the PCM can monitor the state of the charging system is to have a similar arrangement as what the factory laid out. As far as your alternator is concerned, everything you have added is simply a load.

Best of all, this would be fairly easy to do. I make no promises as again I have not worked on a vehicle with this arrangement. But, I believe what I've laid out will get you in the ball park.

[Amart88]

Well, you have numerous connection points between the charging system and ground now. Stock, the inductive ring around the ground cable was able to monitor the state of the charging system via the battery's ground cable. This is no longer possible.

I have not worked on one of these vehicles yet, so I do not have first hand familiarity with this arrangement. However, it would make the most sense that you isolate the ground distribution block from the vehicle where you currently have it mounted. Then, I would reference ALL grounds to this block except the alternator grounds - stock battery (if it is still there), aftermarket batteries, amplifiers, etc. You would then connect a single 1/0 AWG cable from the distribution block to the chassis of the vehicle, passing this cable through the ring. As for your alternator grounds, you may be able to connect them to the same point at which you have this main cable connected but you won't be able to tie them to the distribution block.

Look at it this way, the only way the PCM can monitor the state of the charging system is to have a similar arrangement as what the factory laid out. As far as your alternator is concerned, everything you have added is simply a load.

Best of all, this would be fairly easy to do. I make no promises as again I have not worked on a vehicle with this arrangement. But, I believe what I've laid out will get you in the ball park.

I may give this a try. But it wouldn't be a very good ground. It would litmit the whole system to one 1/0 wire for a ground. I think there would be too much resistance. That MLA should bee here maybe this week or next so I may try that first to see what results I will get. I wish I could just take the car to the dealer and tell them to remove that whole system or make it work! lol ,Thanks

Edited June 4, 2012 by Amart88

[snafu]

A single 1/0 AWG ground of a short length won't be the kind of limiting factor you may think. The dealer will tell you that your electrical modifications are the reason why it is not working correctly currently. They will be correct.

Look at it like this. The water meter on your house is on the main feed - all water that is used in the house must pass through it. Therefore it's reading is exact. If you want this circuit to work correctly in your vehicle, you will have to adopt a similar philosophy.

[snafu]

FYI, 1/0 AWG has a resistance of .0001 ohms per foot. At 1,000 Amps, voltage drop across a 3 foot cable would be calculated as follows:

E = R X I

E = (.0001 ohms X 3 foot) x 1,000 Amps

E = .0003 x 1,000

E = .3 Volts

.3 Volts / 14.4 volts = 2% - just under the 3% guideline that I typically go by. Of course, this assumes your terminations on either end of the 1/0 AWG cable are rock solid, as well as the connections holding the lugs to the distribution block and vehicle chassis.

Obviously, you will not be passing any where near 1,000 amps through this cable as your alternator would have to be large enough to supply that. So, I'm thinking that'll be a non-issue.

[Amart88]

FYI, 1/0 AWG has a resistance of .0001 ohms per foot. At 1,000 Amps, voltage drop across a 3 foot cable would be calculated as follows:

E = R X I

E = (.0001 ohms X 3 foot) x 1,000 Amps

E = .0003 x 1,000

E = .3 Volts

.3 Volts / 14.4 volts = 2% - just under the 3% guideline that I typically go by. Of course, this assumes your terminations on either end of the 1/0 AWG cable are rock solid, as well as the connections holding the lugs to the distribution block and vehicle chassis.

Obviously, you will not be passing any where near 1,000 amps through this cable as your alternator would have to be large enough to supply that. So, I'm thinking that'll be a non-issue.

Ok, Thanks for the Info. It's Knu kolossus 1/0 OFC I have tinned copper lugs with a 12 ton hydraulic crimper so the terminals should be ok. Also I know the alt wont put out 1000 amps but will that batt bank have anything to do with it?

Edited June 4, 2012 by Amart88