ptcary Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 (edited) Ok guys, so I'm finally getting to the wiring part of my build, and I have searched SMD and the web, and also have a local pro installer friend to mentor me. I have a Kinetik HC1400 for under the hood and an HC600 in back. 1/0 is in the mail from knu... Question is about grounding the smaller battery. Everyone here runs a ground wire all the way back to the front battery, and some also add a ground to the chassis right where the second battery sits. Now I am hearing that if I run a ground all the way back up front, I run the risk of a ground loop, and inviting noise into my setup, and should consider just grounding the second battery on it's own in the back? Help... Edited July 3, 2008 by ptcary Quote PTCary 2003 SMD PT Cruiser 2011 Honda CBR 250R 2010 Mazda 3i Sport MY BUILD LOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashlight_65 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 i feel you pt. i looked for some diagrams myself. Quote My builds: my caddy my 'hoe friends impala Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamenNoodles Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Ive always heard that just grounding the battery right to the frame of the car in the rear is just fine. Dont need to waste the extra wire to run it to the front again Quote Diablo Audio Technologies Fi Car Audio Ascendant Audio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newls1 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I was always told that an EFFECTIVE ground should always be as short as possible. I wouldn't ever run a ground back to the front again, that is just to long. Quote I love my staffie So anti FACEBOOK it isn't even funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy For Hertz Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Ive always heard that just grounding the battery right to the frame of the car in the rear is just fine. Dont need to waste the extra wire to run it to the front again x2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01 S-10 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I was also told that a ground wire longer than 3ft.? becomes an anntena Quote TDH FTW !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torres Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Ive always heard that just grounding the battery right to the frame of the car in the rear is just fine. Dont need to waste the extra wire to run it to the front again word I was always told that an EFFECTIVE ground should always be as short as possible. I wouldn't ever run a ground back to the front again, that is just to long. when dealing with amps, yes. not 100% sure on secondary batteries tho. however i dont have my batteries ran to the front one. all mine have been grounded to the chassis in the back which works just fine. so you should be ok by grounding them. that's basically all you'd be doing by running it to the front battery anyway. is just connecting it to that ground which will run to the chassis. just make sure you're on good metal with no paint and whatnot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptcary Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thanks guys! Had I'd known, I would of ordered less 1/0, oh well, I got enough for the Big 3 now, too! Another related question. A stereo installer over on the PT forums told me that there is a Ford starter solenoid that I could install in the positive wire between the batteries that acts like a switch. Supposedly it disconnects the rear battery from the front battery when the stereo is not on, allowing a better charge for the front battery or something, and only charges the rear battery too when the stereo is on. Anyone familiar with this??? Told him unless he could give me the exact Ford part number and a better explanation, I wasn't willing to try it. He is a well expereinced installer, but I don't understand the theory behind it. Is it really just like a dual battery isolator? (which I won't need, as I will not run the stereo without the engine running.) He runs a second Kinetik battery in his PT so I like to check in with him for any PT specific issues. Thanks again guys! I will be posting here in the wiring section for another week or so, working out the details, and getting all the wiring into the car, so I can get the sucker going, and post you guys some vids!! Quote PTCary 2003 SMD PT Cruiser 2011 Honda CBR 250R 2010 Mazda 3i Sport MY BUILD LOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loganberry Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 ive heard this strait from bill (kingsuv) in his x he had the batteries grounded to the frame, and in the 250 he grounded to the battery, he noticed a difference, in a good way! Quote My F-150 Build GET ON THE BANDWAGON what if they tried messing with the amps when the subs werent louder hahah jk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptcary Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 (edited) Thanks Logan, maybe King will post his experience. I never looked for extra batteries on the F250 build. I got a message from my friend who is a retired pro installer/judge. He said that IASCA used to require some type of isolator in multi battery setups back in the day, and that the Ford solenoid was popular, but newer technology has since surpassed that. Basically an isolator setup. I originally wanted the capability of running my stereo with the car off mainly for multimedia. Now I have built it with an extra amp, 2 batteries, and 4 extra subs, so my plan is to never run it without the engine on anymore. Edited July 3, 2008 by ptcary Quote PTCary 2003 SMD PT Cruiser 2011 Honda CBR 250R 2010 Mazda 3i Sport MY BUILD LOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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