Grounding Amps - Best Way?

[Lysle Huber]

OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure no
noise. I need your valuable input

I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block (the
one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the block
to the respected amplifiers, four of them.

OR

Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?

[No Notta]

grounding block back to battery
"Lysle Huber" > wrote in message
...
> OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure no
> noise. I need your valuable input
>
> I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block (the
> one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the
block
> to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
>
> OR
>
> Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?
>
>
>
>

[Mark Zarella]

It doesn't matter. Electrically, it's essentially the same damned thing.

--
Mark Zarella
zarellam at upstate dot edu


"Lysle Huber" > wrote in message
...
> OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure no
> noise. I need your valuable input
>
> I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block (the
> one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the
block
> to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
>
> OR
>
> Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?
>
>
>
>

[David]

If you ground the amps to the vehicle chassis, make sure that you upgrade
the factory ground wire (at the battery).

For instance, if you're grounding 4 amps with a short run of #8 cable, then
replace the factory #4 (or smaller!) wire with #2 or larger. The factory
ground is a 'bottleneck' that's easy to overlook!

David
UnderTheDash.com


"Lysle Huber" > wrote in message
...
> OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure no
> noise. I need your valuable input
>
> I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block (the
> one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the
block
> to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
>
> OR
>
> Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?
>
>
>
>

[Sanitarium]

I agree with Mark. On my accord it makes no difference, ground each amp
individually to the nearest chassis bolt or star ground all the amps to
the same chassis bolt via a dist block. Never needed to run all the way
back to the battery (-) but in my case I doubt it will make any
difference.

IMHO there is no one right way... gotta experiment sometimes

Garrett

Lysle Huber wrote:
>
> OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure no
> noise. I need your valuable input
>
> I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block (the
> one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the block
> to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
>
> OR
>
> Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?

[No Notta]

actually guys where you ground makes a huge difference, why would you snake
one power cable all the way back then create and area where there could be
problems returning to battery?
"Sanitarium" > wrote in message
...
> I agree with Mark. On my accord it makes no difference, ground each amp
> individually to the nearest chassis bolt or star ground all the amps to
> the same chassis bolt via a dist block. Never needed to run all the way
> back to the battery (-) but in my case I doubt it will make any
> difference.
>
> IMHO there is no one right way... gotta experiment sometimes
>
> Garrett
>
> Lysle Huber wrote:
> >
> > OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure
no
> > noise. I need your valuable input
> >
> > I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block
(the
> > one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the
block
> > to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
> >
> > OR
> >
> > Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?

[Brandon Buckner]

How pretty do you want it?

Brandonb


Lysle Huber wrote:

> OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure no
> noise. I need your valuable input
>
> I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block (the
> one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the block
> to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
>
> OR
>
> Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?
>
>
>
>

[Soundfreak03]

>actually guys where you ground makes a huge difference, why would you snake
>one power cable all the way back then create and area where there could be
>problems returning to battery?

what problems do you see? Your post is confusing to me and I do not understand
what grounding scheme you are suggesting.
To the OP. I personally use a ground distro to the vehicles chassis, it just
seems easier and is effective.

Les

[Mark Zarella]

> I guess in simplistic terms, no disrespect intended, you want a clean
flow,

As opposed to a dirty flow?

> helps keep the amps cooler as well....

No it doesn't.

[Soundfreak03]

>I guess in simplistic terms, no disrespect intended, you want a clean flow,

what do you mean by a "clean flow". I do not understand what you think is a
good ground or not.

>helps keep the amps cooler as well....

No, not at all.

Les

[David Wood]

> actually guys where you ground makes a huge difference, why would you snake
> one power cable all the way back then create and area where there could be
> problems returning to battery?

If it works without ground loops, then it's fine.

[David Wood]

> I guess in simplistic terms, no disrespect intended, you want a clean flow,
> helps keep the amps cooler as well....

Well if grounding to the car chasis isn't a "clean flow", then I would
question the reliability of the entire electrical system, even without
the stereo.

[Sanitarium]

No it does not... *ON MY ACCORD* I could star ground using cables and a
dist block or ground direct to the chassis at various point, and there
is no AUDIBLE difference. Of course there is a visual difference if you
pull up the carpet.

If youre ever in the San Jose CA area, post here and I will gladly A/B
compare the two grounding methods for you in my honda accord and let you
hear first hand that in my system it makes no AUDIBLE difference.

Garrett



No Notta wrote:
>
> actually guys where you ground makes a huge difference, why would you snake
> one power cable all the way back then create and area where there could be
> problems returning to battery?
> "Sanitarium" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I agree with Mark. On my accord it makes no difference, ground each amp
> > individually to the nearest chassis bolt or star ground all the amps to
> > the same chassis bolt via a dist block. Never needed to run all the way
> > back to the battery (-) but in my case I doubt it will make any
> > difference.
> >
> > IMHO there is no one right way... gotta experiment sometimes
> >
> > Garrett
> >
> > Lysle Huber wrote:
> > >
> > > OK group, which would be the best way to ground 4 amplifiers to ensure
> no
> > > noise. I need your valuable input
> > >
> > > I could run a ground wire (2 ga) to a Streetwires distribution Block
> (the
> > > one you can hook both positive and negative cables to). Then from the
> block
> > > to the respected amplifiers, four of them.
> > >
> > > OR
> > >
> > > Run ground wires from each amp to one common point on the vehicle?

[No Notta]

The main reasons for wanting to hook up ground directly to the battery would
be because the resistance between the rear of the vehicle and the front of
the vehicle would be too high to be good for a high current system. This
higher resistance would most likely be caused by oxidation between the body
panels due to age in the vehicle. The other reason would be if it was a
European car that had the battery either in the trunk or under the rear
seat.

Hope this helps


"David Wood" > wrote in message
...
> > I guess in simplistic terms, no disrespect intended, you want a clean
flow,
> > helps keep the amps cooler as well....
>
> Well if grounding to the car chasis isn't a "clean flow", then I would
> question the reliability of the entire electrical system, even without
> the stereo.

[Soundfreak03]

>The main reasons for wanting to hook up ground directly to the battery would
>be because the resistance between the rear of the vehicle and the front of
>the vehicle would be too high to be good for a high current system.

Doubtful. Think about the equivalent wire size of the entire car. It freakin
huge.
If you have a good solid ground chances are you will not have problems. I have
personally done over 100 installs this way and very very few problems. That
doesnt include the hundreds that my buddies and others have done. Provide your
evidence then maybe some non newbies will put some credit in you. Until
then....

>This
>higher resistance would most likely be caused by oxidation between the body
>panels due to age in the vehicle.

Typically the body underfloor is one piece. Welded parts are not good to ground
to due to the higher resistance. But typically no.

>The other reason would be if it was a
>European car that had the battery either in the trunk or under the rear
>seat.

That would probably be the best with the battery close by.

>Hope this helps
>

Well 1/4 of it maybe. Have you ever taken a basic physics class?

Les

[always blazin]

what would be a good spot on the chassis to ground to near the trunk?
--
always blazin
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[TeamROCS026]

I've always ground some paint away withing 12 inches of the amps in the trunk
itself. Have had excellent results with this.


....Papewayo #026
teamROCS

>what would be a good spot on the chassis to ground to near the trunk?
>--
>always blazin
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
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