While we are on the subject of electricity, I'd like to know if it is important to use a large conductor for the ground part of the circuit. I've been making my own battery negative terminal to transmission case bolt ground wires and for that I'm using 4g wire from the welding shop and copper lugs. Also, I've made Rob Frankham style grounding looms and I bought some 10g wire from the car stereo shop. I'm pretty sure those are generously sized for the grounding job but on a loom such as this one or ones for Fiammes, does the ground wire need to be stout?
Chuey
Fuse principle question
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Major Softie
- Posts: 8900
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:46 pm
Re: Fuse principle question
Yes.
If this was not true, then your main battery cables would not need a ground as large as the positive cable.
If this was not true, then your main battery cables would not need a ground as large as the positive cable.
MS - out
Re: Fuse principle question
Thanks, Major. It seemed that way to me but it also seems that the positive side is the one with all the sparks so I wasn't sure.
I feel so dumb about electricity. On bicycles the only electrical stuff is the occasional generator light. Whenever I'd be asked to fix one of those the same remedy worked. It was always a ground issue. I never saw one of those old fashioned generators not work after I had re-established a ground. From that, I deduced that a ground is super important. Rob Frankham's grounding (earthing) article has made an impression with regard to the Beemers.
Chuey
I feel so dumb about electricity. On bicycles the only electrical stuff is the occasional generator light. Whenever I'd be asked to fix one of those the same remedy worked. It was always a ground issue. I never saw one of those old fashioned generators not work after I had re-established a ground. From that, I deduced that a ground is super important. Rob Frankham's grounding (earthing) article has made an impression with regard to the Beemers.
Chuey
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Deleted User 62
Re: Fuse principle question
"While we are on the subject of electricity, I'd like to know if it is important to use a large conductor for the ground part of the circuit." Chuey, I'm also a bit electrically challenged, but here's how I boiled it down. The ground and positive wires need to be the same. It is part of a circuit and there are just as many "sparks" in the negative as the positive. As you know, the stock configuration has many grounds attached to the frame, engine, switches etc. These all ultimately connect to that one large ground to the battery. Using Robs multiple additional smaller wires cumulatively equals or surpasses the original single wires capacity. So, I think multiple smaller wires could replace one big one, but the starters draw would be the biggest load (I am assuming) they would be subjected to, so that would be the limiting factor. Does that make sense?