Calling all electrical gurus!

Jeepin'WNC · **Joined:** Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:48 am **Posts:** 191

I know this probably belongs in electrical tech, but.... I'm currently working on wiring up additional reverse lights, a pair of "rock lights" and some driving lights...(Actually just re-installing the reverse light, plus two additional pairs of lights.) I would say that I'm fairly good when it comes to wiring accessories, but I know that there are people better than myself. So far I have a fused 10 gauge wire , from the battery, with an under hood fuse holder leading to a six slot fuse panel; one fused output is going to three toggle switches; the three switches will each activate an individual relay for each pair of lights. Each relay will receive power from it's own output from the fuse block...My question is : Can my switches and relays use the same ground?

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

Personally, my belief for the best ground is the negative battery. I run a post jumper from the battery so that everything has a common ground. It does mean more cabling because now you're running two wires everywhere instead of one and a another off the load to a ground somewhere close nearby. I usually work with AC power and it's just habits from learning AC first.

To simplify my answer, there's nothing wrong with have the same ground/negative connection.

Arkie · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:24 pm

I prefer to dump the ground to the closest piece of solidly mounted conductable metal. Metal vehicles ARE a common ground in a closed 12V system. Ground busses, long ground wire runs are necessary on boats because of the non-conductivity of the hull (and even with aluminum or steel hulls, you don't want any stray current grounding to water).

Make certain the O.E. ground cables are properly connected to drivetrain components, frame and body, current return will take care of itself.

Bob

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:21 pm

Relay and switches draw near zero current, so putting them on one line of basically any gauge will not affect the life of the product. Youd need to wire up quite a few relays and switches to draw only an amp.

Grounding to the frame is acceptible for relays and switches.

Depending on the load you are needing the relay for, its best to go the ground to battery. Load to chassies presents higher impedance (resistance). Load to relay and battery are reccomended for high amperage loads.

Jeepin'WNC · **Joined:** Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:48 am **Posts:** 191

None of the lights I'm adding are super powerful, the reverse lights are merely tractor implement lights; 35 watts each. The rock lights, same.. The driving lights, if I recall correctly, are 55 watts each... None of these lights would probably be on at the same time; although I could see instances where the rock lights and the reverse lights may be on at the same time for a few seconds... I'll probably be adding some rear rock lights in the future, once I find a location, and light I like for that purpose....They will most likely be LED for the rear; mainly for the small size and low amp draw...The front rock lights are a regular incandescent; they're small, and the price was right...
I agree that a ground straight to the battery is best, but my entire reason for adding the accessory fuse block was to avoid adding any more connections at the battery terminals. I already have three additional connections at the positive battery terminal; my winch, an audio system fuse block that powers an amplifier, and an inverter (not at the same time) , and the power input for the accessory fuse block. The winch and the inverter ground to the negative battery post...
Thanks for the replies, I was just wondering of grounding multiple switches and relays would cause any adverse effects that I might have been overlooking...I've never destroyed any electrical components, or started any fires with shoddy wiring practices....I know people who have...That's not a club I want to join...

Billwill · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2015 4:11 am

Use a clean chassis position for your ground as stated above. :wink:

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