Now then fellas,

What makes a good earth point? Should it be a nut and bolt through a good thick bit of chassis plate? Is a Rivnut any good? What have others done?

Thanks

I welded a nut to the chassis and cut down a bolt to suite the depth of the nut.

However you do it, make it nice and shiney and tight, then put some vaseline on it.

I Know you all have vaseline

Cheers

Chris

It is recommended that no more than four wires are earthed to the same spot.

I can't see that it would make any difference, electrically - if it's tightened up properly then you just have a column of tinned brass (from the terminal rings).

Mind you, I can understand the annoyance of a heap of earth connections, if the one you want to undo is at the bottom of the heap...

DJ

Only 4 wires for an earth block???
That will be why Lancia electrics are so crap then!!! They have about 10 in places.
Nick

im an elecronics design eng, and I havnt hear of the earht thingy.

In some applications is NEEDED to reuce earth loops and gound voltage offsets.

atb

steve

Me too! (Electronic engineer, and know its needed at times).

I've decided to weld little "Tags" to the chassis in each corner to use as earth points. Will then use a good old bolt and locknut.

I'll have to ask someone if I can borrow some vaseline!

Thanks

i'm a vehicle sparky for the army, from experiance, etc. i can tell you the following....

1: within reason you can use as many earth tags as you wish (this dosent mean you load all your main electrics through one point)

2: keep your earth runs as short as possible and use the chassis to carry the earth return back to the battery. idealy one at each corner for the lighting, a few small ones dotted round the engine bay where appropriate (horn, elec fan if used etc) then a couple behind the dash, plus any other things you want to include. Finally (obvious to some not to others) you need two bigguns(heh heh) one for the main battery and engine earths

3: dont use rivnuts, the best earth point, type you can use on this type of vehicle would be a bolt, brazed or migged directly to the chassis. using ring teminals you can attatch to this earth point. dont paint over it obviously and use nylocks to hold it on

4: if you are sticking to run of the mill vehicle electrical parts (lights, start, charge and ignition systems) dont worry about earth loops, ground voltage offsets etc. If you want more gadgets than a bond car then you may need to look into this....

5: only use vaseline very sparingly if at all, its not a good conductor, and is only used to prevent corrosion getting at your wiring (its not even necesarry with careful positioning of connections, earth points etc.)

Finally automotive electrics aren't scary you just need to learn to adopt a logical and methodical approach. (and keep new instalations clean)

good advice eddie

i used two 8mm bolts welded under the dash area for main earths in that area. Other areas used individual bolts throug local chassis to the parts being earthed.

One important thing is to earth engine well. At the gear box and engine. If you lose the earth the starter current will try and use other return paths - like throttle cables, etc, and you get a bit of a catastrophic event!

atb

steve

[Edited on 5/6/03 by stephen_gusterson]

You trying to be funny steve?

I know this from experience, It was only a small fire.

Also if you do use vaseline(I knew I'd be wrong again)..........Don't get grit in the tub.

Cheers

Chris

I wasnt trying to be funny - id have menioned your name

I have heard of lots of occasions where that kinda problem has happened - you were not the first. Setting light to crap in the garage has happend to me too. Worst is polishing muslin. Its like touchpaper on a firework. keeps smoldering until you wet it.

atb


earth stud steve and the starter fire kid

Can you legally do that to muslins LOL

Copper slip is NOT ***kin conductive!

Guess what I did?

HO HO HO

what was that we learned in school science lessons about metals being conductors and other materials being insulators???

get a good de-greaser and start again

as the roman said to brian in monty pythons life of brian ... ' NOW DONT DO IT AGAIN '

We had an apprentice who was told to put coppaslip on some pads - he did BOTH sides!

Cheers

Chris

We had a fork truck driver who was told to check that his engine was full of oil and water. He did his best to get it to the top of the rocker cover but it kept coming out through a hole lower down. The word dipstick was used to good effect.

yours, Pete.