Negative/Ground wire

lenr wrote:
Thanks for the replies. I know what I'm going to do, but it is a secret to avoid flaming.

I don’t fault you for that one. :B

Either way is fine. I would not fix what is not broken.

Lynnmor wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:

lenr wrote:
2) Is there anything wrong with adding a negative wire, but leaving the frame connections?

Yes, you will create a "ground loop", which could potentially depleat the battery.

I see no reason that a battery would be depleted, a ground loop is just a concern for electronic equipment interference.

exactly.

philh wrote:
Red,

Please explain the why and how you dipped in acid before soldering

I used what I had handy in the garage, either phosphoric acid or muriatic acid - can't remember which. For soldering, you need the wires clean and shiny otherwise the solder won't work well, if at all. If wires are tarnished or corroded, soldering flux won't help. Like when soldering copper pipes, you need the copper clean and shiny (with emery cloth or wire brush) before soldering. There's a few methods to clean copper wire, one common method being vinegar (acetic acid).

Wires that were in the junction box that didn't have marrettes pointing up and filled with water didn't need to be cleaned with acid and soldered just fine after stripping back insulation a bit. On the tarnished wires, you can strip the insulation back a long way and still find tarnished copper because the moisture wicks inside the insulation jacket.

"I do not believe a ground loop is an issue on a dc circuit,"

The inverter one I mentioned above included 120v and DC where their grounds get all mixed up when doing whole house. 120v shore cord grounded to frame into inverter chassis grounded to frame powered by batteries grounded to frame. It could well have been a 120v issue. Whatever it was, the factory had to redesign an inverter component to correct that.

Improving the ground is almost always a good idea.

I really like the wax based battery terminal spray. Had a couple of 17 year old applications with no corrosion.

I do not believe a ground loop is an issue on a dc circuit, so if it were mine, I would run a separate ground lead, even though it is likely fine without it.

ECHO.

You might want to keep in mind the best 2 paints I have found for "painting overtop" screws that ground...

Inside: Rust O Leum iron oxide red primer

Out in the weather: Rust O Leum pickup bed paint.


The red oxide sticks and seals and lasts forever

Same thing with bed liner except in addition it resists sand and gravel abrasion. They are two amazing primers IMHO

Red,

Please explain the why and how you dipped in acid before soldering