ground straps
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,217
Likes: 154
Hmmm. I think I'm going to go ahead and bolt the groundstrap to my hood, which has just been hanging off the cowl of my new cab. I figgered no under-hood light...
I've seen the flat-braided cable used as an engine to firewall ground, in Fox Mustangs. I think it gets called a "strap" because of its flat braided construction.
I got one: Coil wires inside electric motors, and maybe the alternator? Inside of light bulbs? Didn't some spark plug wires used to be solid-core?
I've seen the flat-braided cable used as an engine to firewall ground, in Fox Mustangs. I think it gets called a "strap" because of its flat braided construction.
I got one: Coil wires inside electric motors, and maybe the alternator? Inside of light bulbs? Didn't some spark plug wires used to be solid-core?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
There you go. Generator and alternator field windings, armature etc. Knew better than to say "never"! Yup, and solid core plug wires too. Also mechanical voltage regulators have wound coils, ignition coil secondary windings, both have a gazillion feet of fine magnet wire...
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,606
Likes: 1,175
From: San Jose, CA
And at least the later trucks absolutely had under hood lights. Single wire, grounded to the hood.
I'm sure a lamp of that size could have found sufficient grounding current passing through the hinges, but a strap is certainly more reliable in that department. And you get the added benefit of the radio noise and other stuff.
Not sure if the lamp was ever standard, or just a part of some "convenience group" package, but they were available early on.
My basic no-option truck has one, but it is a '79 too, so obviously a later model.
Paul
I'm sure a lamp of that size could have found sufficient grounding current passing through the hinges, but a strap is certainly more reliable in that department. And you get the added benefit of the radio noise and other stuff.
Not sure if the lamp was ever standard, or just a part of some "convenience group" package, but they were available early on.
My basic no-option truck has one, but it is a '79 too, so obviously a later model.
Paul
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 60
From: S.E. Louisiana;so far USA
I've got vehicles with the braided straps or with the stranded (insulated) wire, which came from the factory that way. The wire has to be large enough to adequately carry the amperage needed by the starter motor if it's "on that path". The stranded wire is more flexible than solid wires and less likely to break after many vibration cycles. Either one should work if sized according to its task.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,606
Likes: 1,175
From: San Jose, CA
True. I typically grind it clean, attach the grounds, then paint over the whole thing with like-colored paint. Has worked well for me.
To my tastes, it's less messy than my beloved anti-seize (which I use on practically everything these days!) and I was never sure about it's conductive properties.
Glad you brought that up though. If you're making up stuff for the long haul, you've got to think of things like that. Otherwise you're just cleaning and maintaining stuff more often than you should have to.
The simple "screw it to painted metal" concept worked fine for the factory originally because the exposed metal in the threaded holes was a good conductor at that point. But 40-50 years later, not so much!
Paul
To my tastes, it's less messy than my beloved anti-seize (which I use on practically everything these days!) and I was never sure about it's conductive properties.
Glad you brought that up though. If you're making up stuff for the long haul, you've got to think of things like that. Otherwise you're just cleaning and maintaining stuff more often than you should have to.
The simple "screw it to painted metal" concept worked fine for the factory originally because the exposed metal in the threaded holes was a good conductor at that point. But 40-50 years later, not so much!
Paul
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