grounding question
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: vancouver
grounding question
I just wanted to double check with folks about grounding an amp and HU. My amp has two ground posts on it and there is one ground that comes out of the harness on th HU. Question one why do i have two grounds on the amp? question two if i scratch off the paint right under the drivers seat and wrap wires connected to all three grounds and screw them all down right into the floor where i scraped off all the paint does that insure my amp and deck are grounded properly?
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: South Texas
What vehicle to you have? I've never seen two seperate grounds on an amp. Are you using an RCA cable from the HU to the amp or low level speaker inputs? Your HU should be grounded with the stock radio harness (if that's what your using). The amp should be grounded seperately with as short a wire as possible. Not sure if that helps, because I don't understand your situation. Can you give more details.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: vancouver
ok i got everything working now so i guess the point is moot however; I was talking my stalk HU out and replacing it with a cheap JVC mp3 player i found. I have a small kenwwod 4 channel amp that i was instaling. I ran rca's to the amp and there was a seperate ground for the RCA's. I figured because there was no ground wire attached with the rca's i should be ok. I do have the whole amp grounded with the power ground and about a 6' wire grounded right to the frame. eveything seems to be working great now, and my subs now give me massaging chairs 
Thanks for the reply. If i should be doing something different with that rca ground please let me know.
Thanks for the reply. If i should be doing something different with that rca ground please let me know.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Highland, TX
Originally Posted by boarder
If i should be doing something different with that rca ground please let me know.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: vancouver
the manual for the amp calls it an "rca cable ground lead terminal" it says "when using an rca cable with a ground lead attached, connect the ground lead to this terminal. Caution do not use this terminal for power source grounding. This unit will be damaged if the power source grounding wire is connected to this terminal."Not quite sure what it does all i know is the amp seems to be working fine with nothing attached to it. Should i be using it for something?
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Zimmerman, MN
Have never seen an RCA with a ground wire before myself.
Last time I ever saw anything of the sort was on my old turn table with a ground lead with the RCA (20 years old now, at least) that got screwed down on the receiver.
I'd say leave the second ground alone, since it appears it was only intended to ground an RCA cable specific.
Last time I ever saw anything of the sort was on my old turn table with a ground lead with the RCA (20 years old now, at least) that got screwed down on the receiver.
I'd say leave the second ground alone, since it appears it was only intended to ground an RCA cable specific.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 441
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From: Madison, WI
The "third" lead on an RCA (x2) cable is "used" for providing remote turn on 12v for an amp. You would connect one end to the remote turn on wire of the CD Deck, and the other to the remote turn on terminal of the Amp.
The cannot call this a remote turn on wire for liability reasons (as I'm told by a major audio manufacturer) for several reasons, including a) not fused, b) too small of a guage to "safely" carry 12v signal to amp.
I never had a problem with it, just leave it there if you don't need it.
Like ranger said, old RCA's had a ground for turntables, but you shouldn't need to worry about that.
Most higher powered amps have two power, and two ground terminals. This is to ensure a good, proper connection to 12v and ground. I usually just use one, never had a problem.
If you ground directly to the frame, on the outside of the vehicle, remember to terminate the end with some type of connector, and put it on a clean spot of the frame.
I ALSO use "liquid electrical tape" to completly coat the surface when I am done, to prevent the copper from corroding away. You'de be surprised how fast that will happen.
Thanks,
MK
The cannot call this a remote turn on wire for liability reasons (as I'm told by a major audio manufacturer) for several reasons, including a) not fused, b) too small of a guage to "safely" carry 12v signal to amp.
I never had a problem with it, just leave it there if you don't need it.
Like ranger said, old RCA's had a ground for turntables, but you shouldn't need to worry about that.
Most higher powered amps have two power, and two ground terminals. This is to ensure a good, proper connection to 12v and ground. I usually just use one, never had a problem.
If you ground directly to the frame, on the outside of the vehicle, remember to terminate the end with some type of connector, and put it on a clean spot of the frame.
I ALSO use "liquid electrical tape" to completly coat the surface when I am done, to prevent the copper from corroding away. You'de be surprised how fast that will happen.
Thanks,
MK
