[DML] Re Grounding

["Cars" <twodelo2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bill,

The concept of a central ground bus with a "plastic" car is great.  I'm not
sure that a number 6 or larger is absolutely necessary.  Another
idea...which I've done on other applications is flat braid...such as the
engine/chassis jumper.  It can be found in long lengths and tends to be more
flexible and easier to bend, etc. (but of course uninsulated).  Also actual
intermediate connection can be made by forcing screws through the weave as
opposed to having to remove insulation and  using a massive clamp.  As
usual, star washers to guarantee gas tight connections.

In the Delorean being rear engined, the most critical path is the ground to
the head lamps and radiator cooling fans as they are the farthest from the
alternator/battery and clearly the largest loads.  Next on the list is the
environmental fan (blower motor).

I had problems with my Volvo line voltage, which was as I finally figured
out, bad grounding.  The worse problem was the connection from the
alternator body to the block.  I could measure a significant loss between
the two bodies of as much as volt.  (depending on the amount of current
being supplied by the alternator of course).  The real culprit was the funny
washer that was used in the alternator body bolts (spring type device), but
using a #10 or # 12 from the alternator to the block wasn't cleaver.
Putting braided wire and good washers between the alternator and the block
cleared up that problem.

If you don't think that you're experiencing these problems fine, otherwise
diagnosing them is real easy.  Use any voltmeter, but make one really long
lead for it.  Put the negative side of the meter on the body of the
alternator and. with the engine running, head lights, radiator fan and
blower fan all on, probe the return (ground) side of the headlamps, cooling
fan, or blower fan.  More than a few (hopefully almost no voltage) tenths of
a volt is not desirable.  If its higher, it is time to start looking at all
of the ground connections or do a ground buss like Bill's.   Incidentally,
the same type of diagnosis can be done for the +12 side of things (putting
the positive side of the meter at the alternator's output as all losses will
lower the line voltage).  Also worth doing...again looking for bad, loose,
or dirty connections.

I'm not picking on you Marc, I guess that as one who doesn't comment much, I
hope, unless it is important, but my funny bone has to ask, if one were to
find fault with Bills' central ground bus, would it be a ground fault?

Al
Al Roberts
twodelo2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
VIN 16049



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