Wire gauge for grounds

[T-Bucket Bob]

What size wire do you use for grounds? Such as alternator, gauges, and fuel cell and main terminal block.

Thanks, T-Bucket Bob

 

[Spanky]

I would say at least 10 ga.

 

[HenrysT]

The ground should be the same size as the positive wire that feeds it.

 

[Indycars]

All your ground wire's total current carrying capacity should equal your battery's ground wire to
the frame. In reality one can just use too much grounding wires and then don't worry about it.
Don't forget to put a ground wire from your intake manifold to your heads to your engine block
and then to the frame. You can't assume that they are all well electrically connected to each other
with gaskets between each one.

Just remember you cannot use a too big a wire, but you can certainly use too small a wire. When
in doubt use the next gauge bigger.

 

[AusBucket]

Also ground the dash gauges to the same point on the frame that is grounding everything else, and don't forget to ground the radiator if it's Ally. Stray currents will pin hole it very quickly.
Regards,

 

[rbsWELDER]

Indycars & AusBucket - Excellent points!

 

[Indycars]

Speaking of cooling systems, one should have a couple of Anodes installed. Especially
important now days with aluminum heads and intakes frequently used.

JEGS 51994: 1/4" NPT Anti-Corrosion Plug | JEGS

 

[PotvinGuy]

I wonder if these have any value if the cooling system has no aluminum parts?

 

[Indycars]

I would think so, you got to have either copper or aluminum for a radiator. Ok, maybe
plastic, but there is still some metal involved.

Galvanic Corrosion - Application Note - Lytron Inc

 

[PotvinGuy]

Very interesting link, Indy. My radiator is copper/brass, but the motor is of course cast iron. Check this: Galvanic series - Wikipedia It shows the relative "nobility" of metals. When two metals are in electrochemical contact the less noble metal will corrode. Iron is lower than copper/brass, so the motor would be the one to corrode. But zinc is less noble than iron, so the gadget should protect the motor.

When I was a teen working on a gas pipeline crew we would attach bags of something (I guess zinc) to the pipe at intervals to protect the pipe from corrosion. Info here: Cathodic protection - Wikipedia

 

[Indycars]

When I was a teen working on a gas pipeline crew we would attach bags of something (I guess zinc) to the pipe at intervals to protect the pipe from corrosion.

I previously did 3D computer animations reconstructing accidents for attorneys. The last one I did
was of a 30" natural gas pipeline with 650 psi. When it ruptured from corrosion in August 2000, it
killed an extended family of 12. The flame from the pipe was 497 feet high and the crater created in
the ground was ~ 80 feet long.

Pipeline Explosion Kills 10 Campers in N.M.

 

[PotvinGuy]

And we had to weld on these pipes full of gas!

 

[Neshkoro]

Yikes!

 

[lincolnuT]

I still live only 50 miles from there......I knew that family very well some of them were from Artesia NM...….Pretty sad.....

 

[Indycars]

I still live only 50 miles from there......I knew that family very well some of them were from Artesia NM...….Pretty sad.....

Yes, very sad! I had to look at some of the photos from the that event. Made it hard to sleep!