power wire vs ground wire for battery

[jcarter1885 995]

if on my battery i am running a 2 gauge wire to my alternator and a 2 gauge wire to my amps coming from the positive battery terminal post, is ok to wire one 0 gauge wire from the battery to the frame or does it have to be (2)-2 guage wires going from the battery's negative terminal post to frame. in the long run after running two batteries i will come up with close to 5 ground wires that needed to be grounded to the frame and i wanted to lighten the load if possible but if not its cool.

[johnecon2001 82]

Use the same size (or larger) wire as your power wire, for your grounds.

[jcarter1885 995]

any more input not really the answer im looking for, already knew that but i appreciate it

[KU40 173]

Why would you need two ground wires from the same terminal to the same spot on the frame? I guess I don't follow your question.

[jcarter1885 995]

Why would you need two ground wires from the same terminal to the same spot on the frame? I guess I don't follow your question.

Im guessing i was looking at batteries like an amp, for every power wire their should be a ground wire. So in my case, my main battery as of now has two 2/0 gauge power wires coming from the positive terminals(one going to alternator and the other going to the distribution block to amps), and for the ground i have two 2/0 gauge ground wires coming from the negative terminal to the frame of the car. I was asking if you should have those 2 ground wires coming from the negative terminals or is one 1/0 or 2/0 gauge wire good enough for a ground?

Does it matter how many power wires u have on a positive battery terminal to determine how many ground wires u should have coming off the negative battery terminals.

appreciate it

[Juslivin 1]

I think hes saying he upgraded his alt to batt + with 2 gauge (or thats how it was) and hes running 2 gauge from his batt + to his amp, but hes wondering if he needs to ground his batt - with (2) 2 gauge wires or can he just use (1) 0 gauge wire.

And im sure you can just use (1) 0 gauge.

[jcarter1885 995]

I think hes saying he upgraded his alt to batt + with 2 gauge (or thats how it was) and hes running 2 gauge from his batt + to his amp, but hes wondering if he needs to ground his batt - with (2) 2 gauge wires or can he just use (1) 0 gauge wire.

And im sure you can just use (1) 0 gauge.

thats exactly what im saying in less words, better than how i said it. could someone explain the facts or rule of thumb for how many positive wires equal a ground wire. for instance if i were to have three 2/0 gauge power wires leaving the positive terminals how many ground wires and what size, is it still one 1/0 gauge ground wire.

[jcarter1885 995]

is there a ratio for power to ground wires or once you go 0 gauge ground, you can have as many power wires going off the postive terminal of a battery

[Duran 387]

is there a ratio for power to ground wires or once you go 0 gauge ground, you can have as many power wires going off the postive terminal of a battery

You can never have too much ground, but never let your power wire gauge exceed the ground.

[KU40 173]

OK i see. One ground wire is fine, as long as it's the same or larger size than either of the power wires. I understand what you're thinking about the two power wires (or why you would think that), but it's not correct. While there are two large wire leads on the positive terminal, one is an input and one is an output. So really the two power wires aren't doing the same thing, they're basically just two wires completing the same circuit loop. So you can kinda think about it like only one power wire, or at least one power wire just split at the battery terminal. You can kinda think of the battery as an amplifier, it has one power input (from the alternator) and one ground. The power wire that goes from the battery to the amp has its own ground, in the one from the amp to ground.

[jcarter1885 995]

OK i see. One ground wire is fine, as long as it's the same or larger size than either of the power wires. I understand what you're thinking about the two power wires (or why you would think that), but it's not correct. While there are two large wire leads on the positive terminal, one is an input and one is an output. So really the two power wires aren't doing the same thing, they're basically just two wires completing the same circuit loop. So you can kinda think about it like only one power wire, or at least one power wire just split at the battery terminal. You can kinda think of the battery as an amplifier, it has one power input (from the alternator) and one ground. The power wire that goes from the battery to the amp has its own ground, in the one from the amp to ground.

Appreaciate ya,

So basically there is no ratio for power to ground wires. An example to make sure were both clear and on the same page; once i get my big three done i will have three power wires leaving my main battery( 4gauge to alternator, 2gauge to alternator and 2gauge to secondary battery) and having one-1/0 gauge ground wire leaving battery to frame of car. Correct????? Thanks KU40

[Tirefryr 1,742]

THe entire chassis of the vehicle is your ground. Just run that same cable, or larger if you'd like for your ground.

[KU40 173]

OK i see. One ground wire is fine, as long as it's the same or larger size than either of the power wires. I understand what you're thinking about the two power wires (or why you would think that), but it's not correct. While there are two large wire leads on the positive terminal, one is an input and one is an output. So really the two power wires aren't doing the same thing, they're basically just two wires completing the same circuit loop. So you can kinda think about it like only one power wire, or at least one power wire just split at the battery terminal. You can kinda think of the battery as an amplifier, it has one power input (from the alternator) and one ground. The power wire that goes from the battery to the amp has its own ground, in the one from the amp to ground.

Appreaciate ya,

So basically there is no ratio for power to ground wires. An example to make sure were both clear and on the same page; once i get my big three done i will have three power wires leaving my main battery( 4gauge to alternator, 2gauge to alternator and 2gauge to secondary battery) and having one-1/0 gauge ground wire leaving battery to frame of car. Correct????? Thanks KU40

Yeah that sounds good. Was the 4 gauge from the alternator to battery the stock wire and then you just added the 2 gauge wire alongside it?

[jcarter1885 995]

OK i see. One ground wire is fine, as long as it's the same or larger size than either of the power wires. I understand what you're thinking about the two power wires (or why you would think that), but it's not correct. While there are two large wire leads on the positive terminal, one is an input and one is an output. So really the two power wires aren't doing the same thing, they're basically just two wires completing the same circuit loop. So you can kinda think about it like only one power wire, or at least one power wire just split at the battery terminal. You can kinda think of the battery as an amplifier, it has one power input (from the alternator) and one ground. The power wire that goes from the battery to the amp has its own ground, in the one from the amp to ground.

Appreaciate ya,

So basically there is no ratio for power to ground wires. An example to make sure were both clear and on the same page; once i get my big three done i will have three power wires leaving my main battery( 4gauge to alternator, 2gauge to alternator and 2gauge to secondary battery) and having one-1/0 gauge ground wire leaving battery to frame of car. Correct????? Thanks KU40

Yeah that sounds good. Was the 4 gauge from the alternator to battery the stock wire and then you just added the 2 gauge wire alongside it?

your correct, would it hurt to toss a 2 gauge ground alongside the 1/0 gauge or will the 1/0 gauge be sufficient.

[Duran 387]

your correct, would it hurt to toss a 2 gauge ground alongside the 1/0 gauge or will the 1/0 gauge be sufficient.

1 aught carries 325 amps, that is sufficient.

[Tirefryr 1,742]

your correct, would it hurt to toss a 2 gauge ground alongside the 1/0 gauge or will the 1/0 gauge be sufficient.

1 aught carries 325 amps, that is sufficient.

Except there's no current going through the ground wire.

[Duran 387]

your correct, would it hurt to toss a 2 gauge ground alongside the 1/0 gauge or will the 1/0 gauge be sufficient.

1 aught carries 325 amps, that is sufficient.

Except there's no current going through the ground wire.

I didn't see that it was his ground. It remains sufficient though.

[jcarter1885 995]

appreciate the info and clarity guys, thats why i love this forum