Ground Wire Size?

 

Bronze Member
Username: Bkoz

Post Number: 37
Registered: Feb-06
My power wire for my amp is 5 awg. is it alright if my ground wire is 2 awg.?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Chodecz

Post Number: 15
Registered: Sep-04
You must match the power and ground wires.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Wisteria, Lane USA

Post Number: 11345
Registered: Dec-03
well, just remember that it's all one circuit from the battery to the amp to ground, and back to the battery.. so the gauge of wire is determined (throughout the circuit) by the length of the wire (total) and current it carries.
going bigger than required doesn't hurt anything.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bkoz

Post Number: 38
Registered: Feb-06
but does it help? i have a 5 awg. power wire and a 8 awg. ground will it make a difference?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Adddisorder

Post Number: 79
Registered: Jan-06
yeah your ground in this case needs to be atleast 5awg or sure go with 2...but you gorund cant be lighter then your power...so change it
 

Silver Member
Username: N2audio

Lawrence, Ks USA

Post Number: 709
Registered: Mar-04
It's a matter of resistance and the resulting voltage drop - which depends on the current you're drawing and the length of the ground wire.

For example, if your ground is 5' and your amps can draw 100A --
2 ga would drop less than .08v
5 ga about .16v
8 ga about .31v

The only one that raises an eyebrow is 8 ga, and if your ground is shorter, or your system draws less than 100A the effect will be even less.

It just doesn't make much sense to run the long 5 ga wire to avoid a big voltage drop only to go small on the ground.
 

Silver Member
Username: Matt12490

Benicia, California USA

Post Number: 429
Registered: May-05
if i have 2 amps... is it ok to ground both of them to the same bolt on your car or should it be to 2 different bolts?
 

Gold Member
Username: B101

Queen City, NC USA

Post Number: 1651
Registered: Sep-05
same is ok, diffrent would be better. U mighten notice the diffrenece with your ear..

but yea, bigger ground will be better..
same size or bigger!
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