braided grounding strap isolation

[n18pf]

I've got two ground straps. One to each of two engine studs. Probably overkill, but it seemed like a good idea at the time!

[gasman]

I have two ground straps.... one braided and the other made from welding cable. One to the firewall, one to the pass through ground lug to the field of grounds on the cold side of the firewall.

Easy to do..... If you only have one and it fails, you will have big problems

[Hartstoc]

Originally Posted by jimgreen

Talking to a mechanic recently, he recommended two ground straps for redundancy. Is anyone else doing that?

If the connections at both ends of the cable are sound, a single cable is plenty. If they are poorly done, a second cable installed in the same manner probably won?t help!

I use di-electric grease to protect all surfaces within the connections from moisture and corrosion due to dissimilar metal contact, and make sure that the fasteners are amply sized, properly torqued, and positioned in a way that does not invite loosening due to vibration.

Cable connections, both power and ground, should always be the first suspects when the starter seems sluggish.- Otis

[rv8ch]

Originally Posted by gasman

I have two ground straps.... ..... If you only have one and it fails, you will have big problems

Yes, the electrons try to find a path, and it could fry something that you don't want fried if your single ground wire fails. Having two adds a few grams, but could save a lot of money and time if there is a failure.

[jimgreen]

Thanks for the replies, seems like a good idea. Just as soon as we're finished with power cuts and big snow.

[fixnflyguy]

Mine is actually a double flat braided ground strap that shares the same lugs. I liberated it from an airliner component ground, but it is quite redundant in the event one would break. Keep in mind, it is also the ground path for your starter, and carries significant flow during start.

[rv7charlie]

Hmmm...

Don't forget that the most likely failure point is the termination.

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by jimgreen

Talking to a mechanic recently, he recommended two ground straps for redundancy. Is anyone else doing that?

The braided fuel and oil pressure lines work as secondary and tertiary grounding paths.

No need for another strap.

Although this sounds frightening, they will transmit the load without fear of an explosion.

[rv7charlie]

That might be true for normal electrical loads, but I'd be very leery of expecting them to carry starting loads. Not because of explosion risk, but the risk of weakening and eventually failing the tubing inside the braid due to heating the braid during starting events.

Automotive example: I once owned one of the 1st front wheel drive cars sold here in the USA. After a warranty repair at the dealership, the car became progressively and intermittently harder and harder to crank, as if it had a bad battery, though the battery was good and its connections clean and tight. This went on for literally years, until one day when I had the hood open and had someone try to start it. When they hit the starter, I saw smoke coming off the clutch actuating cable. The dealer had left the braided ground strap loose on one end, and the only ground from engine to the chassis was through the clutch cable. If it had been a hydraulic line instead of a Bowden style cable, I'm confident that the rubber inside would have been damaged and would have eventually failed.

Charlie

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by rv7charlie

That might be true for normal electrical loads, but I'd be very leery of expecting them to carry starting loads. Not because of explosion risk, but the risk of weakening and eventually failing the tubing inside the braid due to heating the braid during starting events.

Automotive example: I once owned one of the 1st front wheel drive cars sold here in the USA. After a warranty repair at the dealership, the car became progressively and intermittently harder and harder to crank, as if it had a bad battery, though the battery was good and its connections clean and tight. This went on for literally years, until one day when I had the hood open and had someone try to start it. When they hit the starter, I saw smoke coming off the clutch actuating cable. The dealer had left the braided ground strap loose on one end, and the only ground from engine to the chassis was through the clutch cable. If it had been a hydraulic line instead of a Bowden style cable, I'm confident that the rubber inside would have been damaged and would have eventually failed.

Charlie

Different issue and different type of connection for a clutch cable vs. a tightened AN connection.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to use those lines as a primary ground but as a backup, they will be fine.