More grounds and hot taps

Charging, starting, lighting, gauges, HVAC

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sargentrs
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More grounds and hot taps

Post by sargentrs »

Not my truck, project's stalled, but my '74 Dodge Dart. Really tired of whole hassle of trying to find a place to tap into a constant or switched hot source for things like gauges, cigarette lighter, 12v phone charger, mp3 player, HEI ignition, etc. So I figure I'll run some additional wiring so I have more constant/switched 12v sources. Question is...

Is it good to ground everything to the battery negative terminal? Plan on using these http://www.ebay.com/itm/251795214723 to give me some decent taps on the battery posts and, along with the starter relay and engine block ground, run a hot line to a junction block and from there to a relay to a separate fuse block under the dash. Then a ground line from the battery to another junction block and to a terminal strip also under the dash. Another ground for headlight relays, along with hot taps for those relays, too. That'll give me 6 fused taps for accessories, additional constant hot sources from the junction block, multiple sources for ground both in the engine compartment and under the dash, etc. I'll be upgrading to a 90 amp alternator in the process. The wiring on this car is in sad shape and want to bypass as much of the original as possible. I just had some concerns about routing everything from the battery. Not too happy with the guys over at the Mopar forums so I thought I'd come home to here and ask a great bunch of guys I know and respect. Still picking parts but here's a few of what I've found so far...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231232172533
http://www.ebay.com/itm/231008053482
http://www.litecycle.com/collections/gr ... s/sg-eb-6p

Any advice, input, concerns, etc? Thanks guys!
Randy
1970 F100 Sport Custom Limited LWB, 302cid, 3 on the tree. NO A/C, NO P/S, NO P/B. Currently in 1000 pcs while rebuilding. Project thread: http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=59995 Plan: 351w, C4, LSD, pwr front disc, p/s, a/c, bucket seats, new interior and paint.
1987 F-150 XLT Lariat, 5.0/C6 auto.
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HIO Silver
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Re: More grounds and hot taps

Post by HIO Silver »

I wouldn't run individual grounds to the battery, a Dart is a unibody, right? A good ground anywhere on the unibody is electrically the same as any other ground on the unibody. To hedge, weld individual ground studs where they are most convenient.
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sargentrs
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Re: More grounds and hot taps

Post by sargentrs »

Thanks, HIO!
Randy
1970 F100 Sport Custom Limited LWB, 302cid, 3 on the tree. NO A/C, NO P/S, NO P/B. Currently in 1000 pcs while rebuilding. Project thread: http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=59995 Plan: 351w, C4, LSD, pwr front disc, p/s, a/c, bucket seats, new interior and paint.
1987 F-150 XLT Lariat, 5.0/C6 auto.
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