P1000 Dual battery ground

[Snoodafruff]

I’m in the process of doing a dual battery set up & I’m wondering where the best place is to ground the second battery? Thanks for any help & suggestions

 

[Admin]

 

[Smitty335]

I’m in the process of doing a dual battery set up & I’m wondering where the best place is to ground the second battery? Thanks for any help & suggestions

Look at your primary battery ground.

 

[Snoodafruff]

Look at your primary battery ground.

Look at your primary battery ground.

 

[Snoodafruff]

It’s bundled up with other wires & is kinda hard to trace. I was hoping someone knew where on the chassis it terminated.

 

[JTW]

I ran a dedicated ground back to the motor mount that the stock battery is grounded to.

 

[ohanacreek]

I ran a ground to the primary battery, I had to get to the front winch anyway with ground to the secondary battery.

 

[mbjeepxj]

I ran a ground to the primary battery, I had to get to the front winch anyway with ground to the secondary battery.

I did this as well.

 

[Snoodafruff]

I did this as well.

That’s what I’ve wanted to do, but wasn’t sure if running the ground from the secondary battery to the ground on the primary battery was ok.

 

[Snoodafruff]

That’s what I’ve wanted to do, but wasn’t sure if running the ground from the secondary battery to the ground on the primary battery was ok.

What are the benefits to running a dedicated ground for the secondary battery system? I would have to take my skid plate off to get to any motor mounts for grounding points....huge PITA.

 

[Delton]

I ran mine to solenoid for winch with primary battery ground.

 

[JTW]

What are the benefits to running a dedicated ground for the secondary battery system? I would have to take my skid plate off to get to any motor mounts for grounding points....huge PITA.

I didn't take my skid off.. just ran it to under the floorboard and under the seat to the motor mount behind the driver. You can't have too much ground. I wanted a heavier dedicated ground for the winch and lights that wasn't bundled up with wiring harness.. for that just in case!

 

[Delton]

I didn't take my skid off.. just ran it to under the floorboard and under the seat to the motor mount behind the driver. You can't have too much ground. I wanted a heavier dedicated ground for the winch and lights that wasn't bundled up with wiring harness.. for that just in case!

"Can't have too much ground" is right. Fuel injected vehicles live or die by the ground.

 

[Snoodafruff]

I didn't take my skid off.. just ran it to under the floorboard and under the seat to the motor mount behind the driver. You can't have too much ground. I wanted a heavier dedicated ground for the winch and lights that wasn't bundled up with wiring harness.. for that just in case!

JTW

So can you get to it by taking the seat off? I took mine off last night & was tracing the harness down & saw where 3-10 gauge green wires grounded to the frame under the drivers seat. The main wire bundle continued along towards the back of the machine. But I didn’t see the 4 gauge black main ground wire. I didn’t unbundle the wires to verify it was there or if it’s in that bundle that heads to the back of the machine.

Is there a benefit to grounding in the same location on the frame/motor mount as the primary battery or would anywhere on the frame be ok (perhaps closer to the battery location)? I see your point about not having too much ground.

 

[Tramguage1]

JTW

So can you get to it by taking the seat off? I took mine off last night & was tracing the harness down & saw where 3-10 gauge green wires grounded to the frame under the drivers seat. The main wire bundle continued along towards the back of the machine. But I didn’t see the 4 gauge black main ground wire. I didn’t unbundle the wires to verify it was there or if it’s in that bundle that heads to the back of the machine.

Is there a benefit to grounding in the same location on the frame/motor mount as the primary battery or would anywhere on the frame be ok (perhaps closer to the battery location)? I see your point about not having too much ground.

My problem with not lugging the grounds on a common point is this. When you pull a heavy draw on the secondary battery the ground wire is also subject to the same current flow. If it's grounded a long way away from the common point that current flow s through the frame or whatever path has the least resistance. Not sure I want the frame being a conductor,
Also it's really not ground, it' the negative side of a voltage supply.

 

[JTW]

JTW

So can you get to it by taking the seat off? I took mine off last night & was tracing the harness down & saw where 3-10 gauge green wires grounded to the frame under the drivers seat. The main wire bundle continued along towards the back of the machine. But I didn’t see the 4 gauge black main ground wire. I didn’t unbundle the wires to verify it was there or if it’s in that bundle that heads to the back of the machine.

Is there a benefit to grounding in the same location on the frame/motor mount as the primary battery or would anywhere on the frame be ok (perhaps closer to the battery location)? I see your point about not having too much ground.

I just traced mine back and added to the motor ground. It's not the frame it's the stock ground location on the motor. It's all do able from the top side but it takes a little effort. My ground cable is behind my winch cable on the negative battery post. This should eliminate any possible issues. Honda grounds their stock battery their for a reason. So why wouldn't you or I do the same for a secondary? I don't like the idea of using the negative side of the stock battery to ground as you're now sharing that ground with all stock systems.

 

[Snoodafruff]

I just traced mine back and added to the motor ground. It's not the frame it's the stock ground location on the motor. It's all do able from the top side but it takes a little effort. My ground cable is behind my winch cable on the negative battery post. This should eliminate any possible issues. Honda grounds their stock battery their for a reason. So why wouldn't you or I do the same for a secondary? I don't like the idea of using the negative side of the stock battery to ground as you're now sharing that ground with all stock systems.

JTW,

Will I be able to see the stock ground location on the motor from where the seat goes. It’s on the drivers side? Towards the front of the motor?

.....thank you, everyone, for your help and insight on this. Would rather do it right than do what’s easiest!!

 

[Neohio]

You want to run your ground to "Engine ground terminal"
That is where the after '16 runs the under hood winch ground.

 

[mbjeepxj]

There's only one common ground, anyway, since you're using the vehicle's charging system to charge the second battery. It doesn't matter which end of the stock ground cable you connect your secondary's negative terminal to. You're not really separating anything by taking the secondary battery to the engine or frame as opposed to just connecting the negative posts on both batteries together.

 

[JTW]

JTW,

Will I be able to see the stock ground location on the motor from where the seat goes. It’s on the drivers side? Towards the front of the motor?

.....thank you, everyone, for your help and insight on this. Would rather do it right than do what’s easiest!!

Driver said side basically towards the back of the motor.

 

[JTW]

There's only one common ground, anyway, since you're using the vehicle's charging system to charge the second battery. It doesn't matter which end of the stock ground cable you connect your secondary's negative terminal to. You're not really separating anything by taking the secondary battery to the engine or frame as opposed to just connecting the negative posts on both batteries together.

If it didn't matter, Honda wouldn't take the trouble to run a dedicated winch ground on the 2017 models back to the motor.