using a grounding bar.

[Forrest747]

I have an extra AC grounding bar and was thinking of using it to tie all the negative lines of my DC. I am using a barrier strip for the positive and that is tied into my fuse box. I figure as long as I keep them seperate they should be fine. I will be mounting the groundbar to wood. I really see no issue. or am i smoking crack

[eamarquardt]

Not really sure what you mean by a "gounding bar" with DC as no "ground" is really required for DC. The "negative" side of all your DC wiring can be tied to a single buss bar and then connected to your battery's negative terminal by a single "wire" of sufficient capacity. Some inverters seem to be sensitive to having the negative side "grounded" to the AC safety ground so there is a "school of thought" that the negative portion of the DC system should not be "grounded". All that is really needed is a complete circuit for each DC load from the Positive Terminal to the Negative Terminal on the battery. Typically the Positive lead is fused/protected for each circuit and all the negative sides can be connected together at a common point and then connected to the Negative Terminal of the battery.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers,

Gus

[PaulC]

Sure does make sense Gus. I like to think of the DC circuit in my TD as being like a torch. No need to earth anywhere but the battery.
Cheers
Paul

[bobhenry]

Battery ground is attached to the grounding bar then each dc circuit returns to it and is screwed securely into individual holes in the bar. Exactly what I did in this rather fuzzy pic.



The white wires on the right are the 4 seperate circuit grounds arriving back to the bar. They are right side, left side, front cabinet ,and galley wall circuits [just in case ya wanted to know] .

[Forrest747]

BobHenry that is basically what I plan on doing. I was going to use a Waco terminal blocks but it was so tough to insert and they held small gauge wire. they may be ok on Boeings but my trailer has 14 gauge wire. Just to show ya that it being free may not work.

[48Rob]

I will be mounting the groundbar to wood. I really see no issue. or am i smoking crack

Will the Buss bars (+&-) that you are "attaching to wood" be in an enclosure, or exposed where something conductive could fall against them?


Rob

[Forrest747]

48Rob I will be having all of my electrical under the loft mattress. So hopefully what ever kid is up there will not get shocked. I kindof blew up all the work i had done so far as connecting all of these wonderful wires. it is such a rats nest. I removed the huge black terminal strip and now going with something a little smaller like the grounding bar and a smaller terminal strip. I also put together the AC circuit breaker box and that will go next into its space. slowly but surely its coming together.

[down under tech]

Forrest: Here is how I did mine on my first TD. I ran all of the black (ground) wires back to what is called a buss bar. I then ran a bigger heavier wire to the ground (minus terminal) on the battery. I did the positive wires similarly.

[aggie79]

I will be mounting the groundbar to wood. I really see no issue. or am i smoking crack

Will the Buss bars (+&-) that you are "attaching to wood" be in an enclosure, or exposed where something conductive could fall against them?


Rob

I had the same thought as Rob, so I made a cover of flat plexiglas on standoffs to keep any metal object from falling/moving and bridging my + and - busses.

[Forrest747]

Got alot done today. Here is what I did. THe grounding bar is to the right with the center larger gauge wire going to the battery area. The hex bolts to the left of that is going to support the AC breaker box. Put the loft bunk in place as well as dry fit the cherry panels. and yes i did notice the panels grain is going to wrong way. than to the side walls. oh well.