Grounding 12v good time radio

[Tx75Pinz]

I want to instal a good time radio in one of my Pinzgauers. The Pinz's are 24 volt and the radio is 12 volts. Both of the Pinzes came with a 24v to 12v converter already installed.

My question is not so much where to tap into 12 volts, but I don't want the smoke genie to appear because I messed up on the grounding. Can someone tell what the deal is with the 24v and the 12v grounds? Aren't the both to the chassis? How do I get a seperate 12v ground so I don't fry the radio?

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[cranetruck]

Both your 12V and 24V supplies are referenced to the NEG terminal of the grounded battery, which should be the same as the chassis. Use a DVM to double check your power supply with the (-) lead connected to the grounded battery NEG terminal.

 

[stampy]

From what I have always heard grounds for 12v and 24 v is the same ground. Kind of like a ground for 110 and 240 and 480 is the same

 

[Jones]

No different than connecting to the front or rear of the frame; it all goes back to the ground lead on the grounded battery. Just make sure your major components are grounded to each other; body to chassis, engine/trans to chassis, etc.

The only time grounds are a headache is when they aren't there and you have conductivity problems.
Cables getting hot and slow engine cranking, or lights that don't light are the most often heard complaints.
Or you'll see it when a circuit can't find a good ground and goes searching. i.e. With turn signals on, your dash lights also get bright and dim in unison with the flashing light.

Keep your wiring as simple and straight forward as you can. Use a wire gauge large enough to carry the load, and the shorter the run the less resistance.
A wiring job that looks like a basket of snakes is an invitation to mistakes in connections as well as shorts and crossfeeds.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Am I stupid or what? I have no clue what a "Good Time Radio" is. Anyone want to enlighten this southern fool? Google did nothing for me.

 

[frodobaggins]

Am I stupid or what? I have no clue what a "Good Time Radio" is. Anyone want to enlighten this southern fool? Google did nothing for me.

No, I did the same. I figured I'd just wait for some other doofus to ask the question first.

 

[AN/ARC186]

I think he means an AM/FM radio for tunes.

 

[ralbelt]

I'm thinking AM/FM CD. I used to put an 8 track in my Deuce at summercamp with the Guards and play Jimmie Hendrix's version of the Star Spangled Banner . would tie into the first battery.

 

[tennmogger]

One 'gottcha' to avoid: does your Pinzi have a ground disconnect main switch? If so, then don't ground your good time radio directly to the battery neg. If you do that, if the main ground switch is opened, the radio neg lead becomes the ground return for the entire truck.

Ground to chassis as the other guys said.

Tennmogger

I want to instal a good time radio in one of my Pinzgauers. The Pinz's are 24 volt and the radio is 12 volts. Both of the Pinzes came with a 24v to 12v converter already installed.

My question is not so much where to tap into 12 volts, but I don't want the smoke genie to appear because I messed up on the grounding. Can someone tell what the deal is with the 24v and the 12v grounds? Aren't the both to the chassis? How do I get a seperate 12v ground so I don't fry the radio?

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Tx75Pinz]

Yes, a "good time radio" is am/fm/cd as opposed to a means to communicate information or orders.

I always though ground was ground also, but keep have people mention that there is something different about 24v vehicles and they never fully explain what it is.

The Pinzes have a disconnect switch. The only problem so far I have found out about while researching it is that turning the disconnect off will cut the 12v to keep the radio stations loaded in memory and if there is a clock it will need to be reset everytime, unless a seperate 12v source is used.

Plan was, to go with the ground on the 24v to 12v converter. That seems like it out to do the trick.

Thank you much for the information.