Ground point near battery
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 719
Likes: 69
From: Waxhaw NC
Ground point near battery
I am installing an audio system. Instructions say don't ground to battery (I have always done this) but to a ground point on the frame. Everything I see is painted. Am I missing something?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,143
Likes: 11,211
From: San Diego, CA
Not knowing what year/model bike you are talking about, it's hard to say for sure....
I would be surprised if you have a Harley Bagger without a frame ground or two under the fairing.....
There is also one where the battery cabel grounds to the frame, but a fairing ground would be easier to run...
Check the electrical diagram for your year/model bike and it will show where they are.
Here si a pic of a ground, under the fairing, on an older EVO Electra Glide. They don't all look like this, but it gives you an idea just for a reference.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,717
Likes: 1,820
From: In a house
May want to try the audio section, those guys will know for sure and can explain the why behind it. Been debated a long time. Majority of builds discussed are going back to the battery with proper gauge OFC wire. Even more so on multiple amp installs, typically 4 ga going from battery to distribution blocks in fairing. For single amps I usually go 8 ga back to the battery, used multiple brands with no issues doing that.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,245
Likes: 3,679
From: backwoods
Googled it.
You should ground an amplifier to the car's metal frame or chassis and not directly to the battery to prevent alternator whine (a high-pitched noise that changes with engine RPMs) caused by ground loops. The chassis acts as a massive, low-resistance conductor connected to the negative battery terminal
You should ground an amplifier to the car's metal frame or chassis and not directly to the battery to prevent alternator whine (a high-pitched noise that changes with engine RPMs) caused by ground loops. The chassis acts as a massive, low-resistance conductor connected to the negative battery terminal
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 657
From: Eastpointe, MI
If you run a ground all the way back to the negative post of the battery you should also have an inline fuse immediately off the positive post - in addition to any other fuses or relays you have.
And if you disagree with this that this isn't necessary - it's not going to hurt anything.
And if you disagree with this that this isn't necessary - it's not going to hurt anything.
Last edited by Robertbc3141; Aug 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM.
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Road Captain
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From: Buhl, Idaho
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Club Member
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Des moines IA
I have 3 amps on mine, all grounded back to the battery. I see no issue in using either the battery or the factory grounding lug near the battery. I would never use a floating ground located in the fairing for an amplifier.