Is this a ground point and how do I use it?

[Rummie]

I looked at the diagram of ground points to find a good place for my new lithium battery setup. It shows one about in the middle of the rear passenger side door on the driver's side. What I found is a connector that works a lot like one of the door electrical disconnects that you use when you take the doors off. It connects a lot of little wires up to, I assume, a ground point.

I am not sure how to go about using it for my needs. Can I just connect to one of the bolts holding the metal cover on over the ground? Any suggestions? I prefer to ground it near the driver side rear passenger seat if possible.

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[Silverator]

Your second pic COULD be a ground point. I don't really know. And even if standing there with you - I wouldn't really know and would not risk hooking up a lithium battery using it as ground. What you need to do is get yourself a multimeter that will measure continuity, and test that stud against other known ground points. If it shows continuity (I'm guessing it will), then you are good to go. Keep in mind - I AM IN NO WAY and electrician or electronics engineer.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I looked at the diagram of ground points to find a good place for my new lithium battery setup. It shows one about in the middle of the rear passenger side door on the driver's side. What I found is a connector that works a lot like one of the door electrical disconnects that you use when you take the doors off. It connects a lot of little wires up to, I assume, a ground point.

I am not sure how to go about using it for my needs. Can I just connect to one of the bolts holding the metal cover on over the ground? Any suggestions? I prefer to ground it near the driver side rear passenger seat if possible.

That's just bolts holding a fixture.
The attachment is actual intended ground points - frame and body.

 

[IanNubbit]

Not an ideal ground. Look for a stud that's sticking out on the frame that has a nut on it that seemingly goes to nothing. There's more then what's labeled as grounds in wiring diagrams

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Not an ideal ground. Look for a stud that's sticking out on the frame that has a nut on it that seemingly goes to nothing. There's more then what's labeled as grounds in wiring diagrams

True, but if it's labeled as a ground point and used as such, you can trust it is.
There are locations the factory has in place but has not used.
I'd use one that was large enough for the intended load.

 

[IanNubbit]

True, but if it's labeled as a ground point and used as such, you can trust it is.
There are locations the factory has in place but has not used.
I'd use one that was large enough for the intended load.

We only use 2 ground studs sizes these days, and they are pretty apparent. Under the hood by the battery, there's that weird ground bridge thing up against the top of the fender. That has the two different bolt sizes of grounds used on JL/JTs. My rule of thumb is unless its an alternator, starter, or similar power load device, the big one is plenty as they all are on a think part of the body, or the frame itself. The small ones are plenty for things like small little lights or little control boxes like powered step modules.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My rule of thumb is unless its an alternator, starter, or similar power load device, the big one is plenty as they all are on a think part of the body, or the frame itself.

Yes. A small bolt/stud can handle quite a load and it's not having to handle it very far at all.
Even years ago a 1/4" bolt was used for alternator output and most of the reason for the size was because it was a connection point that needed to handle being taken apart and reassembled multiple times without breaking - not for current flow.

Under the hood by the battery, there's that weird ground bridge thing up against the top of the fender. That has the two different bolt sizes of grounds used on JL/JTs.

Yes, I'm using both of those for various things on my JT.
On the JLU 4xe I'm using one of them (the rear one, closest to the PDC) for the power steps ground.

 

[cranbiz]

Not all grounds are the same. Even the big one on the fender.
I have a 2m radio in my JTR. I wired the positive wire to the battery and the ground to the big stud on the fender. Every time the Jeep would restart from ESS, the radio would shut off. I moved the ground to the battery and all is now well. For something like a radio, using the right ground makes a big difference.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Not all grounds are the same. Even the big one on the fender.
I have a 2m radio in my JTR. I wired the positive wire to the battery and the ground to the big stud on the fender. Every time the Jeep would restart from ESS, the radio would shut off. I moved the ground to the battery and all is now well. For something like a radio, using the right ground makes a big difference.

Then you have a ground issue as well. And these are fairly well known for ground issues (there's TSBs about it)
The batteries are both wired to that area, so you really only changed from being grounded at the body end of the battery ground to the IBS (hope you went IBS and not directly to the battery terminal or the IBS clamp)

 

[cranbiz]

@ShadowsPapa Do you have that TSB#?

 

[Rummie]

Found it! I had the diagrams to look for the ground points from the beginning. I was still looking in the wrong place! Gotta use my reading glasses.

The ground point that I was looking for is behind the plastic trim by the seatbelt. All good now.

 

[The Rook]

Found it! I had the diagrams to look for the ground points from the beginning. I was still looking in the wrong place! Gotta use my reading glasses.

The ground point that I was looking for is behind the plastic trim by the seatbelt. All good now.

Is this located by seatbelt for the driver's side rear passenger?

 

[Radio Guy]

It would be nice to know more about the new battery, its size and intended use. If its for a high current application I would want to see it grounded close to the main battery with the shortest cable run to avoid ground loops and voltage drop. Even though the truck frame and sheet metal is all grounded together, the further you get from the main battery ground the more resistance adds up.

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