Do I need to run a pos and neg wire from battery to Anderson connector for Orion XS?

[corn18]

Or can I just frame ground the negative at the Anderson connector for the negative wire. Using 2 gauge wire, 15 ft from the battery to the Anderson connector in the bed to connect to the trailer.

To add to this, I will run both a positive and negative 2 ga wire the 12 ft from the tuck to the Orion XS.

You can see in my diagram that the trailer always has a positive and negative. I never use the frame for negative on my trailer. But it would be nice to use the frame on the truck for the negative.

 

[chrisski]

I would not want to use the frame ground, but when I trace my negative cable from the battery it goes to the frame.

For my truck, and I’m sure others, a common problem is the connection to the frame corrodes. Care on installation and using star washers can help, but the truck turns 20 years old soon.

I don’t want to add a large amperage draw to a frame because that point could need to be cleaned in a few years.

There’s older heavier equipment that uses frame grounding for more amperage.

 

[HRTKD]

My preference is to not use the frame instead of a negative cable. As long as I'm running a positive wire, it isn't that much more effort to run the negative wire also. Sure, the cost of cabling is doubled.

 

[corn18]

My preference is to not use the frame instead of a negative cable. As long as I'm running a positive wire, it isn't that much more effort to run the negative wire also. Sure, the cost of cabling is doubled.

That is my approach on the trailer as well. Now that I have run the positive cable on the truck, I am more than happy to frame ground the negative wire. There were a lot of curse words flying around trying to get that giant cable through a reasonably protected route from the front to the back. Chevy did not do me any favors leaving extra space for added cables.

 

[HRTKD]

That is my approach on the trailer as well. Now that I have run the positive cable on the truck, I am more than happy to frame ground the negative wire. There were a lot of curse words flying around trying to get that giant cable through a reasonably protected route from the front to the back. Chevy did not do me any favors leaving extra space for added cables.

On my Titan, when I ran cables to the rear bumper for a winch I managed to run the cables through the boxed frame. That was handy as I didn't have to secure them to the outside of the frame.

 

[corn18]

On my Titan, when I ran cables to the rear bumper for a winch I managed to run the cables through the boxed frame. That was handy as I didn't have to secure them to the outside of the frame.

Hmmm, never thought of that. That is a good idea, indeed. I might go have a look at that option. Have to clean up the positive wire install anyway and I do have the negative cable, just didn't install it.

 

[grizzzman]

Properly prepped the use if a true ie "truck" frame is no big deal. Just add a cable from the truck battery to the frame.

 

[0truck0]

You are not charging off your car battery, but the alternator. The alternator should have a ground wire, but it is bolted to the frame and might be the ground connection (to the frame), which the battery then gets its negative connection through the frame too, so going off the battery negative might look good, but you are still getting negative power off of the frame in the end. Isolate the alternator negative from the frame, connect the alternator neg to the battery and then you can think about more neg wires.

Am I right or wrong??? I think the case of the alternator is neg so being bolted to the frame is a ground too.

I would just use frame negative for your DC-DC connection through the truck, then from truck, using Mr Anderson, use both pos and neg across to the trailer to your Dc-Dc.

Corrosion on truck frame connection is a concern, but that is for another story.