Chassis ground is a connection to ground on the case of an appliance or the body of a vehicle. It provides a potential-free voltage reference and dissipates interference, transient voltages, and static electricity. Grounding is important for establishing reference voltages and protecting circuit components. Automobile electrical systems are typically negative ground loops, with the chassis ground point near the battery. Care must be taken when connecting battery terminals to avoid shorting the positive terminal to the bodywork.
Chassis ground is a term that applies to electrical circuits and refers to a connection to ground on the case of an appliance or the body of an automobile. This connection serves an essential purpose in circuits that lack a physical ground connection, including providing a potential-free voltage reference and a dissipating point for interference, transient voltages, and static electricity. In this way, a good ground provides protection for the circuit and the people working on it. It typically consists of a stud or lug on the metal casing or body of the vehicle to which the negative or ground cable of the battery is connected.
Typically, a ground point is a physical connection to earth, either via a stake or via a power grid grounding system. Grounding an electrical circuit is important for a variety of reasons: It establishes reference voltages or measurable zero potentials, and it also serves as a dissipation path for voltage spikes caused by circuit malfunctions or lightning strikes. Transient voltages and static buildup will also be eliminated through grounding which protects circuit components and anyone working on them.
Electronic equipment and appliances with metal cases typically have a lug or stud built into the case that serves as chassis ground. In the case of electronic circuits, a wire runs from the ground track on the board to this point. Appliances have a similar cable, which runs from the motor to the frame. In the case of network equipment, all earth points should ideally be connected to a network earth point. This allows the earth leakage protection system to trip in the event of a short circuit or electric shock.
Automobile electrical systems are typically negative ground loops, which means that the battery’s negative terminal is connected to the vehicle body. The chassis ground point on a vehicle is typically a large stud or bolt built near the battery and connected directly to the battery’s negative terminal. The vehicle body, therefore, serves as the return path for the vehicle’s entire electrical system as well as a dissipation path for static electricity, RF interference on audio systems, and short circuits. For this reason, when connecting battery terminals in a vehicle, care must be taken not to short the positive terminal to the bodywork with the key, as severe burns or damage to the battery could result.
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