The negative battery terminal is connected to "mass" – to metal of a body, the engine or a transmission; at the same time, many elements of electrical equipment are connected in such a way that only the positive wire is suitable for them, while the current returns to the battery through the metal of the body. This means that the electrical component attachment and the bodywork are part of the electrical circuit. As a result, a bad or corroded fastener can cause the element to fail or lead to unstable or poor performance. In particular, light bulbs can burn dimly (especially if at the ground point of this light bulb, the grounding of some other electrical equipment element is being switched on), electric motors can run slowly, and the operation of one circuit may have an imperceptible effect on the operation of another circuit.
Be aware that many vehicles use ground wires between some parts such as the engine/transmissions and the body, i.e. where there is no direct metal to metal contact due to soft rubber mounts or a layer of paint.
To check the reliability of the grounding of the element, it is necessary to disconnect the battery and connect one of the ohmmeter probes to a reliably grounded element. Connect another probe to the wire or body connection to be tested. The resistance shown by the ohmmeter should be zero; if not, check the connection as follows.
If you suspect that there is no ground, disassemble the connection and clean the body area and wire terminal (or element ground surface) to bare metal. Carefully remove all traces of dirt, then use a knife to remove all paint so that there is good contact between two metal surfaces. When assembling, securely tighten the connector fastening; When connecting the wire terminal, place a serrated washer between the terminal and the body surface to ensure a secure connection. When connecting, prevent future corrosion by applying a coat of Vaseline or silicone grease.
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