# Best 12V Grounding Location **URL:** \ **Category:** GEM Forum\ **Created:** [September 24, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603 "2018-09-24T18:38:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MikeKC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MikeKC](https://community.electricforum.com/u/MikeKC)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/1 "2018-09-24T18:38:06Z")
Looking for the best location to use as a negative 12v grounding point. We are wanting to add some 12v accessories, I thought I read that the frame is floating or grounded to -72? ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/2 "2018-09-24T22:13:05Z")
Frame is 12 volt ground on GEM carts. Rodney ---
**Author:** ![dlwford](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/dlwford/32/2713_2.png) [@dlwford](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dlwford)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/3 "2018-09-24T22:27:18Z")
My reading of the schematic suggest the 12 vdc system is common-ed up at point/level G1 … which according to others is a point on the frame. Most wires are black #16 and show lugs. Physically that point appears to be near the PSDM . The 72 volt system appears to be floating electrically away from the frame, but there is a reference to 72 volt ground in addition to -72 volts. ??? ---
**Author:** ![dlwford](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/dlwford/32/2713_2.png) [@dlwford](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dlwford)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/4 "2018-09-24T23:11:07Z")
Quit raining long enough to walk out to my shop and confirm: There is what appears to be a section of the frame behind the PSDM that is used as a grounding point - multiple black wires from accessories are screwed to the frame at several points. I would connect somewhere close. The aluminum frame is a fair conductor - but given we are operating at 12 vdc I would use copper wire for as much of the circuit loop as possible… The “72 volt ground” reference appears to be how the -72 terminal on the charger is labeled and does not reference a common frame grounding point. Model is 2008 eS. ---
**Author:** ![MikeKC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MikeKC](https://community.electricforum.com/u/MikeKC)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/5 "2018-09-26T16:29:28Z")
@dlwford Thanks for all the info, Ours is a 2002 but I will take a look around that area and see what else is grounded there. I imagine I can follow the headlight or something to find a factory ground worse case, just have not taken the time to do so. ---
**Author:** ![dlwford](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/dlwford/32/2713_2.png) [@dlwford](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dlwford)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/6 "2018-09-26T17:16:14Z")
No problem. I just happened to have my dash panel off. I’m converting to Lithium batteries and adding instrumentation to monitor battery performance. ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/best-12v-grounding-location/14603/7 "2018-09-26T20:29:49Z")
The 72 volt system is NOT grounded to the frame. All returns are hard wired. Rodney