is this safe

yoloc

My number plate light has been out for awhile now and took it to someone to have a look at it. First he changed the bulbs then seeing as they werent working, he retraced the wires and checked them all to see if thet were working. He couldnt find a fault then after more messing about, he said it was the earth on the light that wasnt working.

This is what he done next. He attached a wire to the negative part of the where tge bulbs sits and it worked. This is even without the wire touching anything to create an earth. He then attached the wire to the car boot lock to earth it. He done same with 2nd light. As soon as he attached the wire to the negative part of where the bulb sits, it worked when he put the bulb in. He tgen attached this wire also to the same bolt on tge boot to earth it.


Can anyone tell me is this safe doing something like this.

Ded_Zebra

yoloc wrote: »

My number plate light has been out for awhile now and took it to someone to have a look at it. First he changed the bulbs then seeing as they werent working, he retraced the wires and checked them all to see if thet were working. He couldnt find a fault then after more messing about, he said it was the earth on the light that wasnt working.

This is what he done next. He attached a wire to the negative part of the where tge bulbs sits and it worked. This is even without the wire touching anything to create an earth. He then attached the wire to the car boot lock to earth it. He done same with 2nd light. As soon as he attached the wire to the negative part of where the bulb sits, it worked when he put the bulb in. He tgen attached this wire also to the same bolt on tge boot to earth it.


Can anyone tell me is this safe doing something like this.

Don't entirely follow you post but yes it is entirely safe to earth electrics to the cars body

yoloc

What part do you not understand

debabyjesus

Why didnt he just find the existing ground and see what the problem was? But yeah running a new ground is fine if done properly.

Ded_Zebra

Basically he made new earths for the lights to the boot lock?

Not the best solution (fine for diy but would expect something a bit neater from a mechanic) but perfectly safe.

mickdw

I'm sure the wire was touching something to make an earth connection before the light worked.
If should be fine unless the car was set up with permanent live to light cluster and relied on the earth being made / broken to switch the light on / off. If that was the case, the lights in question would be on as soon as car started.

ironclaw

On most cars the 'ground' or negative pole is the body anyway. So its perfectly safe and legitimate wiring.

yoloc

ironclaw wrote: »

On most cars the 'ground' or negative pole is the body anyway. So its perfectly safe and legitimate wiring.

What i was thinking is that seeing as he added a wire to the negative terminal where the bulb sits. I was thinking it wouls send eletric to the boot and give someone a shock or even set a fire off.

pred racer

yoloc wrote: »

What i was thinking is that seeing as he added a wire to the negative terminal where the bulb sits. I was thinking it wouls send eletric to the boot and give someone a shock or even set a fire off.

The body of the car is connected to the negative pole of the battery anyway.

Electricity only flows when the Circuit is made (ie when the bulb is on) and when it does the entire 12v is dropped across the bulb so the car body always remains as a ground.

I can explain it further if you want, but its pretty boring;)