Re: [FWDLK] Popsitive ground
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Re: [FWDLK] Popsitive ground



 
Postive is always Positive.   When you hook up a charger to a battery, any battery, or a battery to a battery, it is ALWAYS positive to positive and it is ALWAYS negative to negative.
 
When you have a car that is positive ground, and before 1956 that was common, the cable from the positive post on the battery attaches to the ground on the engine while the negative attaches to the cable to the starter,
 
If you ever attach booster cables to any car, regardless which side is the ground, it is ALWAYS positive to positive and it is ALWAYS negative to negative.
To do otherwise may cause your battery to explode with battery acid being sprayed everywhere.  
 
The only difference between a negative ground car and a positive ground car is the way the cables are attached to the battery.  Whether the ground is positive or negative, the positive post on the battery is positive. 
 
By the way, in the 1930's through the early 1950's, cars that had positive ground were Auburn, Chrysler, Cadillac (to 1942), Crosley, DeSoto, Dodge, Ford, Frazer, Graham, Hudson (1934-1957), Hupmobile, Kaiser, Lafayette, Lincoln, LaSalle (except 1934-35), Mercury, Meteor, Monarch, Nash, Packard, Plymouth, Reo, Studebaker, and Terraplane (1934-1937).   The big switch to negative ground in North America occurred in 1956 with the adoption of 12 volt systems.
 
Cars with negative ground were Buick, Cadillac (from 1946), Chevrolet, Essex, Hudson (before 1934), LaSalle (1934-35), Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Willys.  So before 1956 manufacturers with negative ground cars were in the minority.
 
As well, many British cars (Austin, Envoy, British Ford, Hillman, Humber, MG, Morris, Riley, Rover,  Singer, Standard, Sunbeam, Triumph, Vauxhall) used positive ground into the 1960's.  Datsun also used positive ground through 1965, not surprising as it was based on the 1950's Austin Cambridge.
 
Bill
Vancouver, BC
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Taylor
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 11:46 AM
Subject: [FWDLK] Popsitive ground

My car's battery was showing in need of a charge to I hooked up my 3 amp battery charger set at 6 V.  It showed about a 1/2 to 3/4 amp charge.  Left it overnight and totally dead.  So, I tried a new Interstate that had been shelf sitting for 3 years or more and it was dead.
 
Bought a new 6 V battery from Napa and installed it and cranked car and drove it under carport.  Noticed the amp meter going negative when I juiced the motor and positive when I turned on the lights.  Shut is off and went to bed and i woke up in the middle of the night realizing this car must have been like the old Fords of the era and had a positive ground.  Got my shop manual out and verified it is a positive ground.  So, I took the battery to my shop and connected the battery charger and it only registered a 3/4 amp charge when I put the positive battery charger on positive battery and neg on neg.  I then reversed the charger connections and it jumped to 3 plus amps which is all this little W.T. Grant charger, that is 50 or more years old, can handle.
 
Then I decided to just remove the battery charger and see if I should be doing it reversed.  On the surface it seems that that would be correct but wanted to run it by folks who have more experienced with the 6V pso ground stuff than me.  Even my M/ASE mechanic said he did not know as it was before his time.
TIA
Tom

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