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Restoration & Repair Tips Board

positive ground

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mike

01-15-2004 16:01:35




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What is the difference between a positive ground, and a negitive ground system? Will any 12 volt battery work or do they have positive ground battery's?




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Bill Smith

01-23-2004 08:47:59




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 Re: positive ground in reply to mike, 01-15-2004 16:01:35  
On a negative ground system, the negative post on battery is grounded to tractor and the positive post is hooked up to the power point. On a positive ground system, the positive post on battery is hooked up as ground and negative post is hooked up to power point. Most 6V systems were originally positive ground, and most 12V systems with alternator were originally negative ground generally speaking. Most generators had to be polarized after hooking battery up so they would charge the correct way, otherwise they would drain the battery (likely burning up voltage regulator or something) instead of charging the battery up. Alternators are pretty much standard negative ground and don't need to be polarized. Alternators sort of have a built in voltage regulator. Generators require a voltage regulator or cut-out. I believe you can get a positive or negative ground regulator. If it specifies which way it is, it has to be used that way. A generator system can pretty much be set up as either positive or negative ground by correctly polarizing and if changing the ground you can do some minor wiring altercations to compensate for the change (hooking ampe guage and coil up backwards and so forth). Battery's are all charged up as negative ground, but incidently you can take a completely dead battery and charge it up backwards (positive ground). Confusing I know, but there you have it.

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CNKS

01-15-2004 18:08:07




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 Re: positive ground in reply to mike, 01-15-2004 16:01:35  
Batteries are the same. With a generator the 6 or 12 volt system doesn't care whether it is positive or neg ground, as long as the generator is polarized correctly. With a 6 or 12 volt alternator, my understanding is it must be negative ground.



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DaveWis

01-20-2004 23:38:51




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 Re: Re: positive ground in reply to CNKS, 01-15-2004 18:08:07  
You are basicly correct. However, alternators can be reworked to neg. grd., either 6 or 12 volt, but not by simply repolarizing it, it has to be done by a repair shop and not all know how or will do it. I have a shop near me that used to but now has new managment so I don't know if they still do. I know of several 6v neg. they did several years ago and they work great. At least one is 15 years old.

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DaveWis

01-20-2004 23:42:07




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 Re: Re: Re: positive ground in reply to DaveWis, 01-20-2004 23:38:51  
Oops, I meant I know of several 6v pos. grd. Like they say, when you get older your memory is the second thing that goes.



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Pappy

01-15-2004 17:20:24




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 Re: positive ground in reply to mike, 01-15-2004 16:01:35  
Mostly, 12 volt systems are negative ground and 6 volt systems are positive ground. Six volt systems can be reversed with a few simple changes, but most 12 volt systems require negative ground, especially if you are using an alternator.



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old

01-15-2004 16:28:08




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 Re: positive ground in reply to mike, 01-15-2004 16:01:35  
Its just how its wired other then that all is the same



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