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| | | | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 6 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 6 | I just realized to my horror/chagrin/whatever, that the guy I purchased my '41 Chevy 1.5 ton from apparently had not heard that they are supposed to be positive ground. The battery is connected with the negative pole being the ground. I hate to ask, but does anyone know if this has or will screw up my electrical system? Everything seems to work this way.
Thanks in advance for the help,
Duane | | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 12,029 | I hate ta be the bearer of bad news, Duane, but ...... he had it right  GMC's were positive ground before about 55, Chevy's were always negative ground, so hopefully you haven't switched it around yet!! Bill | | | | | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 6 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 6 | Thanks Bill,
I haven't screwed with it yet. Guess now I don't have to.
Thanks again,
Duane | | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 | You must be an old Dodge or tractor, or other commonly positive groubd 6V vehicle man.
I'm not sure hooking 'em up backward does all that much damage, either.. I mean there isnt a computer or any real polarity sensitive stuff in there to pop. (that I know of)
The '52 Dodge 1/2 ton i'm working on, the very first thing I did was hook up the battery negitave ground, because thats what I was used to with my 'bolts. When none of the gauges worked (except the amp meter, which worked backwards) I thought, hey.. maybe I better check to make sure this isn't supposed to be positive ground!
Sure enough, after a little net research I discovered it was, in fact, a positive ground system.. so I switched the battery around and it dosen't seem to have hurt anything.
In modern systems with computers, sensors, electric fuel pumps, solid state radios, and a host of other polarity sensitive gadgetry, hooking a battery up backwards is almost certian doom.. but old bolts are alot more forgiving.
an idea is only stupid if you think about it rationally.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,777 | Reverse polarity will do funny things to voltage regulators, and the generator won't charge unless you re-polarize it, but there probably won't be any long-term problems if the connection is corrected pretty quickly. Ford and Chrysler Corp. systems were positive ground up until 1957, even some of the 12V systems. In 57, all manufacturers standardized electrical systems at 12V negatve ground. 55 and 56 Nash and Packard systems, and 56 Fords were 12V positive ground!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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| | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,682 | What benefit, if any, is there to haveing a positive ground?
an idea is only stupid if you think about it rationally.
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,571 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,571 | Ford started that stunt with the Model As (my dad and I blew up a cheap battery charger when we were in a hurry and hooked his AAs battery up backwards). With the really old technology batteries (where you could by the internal parts separately and rebuild your own), it kept the terminal corrosion down, which kept corroded salts from playing havoc with electrical connections at the battery. 6v systems are MUCH more vulnerable to bad connections than 12v. | | |
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