Positive ground or negative ground?

[Gary RVRoamer]

Machines that use DC electrical systems may also have positive grounds. I've seen golf carts and electric start mowers wired that way.

[rgvtexan]

Lucas has been kind to me, still drive a couple 40 year old MGs.


I was taught that current flows from + to - and Electrons move - to +


Transistor Hole Flow, anyone?

[dieselclacker]

I was taught electron flow IS current flow. Negative to positive flow.

[rgvtexan]

It was a long time ago it went something like this! In 1964

Conventions
The electrons, the charge carriers in an electrical circuit, flow in the opposite direction of the conventional electric current.
In metals, which make up the wires and other conductors in most electrical circuits, the positively charged atomic nuclei are held in a fixed position, and the electrons are free to move, carrying their charge from one place to another. In other materials, notably the semiconductors, the charge carriers can be positive or negative, depending on the dopant used. Positive and negative charge carriers may even be present at the same time, as happens in an electrochemical cell.
A flow of positive charges gives the same electric current, and has the same effect in a circuit, as an equal flow of negative charges in the opposite direction. Since current can be the flow of either positive or negative charges, or both, a convention is needed for the direction of current that is independent of the type of charge carriers. The direction of conventional current is arbitrarily defined as the same direction as positive charges flow.
The consequence of this convention is that electrons, the charge carriers in metal wires and most other parts of electric circuits, flow in the opposite direction of conventional current flow in an electrical circuit.

[dieselclacker]

Thats a pretty good explanation of conventional theory, and electron theory of current flow.

I was taught, and also taught ,as a USAF tech school instructor (circa 1956), the electron theory of negative to positive current flow. I suppose a case could be made for either theory. Which ever theory you follow, maintain good grounds, and tight connections.

[Clay L]

Originally Posted by rgvtexan

It was a long time ago it went something like this! In 1964

Conventions
The electrons, SNIP.

Good answer. That's what I was taught while getting my degree in electrical engineering back in 1972. I was a technician before that and was used to thinking electron flow as the only carrier. Had to make some adjustments when I started college.

[99-Am.Star]

Originally Posted by BeachDude

Absolutely not! Volkswagen has always been negative ground, including the 6V vehicles. Even the famousVW Type 128 and 166 Schwimmwagen, (boat car), had a negative ground electrical system.

My 2nd car was a 1965 Type 1 Bug, (with the stock 1300cc, 6V), that I purchased in 1983 for $150.00!

My very first car was a 1964 356 Porsche 356sc, a rust bucket purchased for $1,000 that I restored with my dad, (also a negative ground system).

VW used the 1300 in 1966 not in 1965. Only a 1 year engine in the USA.
I'm an old VW dealer guy with many years. You are correct on the 6v and
on the neg. ground though ....

[doc]

Ford 8N tractor (6 volt) had a positive ground. A lot of the small ground farmers in our area would convert the system to 12 volt negative system. A hard cranking engine would run that 6 volt down pretty quick. I think the 8N and 9N both had positive grounds.

[rgvtexan]

I Can't take credit for the info, it came from Wikipedia. It was just the way I remembered!

[sirpurrcival]

So here is my next silly question. Suppose I wanted to connect a conventional stereo to a Positve Ground Vehicle. Would that mean that I would connect the positive lead of the stereo to the frame and the power lead on the car to ground lead on the stereo? I'm thinking that it wouldn't work because the flow of electrons would be reversed according to the circuitry of the stereo.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Chevy2

Had a MG Midget that had a positive ground.

So did our MG 1100, electrics by Lucas the original inventor of....darkness

[MotorPro]

Originally Posted by sirpurrcival

So here is my next silly question. Suppose I wanted to connect a conventional stereo to a Positve Ground Vehicle. Would that mean that I would connect the positive lead of the stereo to the frame and the power lead on the car to ground lead on the stereo? I'm thinking that it wouldn't work because the flow of electrons would be reversed according to the circuitry of the stereo.

Only if you can 100% insulate the case other wise you will replacing fried wires for days. When I was a kid I put a stereo in a friends Austin Healy. I wrapped in the case in rubber and put it in the dash. Several months later it wore a little hole in the rubber and POOF!

[BeachDude]

Originally Posted by 99-Am.Star

VW used the 1300 in 1966 not in 1965. Only a 1 year engine in the USA.
I'm an old VW dealer guy with many years. You are correct on the 6v and
on the neg. ground though ....

I might have agreed with you about the 1300 in 1966.

However, my car was built in 1965, (the little aluminum VIN plate), it had the italic 1300 on the rear engine lid, he vehicle registration said 1965, and I'm holding the original 1965 VW owner's manual in my hand. The 1965 VW bug owners manual has a 1300 on the cover.

I was never a VW dealer, just an avid parts department customer!

[frankdamp]

Mr. D:

You're only the third person I've come across that had an MG 1100, including the guy I bought mine from and the one I sold it to!

Mine was a fairly good one after I did an engine rebuild. It took longer to put that twin-carb linkage back together than the rest of the rebuild! I had it for three years, then decided I didn't want to haul it from the Seattle area to Tidewater VA and sold it to a friend at Boeing. IIRC, it was a 1965 model year.