Re: Positive vs Negitive Ground-Consequences

Posted by Dean West on July 22, 1998 at 19:41:48

In Reply to: Positive vs Negitive Ground-Consequences
posted by Joe Domino on July 22, 1998 at 18:38:54

In 1974 my father gave me his Model A, 1929 Roadster Pick-up, and it had a dead battery. I bought a new one and installed itwith the negative cable to the ground. I started the car and it ran but ran very bad with the ammeter swinging form discharge to more discharge very rapidly. When I realized what I had done I switched off the ignition and disconnected the battery. It ruined that new battery but did not harm anything else. The generator, ammeter and starter were okay after installing another new battery. I've often wondered if the engine was running in the opposite direction? I still have the Roadster Pick-up with the same generator and starter. The only things I've replaced in the starter and generator over the years are the brushes. I've never connected one up wrong since.

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