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how do you change a 6 volt positive ground to a 12 volt negative ground

by Mazie Hamill Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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If you are 6v positive ground going to 12v negative, you need to switch the two wires on the coil. Negative to positive, positive to negative. For a 12v negative system, the ignition switch wire goes to the + terminal on the coil. The wire from the distributor to the coil goes to the - terminal on the coil.

Part of a video titled 6 Volt Positive Ground and 12 Volt Conversion Explained
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We don't need a new wiring harness what you need to change when you do the 12-volt conversion isMoreWe don't need a new wiring harness what you need to change when you do the 12-volt conversion is battery cables the starter cable. Any type of ground cables that you're using all needs to be redone.

Full Answer

How do you convert a car battery from positive to negative?

How to convert your car from positive earth to negative earth: Make sure that the ignition to the car is in the off position before you start. Battery. Disconnect both of your battery terminal connections, and turn the battery around 180 degrees. If it is not possible to turn the battery, the cables must be lengthened.

How do I connect the ground cable to the battery?

Position the ground cable so that it can be connected to the negative post of the battery, you may need to purchase new connectors, but do not connect it now. Look at the wiring on the ignition coil. One side is probably marked SW ( SW itch and the other is probably marked CB ( C ontact B reaker).

How do you use a jumper wire on a generator?

Touch the jumper “lightly / slightly” to the Field terminal on the generator. You should see sparks, touch again (more sparks), and again (again more sparks). Now disconnect the jumper wire from the large brown connection, and re-connect the Field terminal wire.

What does negative ground mean on a car?

Your car is now wired for negative ground (negative earth). You can now reconnect the battery with a new negative earth cable and install a new radio, tape player, CD player, radar detector, or even plug devices into your cigar lighter without worrying about frying components.

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Can I switch from positive ground to negative ground?

How to convert your car from positive earth to negative earth: Make sure that the ignition to the car is in the off position before you start. Disconnect both of your battery terminal connections, and turn the battery around 180 degrees. If it is not possible to turn the battery, the cables must be lengthened.

How do you change a 6 volt system to a 12 volt system?

1:5910:026 Volt to 12 Volt Conversion. Is It Easy? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo when converting from 6 volt to 12 volt of course you're going to need a 12 volt battery. Now inMoreSo when converting from 6 volt to 12 volt of course you're going to need a 12 volt battery. Now in order to make this car run on 12 volts really all i would need to do is change the battery.

How do you jump a 6 volt positive ground with a 12 volt battery?

Here is how I would do this:Disconnect the lead from the starter to the starter solenoid at the starter solenoid.Connect the 12V vehicle Positive to the 6V vehicle Positive.Temporarily clamp the negative booster cable to the starter cable to rotate the engine. Unclamp it once the motor starts.

How does a 6 volt positive ground work?

A 6-volt positive ground system runs the positive side of the battery to the frame of the car, causing the frame and chassis to carry the current (this was thought to reduce corrosion). When an accessory is wired back to the ground side of the battery, it completes the circuit. A 6-volt negative ground is the opposite.

How do I change a 6V to a 12V tractor?

2:246:51How to convert a tractor from 6 volt to a 12 volt system - 6/23/10 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou'll need to get a 12 volt off take your old ignition coil and take it to. But we took it to O'MoreYou'll need to get a 12 volt off take your old ignition coil and take it to. But we took it to O'Reilly's. That was the best place we could find.

Can you start a 6 volt car with a 12 volt battery?

Can you jump start a 6 volt battery with a 12 volt? The answer is it is not recommended. However, if one wishes to perform it, the key to jump-starting a car with an incompatible battery is having the right cables.

How do you jump a positive ground?

How to jump-start a car steps:Clamp the positive (red or yellow) cable to the positive terminal of the weak battery. ... Clamp the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.Clamp the negative cable (black) to the negative terminal of the good battery.More items...•

What happens if you charge a 6 volt battery with a 12 volt charger?

This will run your battery dry and create a thermal runaway scenario, which is very dangerous. Again, some people use a 12V charger to get their 6V battery jump started, but it is never advisable to use a 12V charger to try to fully charge your 6V battery.

How do you charge a 6V positive ground battery?

1:338:076 Volt Battery Charging Procedure - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst thing you connect the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the first six volt battery. AndMoreFirst thing you connect the jumper cable to the positive terminal of the first six volt battery. And the other end of the same jumper cable to the negative of the second battery.

Why did cars switch from positive ground to negative ground?

At the time the car was only 12 year old! The car needed more than positive earth to survive.. BMC Corp needed more than the flow of electrons to rustproof their cars. Around 1967, negative earth became more popular and more common on all cars, especially British ones.

Why did cars switch from positive to negative ground?

It is partly a matter of convention and standards, and partly because positive earth encourages galvanic corrosion* of the surrounding bodywork - whearas with negative earth is is the much-easier-to-replace electrical contacts that corrode.

What's the difference between negative ground and positive ground?

For Positive and Negative Ground Sites This is also often referred to as negative ground, i.e. the negative line is used as the ground – also referred to as return or common – and the positive line is the “hot” line which carries the +12 or +24 volt potential.

Will a 12 volt coil work on a 6 volt system?

You can run a 1.5 ohm "12 volt coil" on a 6 volt car without a ballast resistor and it will run great. Some "12 volt coils" read out at about 3 ohms and can really only be used on a 12 volt car. The spark out of this "12 volt coil" when used on a 6 volt car will be very weak.

How do you convert a tractor to a 12 volt?

0:1713:5112 Volt Conversion on an Ford Tractor - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you'll use your armature wire for the power wire on that alternator. The ground wire is kind ofMoreAnd you'll use your armature wire for the power wire on that alternator. The ground wire is kind of optional.

Is there a difference between a 6 volt and 12 volt condenser?

No such thing as a 6V or 12V ignition condenser. Irrespective of applied primary voltage (6V, 12V, 24V) the condensers are made to withstand the flyback or reverse EMF voltage made by the coil as it's magnetic field collapses when the points open.

Can you use a 6 volt solenoid on a 12 volt system?

Using a 6 volt coil on 12 volts isn't good. You can get by with it as long as the engine starts fast when you hit the starter button. The problem is the wire in a 6 volt coil will get almost twice as hot on 12 volts and held on to long will burn the insulation and short it.

How many amps does a 50W headlight draw?

So for an example, a 50W headlight will draw 8.3 amps at 6v. If you have a .5V drop, that's a 8% drop and will be noticeable as a dim light.

Is 6V a heaver grade?

6v wiring is a heaver grade than 12v so that is not an issue. There is no changes required to the basic wiring, the only issues are any retained 6v items you want to power, such as instrument gauges. You need a voltage reducer for each item that reduces 12v to 6v.

Why switch from 6V to 12V?

For classic car owners changing over from 6v to 12v is one of the easier and cheaper projects to update an old car or old truck. The benefits are easier starting and greatly improved headlights, as well as the ability to add 12v accessories.

Why did the automobile use 12 volts?

The reasons for this were two-fold. First, car manufacturers were producing new, higher compression V8 engines that needed more starting power. Second, new features such as power seats, power windows, etc., were putting more of a demand on your electrical system.

What type of alternator do I need for a 12V car?

Most choose to go with a 12v alternator. More specifically, most use a General Motors 10SI alternator. They are tough, small, and cheap, and most places have them in stock. They are also easy to wire in. They also do away with the stock voltage regulator as they already have an internal regulator.

What to do if your wiring is frayed?

If your wiring is frayed, split, or cracked, start over. There is no sense putting all this work into changing over if you are still going to get shorts and take a chance on burning down the car. It is easier and cheaper to do it all once than to change over, fight bad wiring, have problems, then must do it all over a second time…

Where to mount ballast resistor?

You want to mount it away from other wires or anything flammable as it will get hot. Normally you mount it on the firewall above the engine. Just cut the wire, add connectors and hook one wire to one prong of the ballast resistor and one to the other.

Do 12V coils need a ballast?

They have more windings and live much better in a 12v environment. Some stock 12v coils need a ballast resistor and some do not .

Do you have relays on a 12V car?

Do you have any relays? Some older vehicles have them and you need to change them to 12v versions. Look through your wiring. Things like horns might have them. You may not have any at all.

Do you need to polarize an alternator?

Yep, if installing a Neg ground alternator all you need is to turn the battery around and swap ammeter and ignition coil leads. You do NOT need to polarize the alternator.

Is an alternator positive or negative ground?

The vast overwhelming majority of alternators are negative ground. The positive ground alternator would work fine until a person with the reasonable assumption that alternators are negative ground connects jumper cables from a negative ground source. The results could be hazzardous to someone's check book. Back to top.

Do voltage regulators work with polarity?

Some voltage regulators work at either polarity, while some are labeled specific for POS or NEG ground. If yours isn't suited for Neg ground, its contacts may deteriorate. In the event it had an ammeter, its leads would need swapped so it don't register bass ackwards. For a coil ignition, the coil leads need swapped.

reversing from 6volt negative ground to positive ground

I have been working on my 52 Deluxe 200 off and on for about a year now. When I bought it the previous owner had reversed the ground from positive to negative. It is still a 6 volt. The system just seems to drag a lot [slow starting even with a fully charged battery.

Re: reversing from 6volt negative ground to positive ground

Do you have a poor starting problem, or simply what seems to be slow cranking? As Dave says, reversing the polarity will not improve the cranking speed. Perhaps you can say a little more about the symptoms that you have from the car?

Re: reversing from 6volt negative ground to positive ground

If the contacts in the solenoid are pitted and making poor contact it could be contributing. The starter running after the key is out is troubling.

Re: reversing from 6volt negative ground to positive ground

I don't know if anyone is still following this thread, but 00 cables are needed. Napa can make them up for you to your sample length. 2 gauge is much too small. Whatever ground the car originally had; you need to go back to it. Lots of things are designed to work with correct current flow. Mainly the voltage regulator and the coil.

Re: reversing from 6volt negative ground to positive ground

A battery hydrometer is a good investment, it can be more revealing of a battery's condition than results from a load tester. Your car should be positive ground.

How to polarize a dynamo to negative earth?

To polarise the dynamo to negative earth you can just take an extra wire from the live ie+ve and flash it on the power cable to the dynamo the battery needs to have negative lead connected/grounded and might need 2 or 3 goes to be sure, you can turn dynamo a few degrees by hand. Simon. Reply.

How to connect a generator to a field terminal?

You should see a large brown wire and a smaller wire connecting to a terminal marked F (for F ield). Pull off the wire to the Field terminal. Connect a short jumper wire to the large brown connection (make sure you have metal-to-metal contact). Touch the jumper “lightly / slightly” to the Field terminal on the generator. You should see sparks, touch again (more sparks), and again (again more sparks). Now disconnect the jumper wire from the large brown connection, and re-connect the Field terminal wire. Your generator is now polarized negative earth.

What happens when you reverse a low tension coil?

a) for contact points, if the ignition low tension coil wiring is reversed, the coil will “pull” spark, rather than “push” the spark, and you will be losing about 50% of your voltage at the spark plugs and have a weak spark. Electrons prefer to leave a high-temperature, high energy surface (like the center electrode of the spark plug) rather than a low-temperature (low energy) surface like the arm of the spark plug. More voltage/spark is available if the electrons move in the correct direction, in the direction they prefer, from the high-temperature center electrode of the spark plug to the relatively low-temperature arm of the spark plug.

How to tell if an ammeter is working correctly?

It is easy to tell if you have done this correctly the gauge will simply read “backwards”. Replace the ammeter in the instrument panel.

When did we have a mixture of positive and negative earth vehicles?

We still had a mixture of positive and negative earth vehicles until the mid 1960’s. With the advent of practical portable alternators it was a convenient time to standardize, and all vehicles thereafter were built with electrical return path to the negative battery post.

Does the new way change polarity?

The new way must be completed otherwise it will not change polarity.

Can you connect a battery to a cigar lighter?

You can now reconnect the battery with a new negative earth cable and install a new radio, tape player, CD player, radar detector, or even plug devices into your cigar lighter without worrying about frying components.

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1.Videos of How Do You Change A 6 Volt Positive Ground to A 12 Vo…

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35 hours ago  · August 11, 2021 Posted by Nate Cooper All, Electrical, Technical Information, Upgrades and Tricks. I go over the basic understanding of 6 Volt Positive Ground and what is actually changing when converting to 12 Volt Negative Ground. Check out VintageAutoGarage.com for complete conversion Kits!

2.How do you convert a 6 volt positive ground system to a …

Url:http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=52802

22 hours ago  · I don't think foster wants to install an alternator, though that is the best way to convert to 12V negative ground. He wants to make the generator produce 12V. Changing to negative ground is drop-dead simple on a Cub generator system: 1. Swap the wires on the ammeter. 2. Swap the cables on the battery. 3. Polarize the generator.

3.6 Volt Positive Ground and 12 Volt Conversion Explained

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgjZbTM9We8

16 hours ago  · I go over the basic understanding of 6 Volt Positive Ground and what is actually changing when converting to 12 Volt Negative Ground. Check out VintageAutoGa...

4.6 volt, positive ground to 12 volt, negative ground - The …

Url:https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/6-volt-positive-ground-to-12-volt-negative-ground.951075/

3 hours ago If you are 6v positive ground going to 12v negative, you need to switch the two wires on the coil. Negative to positive, positive to negative. For a 12v negative system, the ignition switch wire goes to the + terminal on the coil. The wire from the distributor to the coil goes to the – terminal on the coil. Also Know, can you use a 12 volt battery on a 6 volt starter? A 6 – volt starter will work just …

5.Classic Car 6-volt to 12-volt Conversions - Classic Auto …

Url:https://classicautoadvisors.com/2021/07/12/classic-car-6-volt-to-12-volt-conversions/

10 hours ago  · 6v wiring is a heaver grade than 12v so that is not an issue. There is no changes required to the basic wiring, the only issues are any retained 6v items you want to power, such as instrument gauges. You need a voltage reducer for each item that reduces 12v to 6v. And as stated, change the bulbs and whatever to 12v.

6.Change positive ground to negative ground - Yesterday's …

Url:https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1139977

32 hours ago  · If you are 6v positive ground going to 12v negative, you need to switch the two wires on the coil. Negative to positive, positive to negative. For a 12v negative system, the ignition switch wire goes to the + terminal on the coil.

7.reversing from 6volt negative ground to positive ground

Url:https://www.packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4465

14 hours ago  · On a three wire Delco alternator, BAT wire from the old regulator goes to the big stud on back of alternator. #2 pin on edge connector of alternator loops down to large stud on back. On wire that went from charge indicator light to generator, connect generator end to #1 pin on alternator edge connector.

8.How to: Convert a vehicle from Positive Earth to Negative …

Url:https://blog.simonbbc.com/classic-car-projects-and-tips/converting-a-vehicle-from-positive-earth-to-negative-earth-electronic-ignition/

4 hours ago  · Your car should be positive ground. That means the cable from the positive terminal of the battery should go to the engine block or frame, and the cable from the negative terminal should go to the starter motor solenoid or relay. If they are incorrect and you want the correct polarity, just reverse the cables.

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