change polarity 47 dodge

[47dodgepu211]

I have a 6 volt system with positive ground. Some gauges are mechanical so polarity doesn't matter for those. However I want to change everything to Negative ground to take advantage of new instruments. I bought a tach that needs Negative ground. Can I just turn my battery around and make plus side "power" and Neg side common ground?

If so how do I make original generator work if indeed it is good, and do I safely reverse every wire going to coil, dist, starter? I am completely rewiring the vehicle so now is the time to make polarity change.

Thanks:confused:

[Don Coatney]

What new instruments?

[martybose]

I have a 6 volt system with positive ground. Some gauges are mechanical so polarity doesn't matter for those. However I want to change everything to Negative ground to take advantage of new instruments. I bought a tach that needs Negative ground. Can I just turn my battery around and make plus side "power" and Neg side common ground?

If so how do I make original generator work if indeed it is good, and do I safely reverse every wire going to coil, dist, starter? I am completely rewiring the vehicle so now is the time to make polarity change.

Thanks:confused:

If you are going 6V negative ground you will need to switch the wires at the ammeter, the coil, and possibly the fuel gauge (mine never worked, so not sure about the latter). Obviously, also the battery! You don't have to switch the starter or the heater motor.

I'm presuming you have a 6V negative ground charging system; if not, I still have the 6V negative ground one wire alternator that I used before I went 12V.

Marty

[47dodgepu211]

I do have a 6 volt alternator POSITIVE ground. I can return that and get another that works with NEG ground. I do want to keep the original generator, just don't know if it can be polarized to work on NEG ground. It is POS now. I should be able to jut flash a wire between arm and batt terminals on the regulator. Is that correct?

[47dodgepu211]

Don, for starters the tach I have needs 12 volts, NEG ground. I can solve the voltage problem by using my voltage doubler board that will get me my 12 volts to whatever I want to hook up to it. It does, however need NEG ground to work. That is why I need to repolarize my entire car. Other instruments are Fuel pressure(electronic type) fuel gauge, etc. As you can see, I am not entirely original on the truck. There are new bells and whistles that I want to add but everything nowadays needs Negative ground.

Regards,

[Don Coatney]

Don, for starters the tach I have needs 12 volts, NEG ground. I can solve the voltage problem by using my voltage doubler board that will get me my 12 volts to whatever I want to hook up to it. It does, however need NEG ground to work. That is why I need to repolarize my entire car. Other instruments are Fuel pressure(electronic type) fuel gauge, etc. As you can see, I am not entirely original on the truck. There are new bells and whistles that I want to add but everything nowadays needs Negative ground.

Regards,

This question was recently discussed at length on another forum. Follow this link.

http://forum.olskoolrodz.com/showthread.php?t=44012

.

[Don Coatney]

I do have a 6 volt alternator POSITIVE ground. I can return that and get another that works with NEG ground. I do want to keep the original generator, just don't know if it can be polarized to work on NEG ground. It is POS now. I should be able to jut flash a wire between arm and batt terminals on the regulator. Is that correct?

47 Dodge;

You as well as most of us here are correct in stating that generators sometimes need to be polarized. If when you do reverse polarity you may have to do exactly as you said and flash from the BAT terminal on your regulator to the ARM or GEN terminal.

Do not believe everything you read here as it is not necessary to polarize regulators. As you already know if you do elect to use a one wire alternator no regulator is required.

[Furylee2]

Don, for starters the tach I have needs 12 volts, NEG ground. I can solve the voltage problem by using my voltage doubler board that will get me my 12 volts to whatever I want to hook up to it. It does, however need NEG ground to work. That is why I need to repolarize my entire car. Other instruments are Fuel pressure(electronic type) fuel gauge, etc. As you can see, I am not entirely original on the truck. There are new bells and whistles that I want to add but everything nowadays needs Negative ground.

Regards,

I just purchased one of these on eBay, to hook up a 12V NEG ground FM converter to my original radio.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6-to-12-Volt-Inverter-Booster-Convert-Pos-to-Neg-Ground_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742Q2em153Q2el1262QQcategoryZ38644QQihZ023QQitemZ360064719405

Works great!