Electrically, it makes no difference whatsoever. Negative ground was emotionally preferable since it gave the mental image of the 'positive' being good and above it all, with the 'negative' the lowest, or ground. Just hype. Many early cars had positive ground but the convention of negative ground prevailed.
How do you know if ground is positive or negative?
Look at the battery. If the cable attached to the "minus" terminal goes to the engine block or frame, it is negative ground. If the "plus" cable goes to ground, it is positive ground. If your 600 has not been converted to 12 Volt it will have a positive ground.
What are the tradeoffs for positive vs. negative ground?
Originally, the voltages on the wires were positive with respect to earth. This is called negative ground, since the negative side of the battery is grounded to earth. With negative voltage on the wires, in respect to earth, (called positive ground) the copper is protected from corrosion. Why is it important to ground?
What is the difference between negative and ground?
the "ground" terminal is always the zero-volt reference point. If you have a mixed signal circuit, you may find that you have a ground terminal, along with a positive voltage, and a negative voltage. In that case, the negative voltage terminal is at a lower voltage than "ground".
Is negative and ground the same thing?
"ground terminal" is a very specific and unambiguous term. "negative terminal" is ambiguous, often deliberately so, as it can sometimes be the same as "ground", and sometimes some voltage that is lower the "ground" terminal is always the zero-volt reference point.
What is the point of positive ground?
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.
What is positively grounded mean?
This means, that a system that has been installed according to common methods (without grounding or with negative grounding) and is suffering from decreased performance can be restored to full operational performance by wiring it as a positive- grounded system. Positive Grounding.
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.
What is difference between negative and ground?
If the power supply is a battery, and the devices in the circuit are designed for a positive supply, then the negative terminal serves as the ground. The positive terminal could also be ground, if all the circuits are designed for a negative supply.
Do you ground positive or negative?
Ground is an arbitrary reference point you can choose wherever you want. All other potentials in the circuit are measured relative to ground. So by definition, ground is at 0 potential and it is neither positive or negative.
How do you jump 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...•
How do you know if your vehicle is negative or positive grounded?
0:191:10Positive or Negative ground - How to Tell - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe easiest and most accurate way to tell is to look at your battery terminals and cables. If oneMoreThe easiest and most accurate way to tell is to look at your battery terminals and cables. If one cable connect to the positive terminal one cable connected to the negative in.
What cars used a positive ground?
In the mid 1920's, nearly half of the cars produced had positive ground, including Rolls Royce. The Ford Motor Company used negative ground polarity on the Model-T, then went to positive ground starting with the Model A, and then went back to negative ground in 1956.
When did Ford use positive ground?
Ford also used a negative ground in their model T Fords up until 1927. The new 1928 model A Ford came out with a positive ground.
Why do you need positive negative and ground?
Some circuits need a negative voltage, so the positive side of a battery would be "ground". Some circuits need positive and negative voltages, in which case there could be two batteries, one with the negative side attached to ground, and the other with the positive side attached to ground.
Can I connect ground to negative?
You should avoid connecting cables directly to your battery. There's no point at all. The negative terminal of the battery is connected to your car body, so you can connect your siren's negative terminal directly to your closest ground point (car metal body).
Are most cars negative ground?
Positive ground was very common, especially on 6V system on work machines. Today almost all vehicles are negative ground.
Why is positive earth better than negative earth?
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.
Why is the voltage on a battery called negative ground?
Hooray for Wikipedia: Originally, the voltages on the wires were positive with respect to earth. This is called negative ground, since the negative side of the battery is grounded to earth. Then engineers discovered that with positive voltage on the copper wires, copper wires age quickly, due to electrolysis.
What does positive ground do to spark plugs?
The positive ground extends the life of spark plugs. The electrons flow from the center to the edge of the plug. Then most of the damaging heat of the spark is put into the spark plug body and not the center electrode which has limited heat dissipation.
What happens if you have a positive battery terminal?
If you have the positive terminal of your battery connected to the frame of the car, then it is very easy to make new circuits, through your body for instance.
Is a 6V vehicle positive or negative?
Positive ground was very common, especially on 6V system on work machines. Today almost all vehicles are negative ground.
How does a GS-S-100-TS panel work?
The GS-S-100-TS panel uses an advanced, back contact cell. In grid-tied systems, these cells require positive grounding to prevent the build up of ions on the cell’s surface which reduce the panel’s efficiency. But, in low voltage battery charging systems, we have found that the reduced efficiency as a result of ion build-up with improper grounding is negligible. To minimize the effect of ion build up, Grape Solar recommends against connecting more than two of the GS-S-100-TS panels in series when not using a positive ground compatible charge controller. The buildup of ions does not harm the panel. When the sun sets the ions dissipate.
Can silicon panels be positive or negative grounded?
As far as I know, the other standard silicon panels can be positive or negative grounded without issue.
Do you need to ground a solar panel?
If you have the Sunpower panels, which require positive grounding ( read this thread for technical details and links to Sunpower documents)--yes, you need to positive the ground the "+" terminal from the string. If you don't and use a "-" ground, you can lose multiple ten's of percent worth of output because the panel accumulates charge. The charge can be quickly removed by positive grounding (hours?).
Can you ground a PWM solar panel?
Also, for most PWM solar charge controllers you can ground the panel "-" side and the battery "-" side without issues. But for some of the MPPT charge controllers, they measure current in the negative lead--and if you jumper the panel ground/battery ground around the charge controller, it will not allow it to properly do the MPPT function (cannot accurately measure array current).
Should I use a positive grounding or off grid system?
I would avoid positive grounding and off-grid system unless you have no other option (or need positive ground reference for some reason) and have checked out each piece of equipment you plan to use and understand where chassis ground vs positive grounded battery bus are each referenced.
Do inverters need grounding?
Grounding. The inverters and panels have grounding terminals but grounding is not a requirement for operation. The systems in our test lab have been operated with and without grounding with no differences in performance. Positive Grounding.
Can you ground a solar inverter?
Yep... But for 98% of the people that use Grid Tied solar-- Positive grounding is just a minor configuration issue on the GT inverter (note: The loss of power occures only with negative or floating ground systems over maybe 100's of hours of sun. And is "fixed" with something like 10's of hours of positive grounding when exposed to sunlight). For the people with battery systems--The issues are a bit more complex. Much of the 12 volt stuff out there assumes negative grounding for use in cars and such... So, if you choose to positive ground (like much of the telecom gear), you need to double check everything that they have +/- separate from "earth ground/case ground" connections. Otherwise you do run the risk of making the chassis "hot" with respect to ground (i.e., a car radio connected to a positive grounded solar PV system).
Zig Member
Are you swapping the ground AND going 12 volt? The G was originally 6 volt and positive ground, so the fuel guage, heater are two things that would need voltage reducers if you are going 12 volt. Also, those dash bulbs might as well be swapped to 12 volt bulbs as well?
Flashlight Member
I've got a brand new Original Chevy Master Cylinder from our sponsor. Can't remember if it was in for a short while or I never used it. But it is basically new. I'd give you a deal on it.
Flashlight Member
I think a 12 volt negative ground is where you need to be. The last straw, for me, was trying to get the vacuum wipers to work...after several failed parts and attempts I went to the electric wiper set-up. I needed the 12 volt system then, as no voltage jumpers had the amperage needed.
What is negative ground?
"negative" ground means that ground is referenced to the negative terminal of the supply voltage. 'positive' ground, the positive terminal is defined ground. Originally, the voltages on the wires were positive with respect to earth. This is called negative ground, since the negative side of the battery is grounded to earth. ... With negative voltage on the wires, in respect to earth, (called positive ground) the copper is protected from corrosion. Go to my Profile and you can find all about Solar Panel material there...
Why should the rays fall at a perpendicular angle?
Also the rays should fall at as perpendicular an angle as possible so that the photons present in the light excites maximum electrons and we get maximum current from the panels. The possibility of this happening when panels are placed parallel to ground is only once throughout the day - when the sun is at its zenith - and not thereafter. With a tilt, more perpendicular points
Is dew less with a tilt?
Dust and dew accumulation is less with a tilt. Panels should always face true south if you are in the northern hemisphere, or true north if you are in the southern hemisphere. (True here is magnetic declination). The tilt should be equal to your latitude, plus 15 degrees in winter, or minus 15 degrees in summer.
Does it matter if a panel is 10% or 99% efficient?
So it doesn’t really matter if a panel is 10% or 99% efficient in one regard - there’s massive underused space so so what if you generate 180W per square metre or if you can get 500W? What matters is how much does this cost?
Can solar panels be parallel to the ground?
Its not practically impossible to place solar panels parallel to ground. It is just less feasible and costly. A modern concept of solar roads focuses on making roads with solar panels to use the available land (road here) in a more optimal way. But energy generated out of such panels will obviously be relatively less.
What is negative ground?
It's simply a reference point. Although, usually it's assigned to the zero voltage part of the circuit, or the negative of a battery. The terms "negative ground" and "positive ground" have cropped up among us DIY stompers to try to explain the differences between common effects pedals.
Is ground positive or negative?
Quite simply, it should be positive and negative supply. Ground is ground is ground, it's not negative or positive, it's just ground! The difference comes about because different effects require either a positive or a negative supply.
Can you flip a power supply on a positive ground?
I tell you three times: as a practical matter, you cannot simply flip the power supply on a positive-ground/negative-supply circuit and expect it to always work.
What does positive ground mean?
Positive ground basically "electrified" the whole vehicle, meaning that the current was carried through the chassis. Current (or Amps) flow from the positive terminal of the battery to whatever the load is, then they are converted into whatever the device does-meaning that the amps that go to a light are converted to light and heat. The return path of the circuit now carries no (or nominal) amps.
What color is a positive ground wire?
Black and Red have been used for the color code for positive and negative for quite some time. Just the same, black was commonly used as the color for a ground wire, along with white. I would assume the basic car owner at the time would have had a hard time remembering this little piece of information, thus negative ground was implemented and your "Hot" wire was red. For most people the color red is associated with hot, easy to remember.
Why does a spark plug go to NEG ground?
I've read, several times through the years, that it went to NEG GROUND because it changed the DIRECTION (from POS GROUND) that the spark JUMPS between the center electrode and the ground on a spark plug, causing the center electrodes to deteriorate LESS using a NEG GROUND system. DD
Why do I always read electrical posts?
I always read electrical posts, because nobody ever agrees on an answer, if in fact there is one. Too old to ever understand electricty, if a bulb burns out I just replace it.
When did Dodge Brothers start using negative ground?
Dodge Brothers started in 1915 with 12 volt negative ground. In '22 they moved the horn button from the door to the steering wheel and found corrosion was a problem, so they switched to positive ground. Kept P.G. even when they went to 6 volts. I think MAck trucks kept positive ground for a long time too.
Is negative ground good or bad?
Negative ground was emotionally preferable since it gave the mental image of the 'positive' being good and above it all, with the 'negative' the lowest, or ground. Just hype.
Does the return path carry amps?
The return path of the circuit now carries no (or nominal) amps.
What does ground mean in radio?
"Ground" is a severely misused term in electronics. In AC power distribution and some radio antenna systems, "Ground" really does mean "a connection to the Earth".
What is the difference between earth and ground?
In current American terminology, ground is a reference point for measuring voltage and current in a circuit, while earth is an actual connection to a rod pounded into the ground. The more general use of ground is descended from this practice, and it's actually still important in systems using any large amount of power.
Why are acids conductive?
Weirder example: acids are conductive because they're full of +H positive hydrogen ions. Another name for an +H ion is... "the proton." When we put some amperes through acid, the current is a flow of protons. (Heh, if there's any ground-currents in the dirt, and also the dirt is acidic rather than salty, then those underground currents are proton-flows!)
What is the positive terminal in a circuit?
The positive terminal in a circuit is what creates voltage. Voltage is a potential, so given that it is the positive ions in, say, a battery, which are generally fixed in place, it makes sense that the + terminal in a circuit would create voltage. B. The negative terminal in a circuit is what provides current.
What is the path for current?
And, most important: the path for current is through the power supply. Power supplies are short circuits. An ideal power supply acts like a zero-ohm resistor. Think about it: in a dynamo coil, the charges pass through the coil and back out again.
When one object is positively charged and another is negatively charged, then there is an electrostatic field?
When one object is positively charged, and another is negatively charged, then there exists an electrostatic field. This is the voltage, or the potential for charge to be able to be moved by the electrostatic field.
Do currents come from positive terminals?
First, currents don't "come from" the positive terminal. That's a very common misconception, called the "sequential fallacy" in grade-school electricity textbooks. The basic problem is that wires are not like empty pipes. And, the power supply doesn't fill them up. Instead, wires are already pre-filled with charge, so that currents always appear everywhere in a circuit, all at the same time. ("Current" means charge-flow. When a circle of movable charges starts flowing, "current" appears in the entire ring. That's the basic circuit rule.)
What is Ground?
In electronics and electrical engineering, it is by convention we define a point in a circuit as a reference point. This reference point is known as ground (or GND) and carries a voltage of 0V. Voltage measurements are relative measurements. That is, a voltage measurement must be compared to another point in the circuit. If it is not, the measurement is meaningless.
What is noise in grounding?
Such ground currents—think of them as changing currents—when applied to ground return paths, create voltage variations (recall Ohm's Law) called noise. You may have heard the term "a noisy ground." Such noise can compromise sensitive signals in local circuits. Grounding has always been a major obstacle for design, system, and test engineers.
Why is mixed signal grounding important?
Although there are multiple techniques for proper grounding, when it comes to mixed-signal grounding it's of most importance—regardless of which grounding technique is adopted—to separate the "more-noisy" digital return currents from the "less-noisy" analog return currents. This separation of the grounds helps to minimize or prevent noise from being generated within circuits due to ground currents.
What does the earth ground symbol mean?
The earth ground symbol is, unfortunately, used in many applications in electronics and electrical engineering, often meaning different things to different people, so it may be a bit confusing to some beginners. For instance, the earth ground symbol is also used as a common ground symbol or a 0V reference.
How deep is earth ground?
A true earth ground, as defined by the National Electrical Code (NEC), consists of a conductive pipe, or rod, physically driven into the earth to a minimum depth of 8 feet. ...
Which prong is connected to the earth?
The third pro ng on electrical outlets (see Figure 4) is physically connected to the earth.
Is the earth ground a complex subject?
In reality, earth ground is quite the complex subject given all variables and materials that make up the earth. And, earth's electrical potential does indeed experience some isolated areas of varying due to events such as lightning hits, as an example.