Been playing with my '68 Traveller this morning, and finally got the
engine running, but I'm still not sure whether it is positive or
negative earth. It was positive earth when it left the factory, and I'm
fairly sure has never been changed to negative, but how can I tell, just
by looking at it? The coil has been changed, and that will work either
way round. There are no helpful stickers, the no battery, until I
fitted one this morning.

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?
--
Graeme

"Graeme" wrote in message
...

Been playing with my '68 Traveller this morning, and finally got the
engine running, but I'm still not sure whether it is positive or
negative earth. It was positive earth when it left the factory, and I'm
fairly sure has never been changed to negative, but how can I tell, just
by looking at it? The coil has been changed, and that will work either
way round. There are no helpful stickers, the no battery, until I
fitted one this morning.

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?
--
Graeme

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Graeme wrote:

Been playing with my '68 Traveller this morning, and finally got the
engine running, but I'm still not sure whether it is positive or
negative earth. It was positive earth when it left the factory, and I'm
fairly sure has never been changed to negative, but how can I tell, just
by looking at it? The coil has been changed, and that will work either
way round. There are no helpful stickers, the no battery, until I
fitted one this morning.

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?
--
Graeme

connect a multimeter or lightbulb from each battery terminal in turn
to the chassis. The terminal that lights is the oposite one to the one
connected to the chassis.


NT

wrote in message

connect a multimeter or lightbulb from each battery terminal in turn
to the chassis. The terminal that lights is the oposite one to the one
connected to the chassis.


NT

?

In article
..com, scribeth thus
Graeme wrote:

Been playing with my '68 Traveller this morning, and finally got the
engine running, but I'm still not sure whether it is positive or
negative earth. It was positive earth when it left the factory, and I'm
fairly sure has never been changed to negative, but how can I tell, just
by looking at it? The coil has been changed, and that will work either
way round. There are no helpful stickers, the no battery, until I
fitted one this morning.

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?
--
Graeme

connect a multimeter or lightbulb from each battery terminal in turn
to the chassis. The terminal that lights is the oposite one to the one
connected to the chassis.


NT

Good idea. I used to modify old Minis and suchlike and most of the time
it was just reverse the battery and flash the coils of the dynamo a
couple to times and that was that!..

And reverse the ignition coil, it seemed to work better the right way
round;!..
--
Tony Sayer

In article ,
Graeme wrote:
Been playing with my '68 Traveller this morning, and finally got the
engine running, but I'm still not sure whether it is positive or
negative earth. It was positive earth when it left the factory, and I'm
fairly sure has never been changed to negative, but how can I tell, just
by looking at it? The coil has been changed, and that will work either
way round. There are no helpful stickers, the no battery, until I
fitted one this morning.

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?

Yes. If the ignition light goes off the dynamo is charging. Which it won't
with the battery reversed.

The coil should be correctly polarized to work properly, though. If
negative earth this means (+) to ignition switch, (-) to CB.

--
*Born free - taxed to death *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In message , George
writes

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Radio? What is this modern invention of which you speak? :-)

No radio, and there wasn't a battery until I fitted one this morning. I
have fitted the battery positive to earth, which I *think* is correct.
--
Graeme

In message
,
writes

connect a multimeter or lightbulb from each battery terminal in turn
to the chassis. The terminal that lights is the oposite one to the one
connected to the chassis.

Doesn't that pre suppose that the battery is already fitted? There
hasn't been a battery in the vehicle for nine years, and now I've
forgotten which way it goes. Yes, I know I should have labelled it
before removing the old battery, but, at that time, storage was supposed
to be temporary, and short term ...
--
Graeme

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
Graeme wrote:

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?

Yes. If the ignition light goes off the dynamo is charging. Which it won't
with the battery reversed.

Thanks Dave. That is *exactly* the confirmation I hoped for.

The coil should be correctly polarized to work properly, though. If
negative earth this means (+) to ignition switch, (-) to CB.

Exactly as it is wired, which cheers me up no end. The previous coil
exploded about ten years ago - I've never seen anything like it, before
or since. All the oily gunk inside escaped, after which it failed :-)
--
Graeme

"Graeme" wrote in message
...
In message , George
writes

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Radio? What is this modern invention of which you speak? :-)

No radio, and there wasn't a battery until I fitted one this morning. I
have fitted the battery positive to earth, which I *think* is correct.
--
Graeme

Hah! you have the poor mans Mini ie the dashboard was just a hole with a
speedo in the center.

Mine was customized with a radio and eight track and all sorts of fairy
lights :-)

In message , George
writes
"Graeme" wrote in message

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Radio? What is this modern invention of which you speak? :-)

No radio, and there wasn't a battery until I fitted one this morning. I
have fitted the battery positive to earth, which I *think* is correct.

Hah! you have the poor mans Mini ie the dashboard was just a hole with a
speedo in the center.

Whoops! My mistake - I should have clarified. Not a Mini Traveller, a
Morris Minor traveller, but, yes, fairly basic. Two glove boxes, one
either side of the speedo - the one on the passenger side even has a
drop down flap!

I do have a positive earth radio to fit, but am worried about drilling a
hole in the wing, for the aerial. Just one slip ...

Mine was customized with a radio and eight track and all sorts of fairy
lights :-)

Grin Reminds me of my Anglias, but we probably don't need to go
there!

--
Graeme

On Mon, 05 May 2008 17:04:52 +0100, Graeme wrote:

I do have a positive earth radio to fit

Where do you get one of those these days - or is it of a vintage with the
motor?

--
John Stumbles

Women always generalise

"John Stumbles" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 05 May 2008 17:04:52 +0100, Graeme wrote:

I do have a positive earth radio to fit

Where do you get one of those these days - or is it of a vintage with the
motor?

--
John Stumbles

Women always generalise


Visit many of the forums on internet that still have classic cars and
sommeone might part with one at a price. :-)

When I left school,took job in a lemonade place and in the large storage
shed where the emtpy damaged wooden crates were stacked somone had created a
space with most of the crates to form a housing around an E-type
Jaguar(could have been a Bently?) I happen to accidently find this,it was of
the wire wheel type and it was as though it was still in showroom condition
as it had tarpauiln draped over it.
My god! the interior still smelled of new leather and the walnut dashboard
and trim still highly polished.

This must have been worth a considerable amount at todays standards?

Graeme wrote:
In message , George
writes

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Radio? What is this modern invention of which you speak? :-)

No radio, and there wasn't a battery until I fitted one this morning. I
have fitted the battery positive to earth, which I *think* is correct.

Fairly sure they work either way, there being nothing polarised in em at
all.

Even the dynamo will work 'backwards' as it relies on a bit of field
current to kick it into play: if that is backwards, chances are it will
start up revers polarity as well!


ISTR 'flashing' dynamos to get them to prioduce DC in teh other direction.

Anyway, if the battery charges when its running, you are there. I cant
think of any semiconductors IN that era of car.

In message , John Stumbles
writes
On Mon, 05 May 2008 17:04:52 +0100, Graeme wrote:

I do have a positive earth radio to fit

Where do you get one of those these days - or is it of a vintage with the
motor?

The one I have came from an auto jumble, and is probably the same age as
the car (1968), if not older. Strangely, the most difficult part was
finding one speaker. No-one, but no-one, seems to sell car speakers in
anything other than pairs these days.
--
Graeme

In message , The Natural
Philosopher writes
Graeme wrote:
In message , George
writes

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Radio? What is this modern invention of which you speak? :-)
No radio, and there wasn't a battery until I fitted one this
morning. I have fitted the battery positive to earth, which I *think*
is correct.

Fairly sure they work either way, there being nothing polarised in em
at all.

Even the dynamo will work 'backwards' as it relies on a bit of field
current to kick it into play: if that is backwards, chances are it will
start up revers polarity as well!


ISTR 'flashing' dynamos to get them to prioduce DC in teh other direction.

Anyway, if the battery charges when its running, you are there. I cant
think of any semiconductors IN that era of car.

ISTR some issue with electrolytic corrosion. Didn't Mr. Ford experiment
with changing battery polarity and discovered the bodywork rotted
instead of the wiring?

regards


--
Tim Lamb

Graeme coughed up some electrons that declared:

Whoops! My mistake - I should have clarified. Not a Mini Traveller, a
Morris Minor traveller, but, yes, fairly basic. Two glove boxes, one
either side of the speedo - the one on the passenger side even has a
drop down flap!

Ah, that brings back memories... Have you *ever* seen the oil filter bypass
warning light come on on one of those (Second amber light on speedo dial)?

BTW - if you need a valve spring compressor, I may have just found one
during a house clearance...

Cheers

Tim

The message
from John Stumbles contains these words:

I do have a positive earth radio to fit

Where do you get one of those these days - or is it of a vintage with the
motor?

I had an either/or that I adjusted to the other polarity for my
brother-in-law to fit in his car but he never fitted it. I rather think
I junked it when he gave it back to me 10 years or so later. Perhaps I
should have kept it. Given my appalling memory perhaps I did. ;-(

--
Roger Chapman

Graeme wrote:
In message
,
writes

connect a multimeter or lightbulb from each battery terminal in turn
to the chassis. The terminal that lights is the oposite one to the one
connected to the chassis.

Doesn't that pre suppose that the battery is already fitted? There
hasn't been a battery in the vehicle for nine years, and now I've
forgotten which way it goes. Yes, I know I should have labelled it
before removing the old battery, but, at that time, storage was supposed
to be temporary, and short term ...
--
Graeme

Yes, I did presuppose that, wrongly I now see. If no battery one
could fit a totally flat battery and push start it, and it will charge
it.
If its charging the wrong polarity, reversing the battery will help
it
perform & last as well as designed.

Re pos earth radios, in principle its not hard to use a neg earth
radio in a pos earth vehicle, the main deal is to mount it with radio
case insulated from chassis and break the aerial screen at the end
near the aerial. Thick robust plastic film helps insulate the case.
But of course I'm sure you'll want a real period radio, not a modern
neg earther.


NT

wrote in message

Re pos earth radios, in principle its not hard to use a neg earth
radio in a pos earth vehicle, the main deal is to mount it with radio
case insulated from chassis and break the aerial screen at the end
near the aerial. Thick robust plastic film helps insulate the case.
But of course I'm sure you'll want a real period radio, not a modern
neg earther.


NT

Can I have some of what your're on?

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Even the dynamo will work 'backwards' as it relies on a bit of field
current to kick it into play: if that is backwards, chances are it will
start up revers polarity as well!

Not so - the reminance only allows generation of one polarity. To change
the polarity you have to pass the wanted polarity through the field
windings. Usual way is to wipe a live wire across the field terminal.

--
*Caution: I drive like you do.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Graeme wrote:
In message , John Stumbles
writes
On Mon, 05 May 2008 17:04:52 +0100, Graeme wrote:

I do have a positive earth radio to fit

Where do you get one of those these days - or is it of a vintage with
the motor?

The one I have came from an auto jumble, and is probably the same age as
the car (1968), if not older. Strangely, the most difficult part was
finding one speaker. No-one, but no-one, seems to sell car speakers in
anything other than pairs these days.

Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity sensitive.

Other thing with speakers is finding one of the correct size these days to
fit the mounting - although I don't think the Minor had one.

--
*There's two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
ISTR some issue with electrolytic corrosion. Didn't Mr. Ford experiment
with changing battery polarity and discovered the bodywork rotted
instead of the wiring?

IIRC, all cars started out negative earth. IIRC again the change to
positive earth was said to improve points and plug life. But of course
many makers never did change. Silicon semiconductors made the change back
to negative earth desirable.

--
*If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article
,
wrote:
Re pos earth radios, in principle its not hard to use a neg earth
radio in a pos earth vehicle, the main deal is to mount it with radio
case insulated from chassis and break the aerial screen at the end
near the aerial.

That's one way to make sure the aerial performs poorly. The trimmer found
on most older sets for AM reception won't work with no screen. A better
way is to insulate the aerial mounting. But better still to change the
car's polarity. It's a simple enough matter.

--
*Born free - taxed to death *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
"Dave Plowman (News)" writes:

Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity sensitive.

My parents had one of those. I think it was originally in an
Armstrong Sidley, but I first recall it in the Vauxhall Victor
my father transplanted it to. Had a dashboard part the size of
today's car radios, linked with a thick multiway cable to a
large metal box in the passenger footwell which had the bulk
of the circuitry in it. Probably about 8 valves (2 in the dash
part). There was a vibrator in it to generate AC to transform
up to ~300V. This was in a plug-in can as it wore out and needed
replacing from time to time. Of course, they were no longer
available, so I kept it going until it really had no contacts
left at all. When it was on its way out, you had to kick the
radio to get the vibrator going! Eventually I built a transistor
osciallator to replace it. When the Vauxhall Victor went to the
scrap yard, I rescued the radio and used it in my bedroom for a
while, but I've no idea where it is now; I suspect it was thrown
out at some stage. It drew the best part of 10A which made it
rather difficult to power at the time, outside of a car.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 5 May, 13:17, "George" wrote:
"Graeme" wrote in message

...



Been playing with my '68 Traveller this morning, and finally got the
engine running, but I'm still not sure whether it is positive or
negative earth. *It was positive earth when it left the factory, and I'm
fairly sure has never been changed to negative, but how can I tell, just
by looking at it? *The coil has been changed, and that will work either
way round. *There are no helpful stickers, the no battery, until I
fitted one this morning.

The engine runs, and the ignition light went out, so that answers my
question?
--
Graeme

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Also feel if the heater fan is blowing or sucking, that is if the
wires were changed round when the polarity was changed.
Trevor Smith

George wrote:
wrote in message

Re pos earth radios, in principle its not hard to use a neg earth
radio in a pos earth vehicle, the main deal is to mount it with radio
case insulated from chassis and break the aerial screen at the end
near the aerial. Thick robust plastic film helps insulate the case.
But of course I'm sure you'll want a real period radio, not a modern
neg earther.


NT

Can I have some of what your're on?

Which part of running a neg earth radio on a pos earth car do you
think is so difficult?


NT

wrote in message
...
George wrote:
wrote in message

Re pos earth radios, in principle its not hard to use a neg earth
radio in a pos earth vehicle, the main deal is to mount it with radio
case insulated from chassis and break the aerial screen at the end
near the aerial. Thick robust plastic film helps insulate the case.
But of course I'm sure you'll want a real period radio, not a modern
neg earther.


NT

Can I have some of what your're on?

Which part of running a neg earth radio on a pos earth car do you
think is so difficult?


NT

The one were it says...hello, puff of white smoke.

Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , The Natural
Philosopher writes
Graeme wrote:
In message , George
writes

Normally looking at the battery terminals should reveal its polarity or
looking at the radio terminals?.

Radio? What is this modern invention of which you speak? :-)
No radio, and there wasn't a battery until I fitted one this
morning. I have fitted the battery positive to earth, which I
*think* is correct.

Fairly sure they work either way, there being nothing polarised in em
at all.

Even the dynamo will work 'backwards' as it relies on a bit of field
current to kick it into play: if that is backwards, chances are it
will start up revers polarity as well!


ISTR 'flashing' dynamos to get them to prioduce DC in teh other
direction.

Anyway, if the battery charges when its running, you are there. I cant
think of any semiconductors IN that era of car.

ISTR some issue with electrolytic corrosion. Didn't Mr. Ford experiment
with changing battery polarity and discovered the bodywork rotted
instead of the wiring?


and thus invented planned obsolescence? :-)


regards

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
Graeme wrote:

The one I have came from an auto jumble, and is probably the same age as
the car (1968), if not older. Strangely, the most difficult part was
finding one speaker. No-one, but no-one, seems to sell car speakers in
anything other than pairs these days.

Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity sensitive.

I didn't realise that - thanks. My Dad's Wolseley 1500 had a valve
radio, which was fine, but took a couple of miles to warm up.

Other thing with speakers is finding one of the correct size these days to
fit the mounting - although I don't think the Minor had one.

Indeed. I found a suitable speaker, complete with plastic housing, at a
boot sale. Will probably mount it below the front parcel shelf.
--
Graeme

In article ,
Andrew Gabriel andrew@a17 wrote:
Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity sensitive.

My parents had one of those. I think it was originally in an
Armstrong Sidley, but I first recall it in the Vauxhall Victor
my father transplanted it to. Had a dashboard part the size of
today's car radios, linked with a thick multiway cable to a
large metal box in the passenger footwell which had the bulk
of the circuitry in it. Probably about 8 valves (2 in the dash
part).
[snip]

Radiomobile made an all in one valve radio - a masterpiece of packaging,
considering it included push button tuning which was a mechanical system
moving inductors.

In the early '60s I found a Bluespot valve FM radio in a breaker's yard
and fitted it to my MG. Had to convert it from 6 volts. That was a two
piece one - I doubt you could have packaged that into a standard case.

--
*I yell because I care

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Graeme wrote:
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
In article ,
Graeme wrote:

The one I have came from an auto jumble, and is probably the same age as
the car (1968), if not older. Strangely, the most difficult part was
finding one speaker. No-one, but no-one, seems to sell car speakers in
anything other than pairs these days.

Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity sensitive.

I didn't realise that - thanks. My Dad's Wolseley 1500 had a valve
radio, which was fine, but took a couple of miles to warm up.

Well they ARE polarity sensitive, but they need a high voltage inverter
to get the HT and many of those were NOT polarity sensitive.



Other thing with speakers is finding one of the correct size these
days to
fit the mounting - although I don't think the Minor had one.

Indeed. I found a suitable speaker, complete with plastic housing, at a
boot sale. Will probably mount it below the front parcel shelf.

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity
sensitive.

I didn't realise that - thanks. My Dad's Wolseley 1500 had a valve
radio, which was fine, but took a couple of miles to warm up.

Well they ARE polarity sensitive, but they need a high voltage inverter
to get the HT and many of those were NOT polarity sensitive.

Talk about nit picking. Many electronic devices are polarity sensitive
within the appliance - you often get a mixture of PNP and NPN transistors
for example. Even within the same chip. But what matters to 'us' is the
external polarity.

Oh - if you really want to nitpick, modern electronic inverters are
available to replace the original vibrator for some makes - and these
*are* polarity sensitive...

--
*How about "never"? Is "never" good for you?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity
sensitive.
I didn't realise that - thanks. My Dad's Wolseley 1500 had a valve
radio, which was fine, but took a couple of miles to warm up.

Well they ARE polarity sensitive, but they need a high voltage inverter
to get the HT and many of those were NOT polarity sensitive.

Talk about nit picking. Many electronic devices are polarity sensitive
within the appliance - you often get a mixture of PNP and NPN transistors
for example. Even within the same chip. But what matters to 'us' is the
external polarity.

Oh - if you really want to nitpick, modern electronic inverters are
available to replace the original vibrator for some makes - and these
*are* polarity sensitive...

Arr, Yewl never beat a proper vibrator..these New fangled electronics
don't give my missus the same buzz at all.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Of course you could fit a valve radio - these aren't polarity
sensitive.
I didn't realise that - thanks. My Dad's Wolseley 1500 had a valve
radio, which was fine, but took a couple of miles to warm up.

Well they ARE polarity sensitive, but they need a high voltage inverter
to get the HT and many of those were NOT polarity sensitive.

Talk about nit picking. Many electronic devices are polarity sensitive
within the appliance - you often get a mixture of PNP and NPN
transistors
for example. Even within the same chip. But what matters to 'us' is the
external polarity.

Oh - if you really want to nitpick, modern electronic inverters are
available to replace the original vibrator for some makes - and these
*are* polarity sensitive...

Arr, Yewl never beat a proper vibrator..these New fangled electronics
don't give my missus the same buzz at all.

Damn! your missus is behind the times...they have hands free ones now,bit
like a wankel engine but with the thing on a rod. ;-)

On Wed, 7 May 2008 18:30:02 UTC, "George"
wrote:

Arr, Yewl never beat a proper vibrator..these New fangled electronics
don't give my missus the same buzz at all.

Damn! your missus is behind the times...they have hands free ones now,bit
like a wankel engine but with the thing on a rod. ;-)

http://www.sybian.com/sybian_details.html

--
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