Chuck,
It has been my experience that:
1. If there is any shortening of life of the regulator, it is miniscule
(190,000 miles instead of 200,000?).
2. No truth that I have found, though again there might be some minimal
amount theoretically. I have not delved into the physics though I have
heard of people who hung zincs in the radiator.
3. The only real advantage is if you want to add modern accessories like a
radio or electric fuel pump. There also seems to be less corrosion around
the positive terminal of the battery, though modern sealed batteries go a
long way towards accomplishing this end.
4. If you examine the motor mounts you will find that the engine is bolted
to a plate which is in turn, bonded to the rubber mount. Another plate
bonded to the bottom, is mounted to the frame.
When the car was new, there was a small ground strap connecting the bolts on
the top plate to the bolts on the bottom plate to accomplish the ground. We
usually attach a heavy braided ground strap from the top mounting bolt of
the starter motor to the lip of the adjacent cross member of the frame (even
if the original strap is still on the motor mounts).
Should you make the switch to negative ground (we usually do on our cars),
there is another step don did not mention. Unless you reverse the wires on
your ammeter, it will read backwards. It will still function and there is
no danger of damage, but it will read charge when the battery is discharging
and visa versa.
To recap if you want to make the change:
a. Reverse the battery connections.
b. Reverse the ammeter connections.
c. Flash the generator (to teach it what polarity you have the battery) by
jumpering "F" (Field) to "A" (Ammeter) on the regulator (control box) for
about one second. This sets the residual magnetic field on the field coils
do the generator knows which way to behave.
Good luck,
Gerry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vandergraaf, Chuck [SMTP:vandergraaft@aecl.ca]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 1999 6:58 AM
> To: 'DGreimel@aol.com'
> Cc: morgans@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: Cleaning cream switches and Indicator switch
>
> Don,
>
> Thanks for this information; it is very helpful to those of us who are
> contemplating switching over to negative ground (or earth). I have four
> questions:
>
> 1. if the only vulnerable part is the voltage regulator (my '52 does not
> have a radio), can I substitute a proper voltage regulator, i.e., one
> designed for negative ground?
> 2. I've heard that one of the reasons for accelerated rusting of LBCs is
> that they came with positive ground. Is there any truth to this rumour?
> I
> somehow doubt it, considering the number of rusted Hyundais, Toyotae and
> Hondae I have seen.
> 3. what is the advantage to switching over to negative ground?
> 4. isn't the engine already grounded through the bolts that hold the
> engine
> to the frame or is the resistance through the bolts too high?
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Chuck Vandergraaf
> '52 +4
> Pinawa, MB
>
>
> > ----------
> > From: DGreimel@aol.com[SMTP:DGreimel@aol.com]
> > Reply To: DGreimel@aol.com
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 1999 4:52 AM
> > To: morgans@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Re: Cleaning cream switches and Indicator switch
> >
> > Ben:
> > Your Morgan was never a 6 volt car. The British stuff has all been 12v
> > Positive Earth since the beginning of time. Your Mog had two 6 volt
> > batteries
> > wired in series. Installing the battery with Neg earth will cause only
> > two
> > problems. It will shorten the life of your voltage regulator due to its
> > use
> > of different metals on the contacts which is designed to reduce metal
> > transfer and it will waste your transistor radio. Otherwise the
> > everything
> > would function normally. The most likely cause of your hot cable is
> that
> > the
> > battery is grounded to the frame and there is no ground strap between
> the
> > frame and the engine, which of course is sitting on rubber mounts.
> > I once say a Morgan in which the choke cable turned red hot while
> > cranking.
> > The owner had replaced the battery, generator and starter in his attempt
> > to
> > cure the slow cranking problem. A ground strap across an engine mount
> > fixed
> > it for $.50.
> > Happy Moggin.
> > Don Greimel
> >
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