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Positive or Negative Ground!?

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  • Positive or Negative Ground!?

    I just bought a 1948 Dodge Power Wagon and it is still has a 6 volt system. It had a brand new battery in it. It has the positive post hooked up to the starter. The truck does start. How do I know if the truck is positive or negative ground? What will happen if the battery is hooked up backwards? Any help is greatly appreciated!

  • #2
    wiring

    All of our trucks started off as 6V POSITIVE ground systems. The wiring system is very simple with a single wire to nearly everything. Parts were grounded to the chassis. If you have a shop manual for your year, there will be a wiring diagram. You might also be able to find one on the forum.
    Tim Ellis

    1953 B4 PW
    2013 Dodge 2500 Diesel

    Clean fingernails, free weekends, intact knuckles and financial stability are totally overrated.

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    • #3
      Here is an early wiring diagram

      Wiring
      Attached Files
      1967 W200.aka.Hank
      1946 WDX.aka.Shorty
      2012 Ram 2500 PowerWagon.aka Ollie

      Life is easier in a lower gear.

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      • #4
        Thanks for the replies! The battery was put in backwards. Still started and the lights worked though...

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        • #5
          You may want to polarize the generator if the truck had been incorrectly run negative ground for a time.

          The link below explains the process. It is from the Ferguson site but the process is the same for Power-Wagons.

          http://fergusontractors.org/nfs/wp-c...-Generator.pdf

          Junior

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          • #6
            Here is more on the subject, thanks to Paul Cook.

            http://www.texaspowerwagon.com/polarize.htm

            Junior

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            • #7
              And more.

              http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cg...oard&th=472093

              Junior

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