Ron -
NEVER use the color of the cables as a guide on any old car, they are often
black, red, brown, swapped, wrong. On most british cars of the era
including the Austin Healey, both cables were black.
You must chase down each terminal cable and see where it connects to the
car. Once cable will always connect to the solenoid/starter, the other
cable will connect to the chassis somewhere. Whichever terminal is
connected to the chassis will tell you if it's negative or positive ground.
Alan
On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 9:07 AM, Ron Ray <ronald-ray at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Alan,****
>
> ** **
>
> As I clarified in an email, there never has not been a batter in the car
> for at least 4 years.****
>
> ** **
>
> This is not a Healey, but another British car.****
>
> The battery cables are identical, both for the positive post on the
> battery.****
>
> ** **
>
> It appears that the only way to make a reasonable guess is to go by the
> wiring of the coil and assume it is correct.****
>
> ** **
>
> Ron****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan Seigrist [mailto:healey.nut at gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 7:44 PM
> To: Ron Ray; Peter Caldwell; healeys at autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [Healeys] Grounding
>
> ** **
>
> Ron -****
>
> ** **
>
> Coil will operate with points no matter which way it is hooked up,****
>
> this is a bad way to check.****
>
> ** **
>
> Just check which terminal from the battery is connected to ground,****
>
> it's the only test that's 100% accurate.****
>
> ** **
>
> On all healeys, it is typically the terminal that is facing the rear****
>
> of the car and attached to the battery cutoff switch.****
>
> ** **
>
> Alan****
>
> ** **
>
> On 7/15/11, Ron Ray <ronald-ray at sbcglobal.net> wrote:****
>
> > Thanks Peter,****
>
> >** **
>
> > The + side of the coil is going to the points, so the car is still
> positive****
>
> > ground.****
>
> >** **
>
> > Ron****
>
> >** **
>
> >** **
>
> >** **
>
> >** **
>
> >** **
>
> > -----Original Message-----****
>
> > From: Peter Caldwell [mailto:peter at nosimport.com]****
>
> > Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 12:47 PM****
>
> > To: Ron Ray****
>
> > Cc: healeys at autox.team.net****
>
> > Subject: Re: [Healeys] Grounding****
>
> >** **
>
> > If the coil was wired correctly, then the ground should be the wire****
>
> > going to the points, and the coil will show + or -.****
>
> > Several if's there, though.****
>
> > Peter C****
>
> > ====****
>
> > At 12:05 PM 7/14/2011, Ron Ray wrote:****
>
> >>Chris,****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>I should have mentioned that there is no batter in the car.****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Ron****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Ronald J. Ray, RA, CCS, CCCA****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Ray and Associates****
>
> >>811 West 35th Street****
>
> >>Kansas City, Missouri 64111****
>
> >>tel: 816-531-2707****
>
> >>fax: 816-753-0285****
>
> >>ronald-ray at sbcglobal.net****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>From: Chris Dimmock [Healey] [mailto:austin.healey at gmail.com]****
>
> >>Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 11:57 AM****
>
> >>To: Ron Ray****
>
> >>Cc: healeys at autox.team.net****
>
> >>Subject: Re: [Healeys] Grounding****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Look closely at the battery - the terminals on the battery should
> indicate****
>
> >>which terminal is + and which is -****
>
> >>Then it's just looking to see which battery cable connects to
> earth/ground.****
>
> >>If the negative terminal on the battery connects to earth - its negative
> ****
>
> >>earth.****
>
> >>If the positive terminal on the battery connects to earth - its positive
> ****
>
> >>earth.****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Best****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Chris****
>
> >>On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 2:16 AM, Ron Ray <ronald-ray at sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:****
>
> >>Folks,****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Is there any way to tell if a car is positive or negative ground?****
>
> >>The previous owner used a red positive battery cable for both the
> positive****
>
> >>and ground cables.****
>
> >>** **
>
> >>Thanks,****
>
> >> Ron****
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