I believe the easiest thing to do if you want to install a radio, CB, cell
phone, etc in a positive ground car is to convert it to negative ground. It
usually only takes about 15 minutes to convert and you are all set. It
doesn't change the appearance of the car and the only way to tell is to look
at the battery. Otherwise you will continually run the risk of either
blowing up the radio or burning up your wiring harness. I installed a CB in
my MGTF and ran it for years with positive ground. I had to make sure
everything was isolated to the radio and I even fused both the positive and
negative power leads into the radio. I was lucky and I never had a problem,
but it was a much bigger pain in the ass setting up and electrically
isolating the CB than just converting to negative ground.
However for you purist out there just be careful and I would recommend
fusing both sides of the power lines into your gear to play it safe.
Phil Roettjer
67 +4 with negative ground
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stuart J. Ross [SMTP:stuross@nac.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 8:21 AM
> To: Blair, John; 'Manfred Brown'; 'Steve Gilbert';
> morgans@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Clairification of ignition warning light question!
>
> There is a converter for positive ground cars that has a cigarette lighter
> style plug to allow those devices to be used in a Britmobile. I have one
> in
> my +4 which is in the garage so I can't find the name of the company.
> Found
> the ad in Hemmings a few years ago...antique radio repairs etc. Maybe in
> Fla? Anyhow I wanted to use a radar detector and needed that gizmo. It
> works
> OK, except there is too much vibration for the radar detector to stay
> stuck
> to the windscreen. Maybe this business about glycerin on the suction cups
> may help me there. But Morgans being "stealthy" due to all that wood,
> means
> I am invisible to police radar. Right? C'mon..help me out here, guys.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Blair, John" <JBlair@scn.spawar.navy.mil>
> To: "'Manfred Brown'" <m-brown@dircon.co.uk>; "'Steve Gilbert'"
> <sgilbert@wpusd.k12.ca.us>; <morgans@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 7:15 AM
> Subject: RE: Clairification of ignition warning light question!
>
>
> > That is the easy solution, but has a hidden parel. If any part of the
> > radio/cell phone, antenna, etc, comes in contact with ANY metal part of
> the
> > car, you have a short and possibly a fire.
> >
> > I know this from experience. I want'ed to put my ham radio in the
> Morgan
> > for
> > a trip I was to take. So I did exactly that, I connected the wires for
> the
> > 2 trouble light pins on the dash to a connector that would apply power
> > appropriately to the radio. I was using a strap on antenna with a
> plastic
> > base on the rear deck. I rounded a corner and the radio moved and hit
> the
> > horizontal stringer the forms the front lip for the seat, all of a
> sudden,
> > there was a ton of smoke!!! I tried pulling the wires from the sockets
> as
> > I watched the insulation burn on the wire. Managed to get the wire out
> of
> > the socket, get a slight burn, and luckily NOT loose the wiring
> harness!!
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Manfred Brown [mailto:m-brown@dircon.co.uk]
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 1:23 AM
> > To: 'Steve Gilbert'; morgans@autox.team.net
> > Subject: RE: Clairification of ignition warning light question!
> >
> >
> > I've not been following this so excuse what may be a stupid question:
> why
> > not just reverse the connections on the cigar lighter, if that is what
> you
> > connect your phone charger to? Mine is mounted in the wooden dashboard
> so
> > would be easy to reverse.
> >
> > Just a thought
> >
> > Manfred
> > 1987 +8
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-morgans@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-morgans@autox.team.net]
> > On
> > Behalf Of Steve Gilbert
> > Sent: 3 April 2000 22:38
> > To: morgans@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Clairification of ignition warning light question!
> >
> > Dear Morgan Folks,
> >
> > Thanks for all the replys to my FOOLISH move to change a perfectly
> > fine Morgan from positive ground (as Mr. Lucas intended) to negative
> > ground (so I could hook up a cell phone charger)!!!
> >
> > Perhaps I did not explain well. I'll try again.
> >
> > 1. I did have (new) generator polerized to be negaive ground(this was
> > done by shop that rebuilt generator.
> > 2. I reversed wires on ammeter. The guage now shows a positive
> > movement when engine is reved... and less charge when at idle(looks
> > normal to me!)
> > 3. HOWEVER... the "ignition warning light" is working backwards. At
> > idle it is dim or goes out. At higher rpm's light is on BRIGHT!!!
> > Backwards from normal.
> >
> > Question #1. How can I fix the ignition warning light problem.
> > Question #2 What about wires to coil... Info from one source says
> > to reverse these. Fred's bedside reader says NO. Leave alone.
> >
> > Thanks again
> >
> > Steve Gilbert
> > 67 4/4
> > Negatively Grounded in Auburn, CA
|