SMTA Postivie Ground + and -'s

i was thinking maybe voltage regulator materials affected this in the automotive world, but then i remembered 6v batteries predate voltage regulators. who made the decision to go positive ground initially?

Current flows from neg to pos. If there is corrosion or whatever on ANY part of the circuit it will result in decreased current flow, it does not matter which way it flows.

Maybe Bob M can add to or shoot this down?? Again, its been many yearsssss so my old hard drive memeory may be faded lol

John T (Longgggg ggg retired EE)

Lemme knowwwww ww John T (Still curious after all these years)

I do recall this however about acid battery action: Your not "storing" electrons (or electron holes) directly in opposite plates as a battery is charged and discharged. Rather you are converting and storing compounds (elemental lead and lead oxide) that contain unequal number of electrons. These difference in electron quantities are then balanced by the electron current flowing flowing from one plate to the other and out through the external circuit.

Or maybe not....I dunno....(!)

I do recall this however about acid battery action: Your not "storing" electrons (or electron holes) directly in opposite plates as a battery is charged and discharged. Rather you are converting and storing compounds (elemental lead and lead oxide) that contain unequal number of electrons. These difference in electron quantities are then balanced by the electron current flowing flowing from one plate to the other and out through the external circuit.

Or maybe not....I dunno....(!)

Chemically driven electrons which are pushed due to chemical recombination of substances such that the chem processes results in fewer locations allowing Neg charges to remain, and on the other side more locations they could be accepted (holes)

Magnetic lines of force driving electrons to one end of a conductor (right hand rule etc. Quantom electro dynamics QED.

That is what I know (without the details) JimN

Additionally "proof is intuitively obvious to the most casual of observers" as one of my professors would frequently declare...

For practical purposes however, old tractor electrics don't give a rat's @ss which polarity is ground, or which direction electrons and holes are flowing in the system. All that really matters is that the circuits are complete!

Bob M (not quite retired ME....)

Reason many prefer to set up their old tractors for negative ground now is neg ground has been the the automotive standard since the late 1950's. And when you are jump starting a tractor from a car or pickup, it's a bit less taxing mentally if both are negative ground.

Also positive ground alternators are virtually non-existent. So tractor alternator conversions are almost ALWAYS neg ground.

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When jumping your tractor from a neg grounded vehicle forget about the ground polarity. Just do two things:

1 - Make sure the tractor and jumping vehicle are not touching.

2 - Make jumper cable connections battery + to battery + and battery - to battery - . For safety make the - jumper connection at the jumping vehicle last, and presuming the vehicle is neg ground make the connection to the frame or engine block, not directly to the battery.

You ALWAYS charge + to + and - to - again regardless which battery terminal is bonded to a huge chunk of iron..... ..... .. If jumping DO NOT let the metal of the tractor and jump vehicle come in contact wheres they are at opposite ground polarities.....

John T