• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Positive Ground to Negative Ground Power Inverter

stever

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
I have decided to install a Retrosound radio in my BJ8. However, the radio requires a 10 AMP minimum power supply. My power inverter changing positive ground to negative ground power only provides 3 AMPs. I searched on the internet but have not been able to find a power inverter converting positive 12V to negative ground 12V power. Do any of you know where I can find one of these inverters?
 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
a

Well I second Ricks comment, additionaly the converter will add additional problems.

Yes I know Where U can find one but I do not remember where in my shop I put the cotton picken thing

U guys down there close to the MTN gonna be warm today----:playful:


NEG GND GO for it OK
 
OP
S

stever

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
I installed a Petronix ignition years ago. I seem to recall the Petronix is for positive ground and if I convert to negative ground I would have to change out the Petronix ignition. Do you know if that is true?
 

red57

Jedi Knight
Country flag
Online
Yes, you would have to change the Pertronics but that would be simpler (and probably cheaper) than going the inverter route.

However, as Rick & Keoke said, if you are going concours the inverter may well be the way to go.

Dave
 
OP
S

stever

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
I am definitely not concours oriented. However, for whatever reason I have found the conversion to negative ground to be "scary".
 

Bill Young

Senior Member
Country flag
Offline
I would be a lot more nervous with a 10 amp DC voltage inverter which is actually may be a voltage doubler creating 24 volts positive to float above the 12 volts positive chassis ground. This device used to be used in the early CB radio days so as to be able to "ground" the antenna to the radio frame and chassis. It created a 12 volt DC differential between the radio input and the radio frame. Radio Shack sold it under the Archer brand I recall. Converting to negative ground is very easy and works well. You will need to change the Pertronix and convert the electronic tachometer to negative ground operation. Lots of good articles written on this subject.

Bill Young
sjahc.com
 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
I installed a Petronix ignition years ago. I seem to recall the Petronix is for positive ground and if I convert to negative ground I would have to change out the Petronix ignition. Do you know if that is true?

Yes that is true:

However, the negative ground version of the pertronix which has been available for some time is again a simpler installation compared to the negative ground item model,
 
OP
S

stever

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
I just remembered I am in the process of installing a new positive ground electronic fuel pump, too,,,......ugh. What I would really like to do is install an original radio to the car. I never listen to the radio, anyway, just the exhaust! But, a new style radio in the dash just doesn't look right to me. Anyone have a working "original style" positive ground radio?
 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
Just a note: stever

An original style radio may include a switch that makes it compatible with either positive or negative ground systems.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
M BJ8 Positive-Negative Ground Conversion Austin Healey 7
doc50 Nash Metro Positive to Negative Ground Other British Cars 2
M TR2/3/3A Positive or negative ground? Triumph 6
Jim_Gruber Am I set up as Positive or Negative Ground? Spridgets 12
M Question about positive vs negative ground Spridgets 13
M_Pied_Lourd TR2/3/3A Identifying positive or negative ground.... Triumph 14
T TR2/3/3A LED tail lights for TR3A and positive vs. negative ground Triumph 11
E Positive ground or Negative ground. What have you? Austin Healey 12
S positive and negative ground Triumph 7
I Bugeye-better to have negative or positive ground? Spridgets 17
newmexTR3 positive/negative ground coil question Triumph 14
Newkie Converting Positive ground to Negative ground MG 4
Magyar How to convert from positive to negative ground? Spridgets 10
66healey Positive to negative ground conversion Austin Healey 2
jvandyke positive to negative ground conversion Spridgets 11
athenssprite positive to negative ground Spridgets 4
mine Positive convert to negative ground? Triumph 15
S positive and negative ground MG 59
Michael Oritt Battery Jumping Negative/Positive ground cars Austin Healey 31
Ohiobugeye Positive Ground to Negative Ground? Spridgets 12
T ground negative, positive Spridgets 6
R Positive to Negative Ground Issue Austin Healey 6
Y Positive Vs Negative ground + Alternator Vs Generator Austin Healey 1
R Positive to Negative Ground Conversion BJ8 Austin Healey 3
M positive to negative ground Austin Healey 3
B Positive-Ground LED Light Strip Austin Healey 8
V MGB Never occurred to me that my '66 would be positive ground. Does the presence of an alternator show that it's been converted? MG 22
red57 Positive ground radio Austin Healey 17
S Wanted Original Style Positive Ground Radio Austin Healey Classifieds 0
apbos Positive Ground Alternator wiring. Spridgets 9
6 Relay wiring positive ground Spridgets 4
M 66 ‘ BJ 8 Positive ground identification Austin Healey 4
R TR2/3/3A Positive-ground LED lights Triumph 13
S TR2/3/3A Positive Ground Question Triumph 2
Marla TR4/4A Positive ground inverter Triumph 9
P Jump starting a positive ground BJ8 Austin Healey 4
K TR2/3/3A Converting to Positive Ground....... Triumph 1
B Smiths RVI Positive Ground Tachometer Bench Test ? Austin Healey 24
drambuie Converting a smiths clock to positive ground Austin Healey 12
M LED lamps for Austin Healey with positive ground Austin Healey 0
Lukens What's the down side of "positive ground system"? Triumph 8
P How to use timing light with positive ground? Austin Healey 14
R 66 midget tach positive ground Spridgets 2
Mowgli81 Positive Ground Disconnect in Trunk Austin Healey 4
C Positive Ground History with Triumph Motorcycles British Motorbikes 1
Geo Hahn Brakelight Flasher for Positive Ground Triumph 2
cbrvfr Running modern accessories with positive ground? Austin Healey 4
BOBBYR Positive ground dwell Austin Healey 23
T Why positive ground? Austin Healey 17
S Size 34 Optima Battery w/positive ground Austin Healey 33

Similar threads

Top