Hi Jeff,
Running with the lights on is something that my wife and I are doing
more and more. Neither the bright red MGB GT nor the TD seems to be
visible. One of the fellows in our club recently installed some nifty
headlamps that he bought in the UK. The main driving illumination is
provided by a bulb inside the headlamp fixture, plus there is a smaller
bulb inside the reflector that acts as a daytime running light. Seems a
good idea, yet it isn't taxing his generator (MGA) unduly. If you just
need a little more power, could you adjust the regulator?
Coils work with either polarity. The center brake light consumes power
only when the other brake lights are on, so that's not much of a draw on
the system. I haven't had any experience with Pertronix, so can't say
about its polarity requirements. My TD needed a new, Positive Earth,
radio to replace the 1961 Motorola "transistor" model with built-in
bottom speaker, and two conalrad markers on the face. Was unable to find
a Pos ground radio in any catalogs, though have seen old ones at vendor
stalls in shows.
Nothing wrong with changing polarity in my opinion, please understand,
I just have an underlying interest in "original, unrestored." Having
said that, my TD is now neg-earth, for electronic reasons and "expert"
advice that still annoy me too much to relate. May reverse it again,
though, if the clock needs service this winter.
You are at Emory? I started college there, before the Navy and other
adventures...
Bob
On Tue, 8 Jul 1997 07:45:26 -0400 "Editors, Molecular Vision"
<jboatri@emory.edu> writes:
>Bob,
>
>Thanks for the reply. I eventually plan to install a Pertronix ignition
>module, an alternator, a larger coil, and a center brake light.
>Driving in
>Atlanta, for me, seems safer with the lights running all the time. The
>lights are awfully dim with the generator. The additional center brake
>light is one of the few safety features developed in recent years that
>I
>think works. The rest of the stuff is for lower maintenance and maybe
>a
>little better performance. Reversing polarity may be required for the
>Pertronix and the big coil. A radio is ok, but I'd be just as happy
>(for
>now) to have a pos. earth radio.
>
>Jeff
>
>>Hi Jeff,
>> At the GOF in Newton, Hal Kramer, who is an electrical engineer,
>>touched on this question briefly. He said that there is a small
>benefit
>>to Negative Earth, in that the spark jumps across the plugs more
>easily.
>>I vaguely recall some long-lost tuning book in which there was an
>>illustration of a fellow holding a spark plug and using a pencil to
>test
>>the direction of the spark--from tip to base or base to tip. I
>always
>>wondered how he could maintain his stability to view the spark, as
>there
>>was probably another one passing simultaneously through the soles of
>his
>>shoes. Nevertheless, it was considered significant at that time.
>> Why do you want to convert to Negative anyway, unless it is to
>allow
>>easy fitment of radio/stereo equipment?
>>Bob
>>On Mon, 7 Jul 1997 16:29:48 -0400 "Editors, Molecular Vision"
>><jboatri@emory.edu> writes:
>>>Hello list!
>>>
>>>I am sure that this has been discussed before, but here goes:
>>>
>>>I have a '65 Sprite that is positive ground. I've seen several
>>>articles
>>>about converting to negative ground. I am planning to do this.
>First,
>>>though, are there ANY positives to leaving it positive? Second, am I
>>>assured of losing coil efficiency, or is there a way around this?
>>>
>>>TIA,
>>>
>>>Jeff
>>>
>>>____________________________________________________________
>>>Jeff Boatright '65 Sprite Mk III (funfunfun)
>>>Editor-in-Chief, Mol. Vis. '47 Cessna 140 (in pieces)
>>>http://www.emory.edu/molvis '87 Horizon (full cab pick-up)
>>>http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jboatri/sprite/sprite.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>_____________________________________________________MV
>
>Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
>Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
>http://www.emory.edu/molvis
>
>
>
>
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