Battery Master switch on Neg Leg?

[Yetiman]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Back in the 50's a LOT of English cars (and perhaps others) were positive ground systems, many of them 6 volt at that. Positive ground 'didn't catch on' because most everybody in the world was using negative ground.

I would assume from that a positive ground system works better, unless of course your pretty sure Lucas Wiring was onto something. Lucas? Had a better idea? Not likely!

I was by no means saying that a positive ground system was better. But if it were the standard that everyone followed, it wouldn't be so bad. The problems arose when people unknowingly used components designed for negative ground in those vehicles.
The main problem wasn't inherant to the positive ground system.

6 volt electrical systems were a terrible idea because everything has to draw twice the amount of current, and the wiring was rarely up to the load over the lifetime of the car.

Originally Posted by cobrashoch

Yetiman - We are ALL in agreement that you need a high rated safety switch regardless of which side you put the darn thing on.

The reason I replied to this thread in the first place was because multiple people had stated that you could use a switch with a lower current rating if you switched the negative lead (which is false).

Originally Posted by Sydney

But, have you ever noticed that any automotive book or instruction manual tells you to disconnect the negative battery terminal before you do any work that involves the electrical system? Hmmm..... more food for thought.

Sydney

The reason books always tell you to disconnect the negative first is because if you touch the chassis with the wrench it won't arc, and once the negative lead is disconnected, if you touch the chassis with the wrench while disconnecting the positive terminal, it also won't arc (no circuit to complete). It comes down to being a slightly safer procedure, and there are lawyers in the world.