Negative Earth Dumb Question

GRM 450 · Sep 29, 2009

Hello,
I'm part way through rewiring a Mk3 and wiring it Negative Earth.

Today I was asked why not leave it Positive Earth ?

I couldn't answer the question.

What, if any, advantages are attained by Negative Earth.

The bike has Pazon surefire and Pazon regulator.

Regards Graeme.

petejohno · Sep 29, 2009

I am considering doing the same thing graeme - so that I can plug my GPS in - I presume it will require negative earth. If its too much hassle though, I wont bother and just run it off the internal GPS battery.
Johno

kommando · Sep 30, 2009

I went to negitive earth to fit a modern alarm system, having to keep on refering to a modified diagram plus the alarm failing was too much hassle so its back to positive earth and the GPS is powdered from a wired in car cigar lighter socket.

petejohno · Sep 30, 2009

Thanks for the info Kommando. Did you just connect the power to the earth lead on the cigarette lighter socket and earth the other one ?

maylar · Sep 30, 2009

I rewired my MKII as negative earth this year, so I could use the commonly available LED replacement bulbs in my blinkers. The positive earth varieties are much more difficult to obtain and cost more. Other than LEDs and maybe alarm systems, there's not much point in it.

My Garmin GPS doesn't care, it connects with 2 wires and doesn't need ground.

Coco · Sep 30, 2009

I went with neg earth simply because pretty much every vehicle made now is neg earth. I was rewiring from scratch anyway so why not be current?

Fullauto · Sep 30, 2009

Coco said:
I went with neg earth simply because pretty much every vehicle made now is neg earth. I was rewiring from scratch anyway so why not be current?

Ohm my God! I see a million puns about to happen.

Coco · Sep 30, 2009

Fullauto said:
Coco said:

I went with neg earth simply because pretty much every vehicle made now is neg earth. I was rewiring from scratch anyway so why not be current?

Click to expand...

Ohm my God! I see a million puns about to happen.

I figured someone would get it sooner or later.

GRM 450 · Sep 30, 2009

I can see the positive and negative of both ways, But still can't see a good reason for changing polarity.

Apart from accessaries is there a good argument for changing??????????

Graeme.

norbsa48503 · Sep 30, 2009

Once you have chucked the Zenor you can go your own way. Nothing else on the bike cares. If you do,make a sticker for anyone working on the bike that it is negative ground, under the seat is good.
The only other reason to stay positive earth is all those red wires, witch are really confusing when found on the negative side. So if you go, go all the way and change all the reds to blacks or Greens. Remedial color symbols help workers under duress.