Why were so many British cars positive earth?

Paul Hovnanian wrote:

> John Kunkel wrote:
> >
> > "Hugo Schmeisser" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I did some Googling and came up with nothing. Hard to believe no
> > > one else has apparently ever asked this question. Or maybe I'm
> > > looking in the wrong place.
> > >
> > > Anybody know? (Besides "because they were British", that is...)
> >
> > It actually makes more sense (to me) to have a positive ground
> > since DC current flows from negative to positive.
>
> Its a British car. Which way does the smoke travel?
>
> ;-)


Towards the Prince of Darkness...

"Pete C." > wrote in message
...
> AZ Nomad wrote:
>
> Incorrect. Red is most certainly a "hot" lead in house wiring. For 240v
> circuits such as stoves, dryers, large A/C, etc. you have both black and
> red hot leads along with your ground and if needed a neutral.
>
> Also as someone else has noted, white wires can also be hot leads if the
> ends are marked with black or red tape.
>
> Pete C.

I've never seen this. A 240V circuit uses the same (color) wire as a 120V
circuit. And a neutral is not needed or wanted.

John Kunkel wrote:
> "Hugo Schmeisser" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I did some Googling and came up with nothing. Hard to believe no one
> > else has apparently ever asked this question. Or maybe I'm looking in
> > the wrong place.
> >
> > Anybody know? (Besides "because they were British", that is...)
>
> It actually makes more sense (to me) to have a positive ground since DC
> current flows from negative to positive.

I remember reading something decades ago that the reason for positive
earth was spark plug electrode erosion. On the early spark plugs that
is.
Regards, Mik (the Brit

Chas Hurst wrote:
> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ...
> > AZ Nomad wrote:
> >
> > Incorrect. Red is most certainly a "hot" lead in house wiring. For 240v
> > circuits such as stoves, dryers, large A/C, etc. you have both black and
> > red hot leads along with your ground and if needed a neutral.
> >
> > Also as someone else has noted, white wires can also be hot leads if the
> > ends are marked with black or red tape.
> >
> > Pete C.
>
> I've never seen this. A 240V circuit uses the same (color) wire as a 120V
> circuit. And a neutral is not needed or wanted.

Sure it is, without a neutral you have no way of using one leg for a
120V circuit for, say, the light inside your dryer, or the timer motor
for same...

nate

When trying to figure out which wire is hot don't assume that anything
other than red color is not hot. It's a good way to get burned.

"Chas Hurst" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ...
> > AZ Nomad wrote:
> >
> > Incorrect. Red is most certainly a "hot" lead in house wiring. For 240v
> > circuits such as stoves, dryers, large A/C, etc. you have both black and
> > red hot leads along with your ground and if needed a neutral.
> >
> > Also as someone else has noted, white wires can also be hot leads if the
> > ends are marked with black or red tape.
> >
> > Pete C.
>
> I've never seen this. A 240V circuit uses the same (color) wire as a 120V
> circuit. And a neutral is not needed or wanted.
>
>

"Chas Hurst" > wrote in message
...
>

> I've never seen this. A 240V circuit uses the same (color) wire as a 120V
> circuit. And a neutral is not needed or wanted.

European systems often do not use a 'neutral', but American designs may have
to have it.
I ran into this with an American clothes dryer in Norway which blew the
breakers as soon as
I plugged it it. I solved it by having a transformer wound to give me the
120-0-120 split.

> wrote in message
m...
>
> "Chas Hurst" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
>
> > I've never seen this. A 240V circuit uses the same (color) wire as a
120V
> > circuit. And a neutral is not needed or wanted.
>
> European systems often do not use a 'neutral', but American designs may
have
> to have it.
> I ran into this with an American clothes dryer in Norway which blew the
> breakers as soon as
> I plugged it it. I solved it by having a transformer wound to give me the
> 120-0-120 split.

Europeans do not use a 2 wire spilt phase 240V circuit as we do. That's why
you had trouble.

Chas Hurst wrote:
>
> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ...
> > AZ Nomad wrote:
> >
> > Incorrect. Red is most certainly a "hot" lead in house wiring. For 240v
> > circuits such as stoves, dryers, large A/C, etc. you have both black and
> > red hot leads along with your ground and if needed a neutral.
> >
> > Also as someone else has noted, white wires can also be hot leads if the
> > ends are marked with black or red tape.
> >
> > Pete C.
>
> I've never seen this. A 240V circuit uses the same (color) wire as a 120V
> circuit. And a neutral is not needed or wanted.

Then apparently you haven't looked at any houses in the US since the
days of knob and tube wiring.

As for the neutral, for pure 240v devices a neutral is not needed
however many 240v appliances also have 120v components and require the
neutral as well. A 240v A/C unit usually doesn't need a neutral, a 240v
electric stove often does need a neutral for things such as lights,
convenience outlets, timers, etc.

Pete C.

"John S." wrote:
>
> When trying to figure out which wire is hot don't assume that anything
> other than red color is not hot. It's a good way to get burned.

Wrong - Do not assume anything at all. Test everything when there is any
question as to how things have been wired. In the US at least, red is
very often a hot lead for a 240v circuit.

Pete C.