How to do a Battery hook up for model a.

[josh1331]

What is best way to hook up the battery and get a good ground. What goes to the starter the positive or negative cable sorry I know positive goes to chassis I meant to get best ground

[A31Woody]

6 volt? Neg goes to starter, positive goes to the frame. I also have a ground going from the same point on the frame to the transmission. Make sure your contact points are clean and paint free.

[Joe K]

If you're into it for points, then there is only one way. The OEM cable "straps" are not the best for practical use, but that is what the car came with originally.

More modern braided copper cables are available and are probably the most practical. But the problem remains to have the best connection possible to the frame at the crossmember.

For either of these the best suggestion is to clean everything off before mounting your cleaned bolting on cleaned straps/cables. Stainless bolting might be recommended for it's ability to resist corrosion. Some non point people advocate copper or bronze fasteners at this position. In either or all cases be sure to use a "conductive grease" on parts before assembly and torquing. Wipe clean for point show.

My particular favorite conductive grease is "No-Al-Ox" which is available at the Orange Place, and if not there certainly at your local domestic electrical supply house. Originally designed to maintain contact of aluminum wires on copper panel boards (a particular hazard of 1970s built houses using aluminum wire) the grease prevents corrosion AND provides a conductive path on any two electrical components.

Others have replied with similar products of different brand names.

Hope this helps. A good ground is ESSENTIAL to low voltage systems. No-Al-Ox works on battery terminals too.

Joe K

[Tom Wesenberg]

I've never had a problem with just the original setup.
If I had a problem, I'd just add a star washer between the ground cable and chassis.

[Mitch//pa]

Make sure your chassis is clean of paint and rust where cable connects and cable is also clean.
Original style cables works for me also. Sometimes one adds an extra ground cable to cover up a deficiency in the grounding circuit

[Kurt in NJ]

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I like to "tin" the frame where the ground is bolted on, I did this when I restored my car 40 years ago, havn't touched it since, still have a good ground, if I was to take it apart I would use conductive grease also, then I didn't know about it.

Also many of the auto parts store "factory made" cables have steel terminals, the outside has some anti corrosion plating, but the inside is just crimped to steel, not good for a long term connection, I like a heavy copper/brass terminal crimped and soldered.

Sometimes our restoration painting causes problems when machined surfaces are painted, the electrical path needs to be thought about--

When a terminal is bolted to a stud the path is through the sides of the terminal to the sides of the washer, then to the sides of the nut, then through the threads to the threads of the stud, if you use old rusty nuts and washers it makes for a bad connection

On a starter and generator the path from the brushes is is often painted if it is painted apart --the ends of the field housing have to make contact with the end plates, originally it was new machined surfaces to new bare stampings/castings, then painted assembled, the the machined unpainted surface was bolted to the machined unpainted flywheel housing boss, the new bolts with new sharp ended lockwashers that bite through the thin 1 layer of paint.

A proper total restoration eliminates the "need" for most modifications.

[John LaVoy]

You will need a secondary connection if the engine pans have been removed. They provided the connection between the frame and engine block to complete the electrical circuit.

[Mike V. Florida]

The engine pans provide an additional path to gound as they are not the only path. The front engine mount has no rubber insulator, the frame to springs, the springs to axle the axle to torque tube the torque tube to tranny the tranny to engine have no insulators. The fuel line from the carb to fire wall also have no insulation.

Anytime one can supply an additional ground (engine pans additional wire to bell housing) it is a good thing.

[28RPU]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but as a side note; if you have a Model A that does not have a battery in it, is there any way to tell if someone has changed it over to negative ground? I don't want to hook it up backwards if someone has reversed the system.

[TDO]

I have the same set up as A31WOODY, WORKS GREAT

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by 28RPU

I don't want to hijack this thread, but as a side note; if you have a Model A that does not have a battery in it, is there any way to tell if someone has changed it over to negative ground? I don't want to hook it up backwards if someone has reversed the system.

Not 100% but a pretty sure way is to connect a battery charger to the battery cables and turn on the lights. If the ammeter goes to the discharge side, then the polarity is probably correct as indicated by the charger leads.

[28RPU]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Not 100% but a pretty sure way is to connect a battery charger to the battery cables and turn on the lights. If the ammeter goes to the discharge side, then the polarity is probably correct as indicated by the charger leads.

Hmm, that sounds like it would work. Thanks

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Not 100% but a pretty sure way is to connect a battery charger to the battery cables and turn on the lights. If the ammeter goes to the discharge side, then the polarity is probably correct as indicated by the charger leads.

You can't damage anything by reversing the battery if the car is stock. I don't know that would happen if the voltage was reversed in a car that had an alt.

[RichPA]

You should also consider a disconnect switch, if you do a search here there are many good suggestions.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by 28RPU

I don't want to hijack this thread, but as a side note; if you have a Model A that does not have a battery in it, is there any way to tell if someone has changed it over to negative ground? I don't want to hook it up backwards if someone has reversed the system.

Yo, 28,
Look at the battery cable ends, the one that is spread open the WIDEST is the positive + and some batteries are color marked RED= positive and GREEN= negative - The GREEN post is always skinnier. (The Dog is agreeing with me this time! He never forgets when I wrote something wrong, ONCE!) Bill W.

[28RPU]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Yo, 28,
Look at the battery cable ends, the one that is spread open the WIDEST is the positive + and some batteries are color marked RED= positive and GREEN= negative - The GREEN post is always skinnier. (The Dog is agreeing with me this time! He never forgets when I wrote something wrong, ONCE!) Bill W.

Another good point. Thanks Bill....& Dog

[josh1331]

Thank you all for tips appreciate. Jo hn