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Thread: Series III Electrics

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    Series III Electrics

    Hello All,

    Please forgive my ignorance here but I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to Series III electrics. I am about to fit a new alternator to my 1981 Series III Diesel and have only just noticed that the other end of the positive battery lead terminates on the engine block (where the oil filler tube is anchored back to the block with a bracket).

    20220528_112806.jpg

    Is this normal and does that mean that I have a positive earth system?

    Thanks in advance,

    Rohan.

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    No, It means someone has used a red cable instead of a black one , and the battery has been put in the wrong way around.
    Probably why you need a new alternator because its blown from battery being backwards.

    Series 3 are most definitely negative earth.

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    Quote Originally Posted by goingbush View Post
    No, It means someone has used a red cable instead of a black one , and the battery has been put in the wrong way around.
    Probably why you need a new alternator because its blown from battery being backwards.

    Series 3 are most definitely negative earth.
    I was worried that was the case. I'm surprised that it even starts in that configuration. My knowledge of things electric is poor I know but I would have thought that the starter would fry also if not turn the engine over backwards.

    Since I posted this thread I have had some other issues as well which means the engine will be coming out. May as well get the engine, gearbox, and transfer case overhauled while I'm at it. I was hoping for this ute to keep going for at least this winter. Looks like we'll be using the Prado and trailer instead.

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    JDNSW's Avatar
    JDNSW is offline RoverLord Silver Subscriber
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    Starters don't worry about polarity! Neither does Kettering ignition (used on all Series Landrovers)
    John

    JDNSW
    1986 110 County 3.9 diesel
    1970 2a 109 2.25 petrol

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    Quote Originally Posted by JDNSW View Post
    Starters don't worry about polarity! Neither does Kettering ignition (used on all Series Landrovers)

    Thanks John. My knowledge base grows.

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    Earthing standards

    Wow, I haven’t heard this kind of discussion for a very long time!
    when I was a teenager in the mid-‘70s, my mum took me to but a second HandMorris 1000 telecoms van sales yard. I vividly remember the salesman who had about a dozen of these vans in his yard saying that some were positive earth and some negative. I was gobsmacked. The van that Mum chose was obviously positive earth, and she said she would buy it if it was negative earth (Dad’s instructions). He smiled and said he wouldn’t change it,he would show me how to change it!! As a 15 year old I was really nervous.

    there is no way my memory can be trusted after nearly 50 years, but I think we just changed the polarity, turned in the ignition for a few seconds for something to happen to the diodes in the alternator (?), and then started! The van worked fine for several years until it died of rust.

    the electrics were comparably sophisticated to a Series Landy, and it also had a electric fuel lift pump, all courtesy of Lucas.

    Out of interest I’d suggest blowing $10 for a multimeter from Jaycar or eBay, and just check the polarity.

    Does anyone know any more of what looks like this barbaric process? I’d be very interested. I’m pretty sure it was an alternator, nor a dynamo in the van.

    Cerise

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cerise View Post
    Wow, I haven’t heard this kind of discussion for a very long time!
    when I was a teenager in the mid-‘70s, my mum took me to but a second HandMorris 1000 telecoms van sales yard. I vividly remember the salesman who had about a dozen of these vans in his yard saying that some were positive earth and some negative. I was gobsmacked. The van that Mum chose was obviously positive earth, and she said she would buy it if it was negative earth (Dad’s instructions). He smiled and said he wouldn’t change it,he would show me how to change it!! As a 15 year old I was really nervous.

    there is no way my memory can be trusted after nearly 50 years, but I think we just changed the polarity, turned in the ignition for a few seconds for something to happen to the diodes in the alternator (?), and then started! The van worked fine for several years until it died of rust.

    the electrics were comparably sophisticated to a Series Landy, and it also had a electric fuel lift pump, all courtesy of Lucas.

    Out of interest I’d suggest blowing $10 for a multimeter from Jaycar or eBay, and just check the polarity.

    Does anyone know any more of what looks like this barbaric process? I’d be very interested. I’m pretty sure it was an alternator, nor a dynamo in the van.

    Cerise
    Looking at it, John has confirmed my suspicions. The red (earth) lead is clearly anchored to the engine block. Other than that it seems to be a positive earth set up.

    Due to other problems the ute has been temporarily retired to another shed while I go away for my winter work. I'll get it back out in September or October and pull the engine and gearbox out and sort all the problems at once.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cerise View Post
    ....
    Does anyone know any more of what looks like this barbaric process? I’d be very interested. I’m pretty sure it was an alternator, nor a dynamo in the van.

    Cerise
    If it is an alternator, changing the polarity is NOT that simple - the alternator must be changed (and positive earth alternators are extremely rare - I've never seen one).
    John

    JDNSW
    1986 110 County 3.9 diesel
    1970 2a 109 2.25 petrol

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