Billy J Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 I have a 1935 Hudson Terraplane originally 6 Volt positive ground. It has been converted to 6 Volt negative ground. I want to install an original factory radio. Does the polarity matter for this old radio ? I think if you switch polarity on a newer car radio, it will fry the components ? Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Why not convert it back to positive ground? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Radio and car need to have the same polarity, if not you will release the all important operating smoke that keeps everything running. 4 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy J Posted March 22, 2022 Author Share Posted March 22, 2022 I can convert back to positive ground but negative ground alternator was added. May have trouble finding a 6 Volt positive ground alternator. Thanks for comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 6 volt pos ground alternators are for sale on the web every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 You can even get a six volt alternator that looks like a generator for the car. dave s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB26 Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Oh yeah, radios don’t like working on the opposite polarity. I have a Dodge with 6v pos. ground and put in a radio that was 12v neg ground. I have a step up transformer installed. I isolated that radio well, but not well enough. The radio chassis touched the firewall and blew my fuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAH Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Guys, actually for the most part the original 6V. 30s - 40s tube radios with original mechanical vibrators could care less Pos. or NEG ground. However if there was a modern solid state replacement vibrator installed, IT should be polarity correct. Yes there are Pos and Neg solid state vibrators. NEWER solid state radios ARE polarity sensitive. So vintage will likely dictate success in changing the original polarity of your car. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioguybill Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 I'll second RAH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy J Posted April 19, 2022 Author Share Posted April 19, 2022 RAH , Thank you very much for the answer about radio polarity. Several companies made car radios back then and apparently were not concerned about it. Appreciate the reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joao46 Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Am I hearing this correctly? A 1949 vacuum tube radio doe not care about positive or negative ground? Are you sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 It depends. The basic technology (6 volt tube filaments and vibrators) are not polarity sensitive. Many radios will work fine backwards. That is not a guarantee that all will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 One would have to look at the schematic to make sure. Oddly, some vibrators care, but these were mostly in commercial two way radios. Or, same vibrator, but you pulled them out, turned them 180 and reinserted them. He was an arrow/ pos/ neg markings to show which way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Still sad that RAH isn't with us any longer. I suppose we'll always be reminded of it at times like these when some of his old posts are brought back to the top. Rest in peace, Rodger Dodger... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 And Dave, 38 Studebaker also... 😞 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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