1937 LaSalle electric issue

[Craig]

Hi,

I have a 1937 LaSalle.

Today the battery was a little weak as I had not drivem the car for awhile.  I took the battery out to charge it and when I put it back in I put it in backwards.  I believe the car is supposed to be positive ground and I hooked it up as negative ground.  The car started and ran fine and the generator seemed to be generating as the headlamps got brighter when I revved the engine.  I took some neighbors for a ride and the car died when I went around a corner.  It turned out that the battery cable shorted out on the battery cover.  This is when I realized that I had reversed polarity, as the one cable did not fit on the battery post all the way.  I took the battery cover off and was able to push start the carand make it home.

I have the charger on the battery now to see if it will take a charge.  My question is, can I now leave the car hooked up as negative ground?  Should I put the polarity back to positive ground?

I know before there was some issue as to polarity but I "flashed" the generator based on instructions received here to make the generator recognize it is positive ground.  Would I have to re-flash if I put is back to positive ground or should I just leave it as negative ground and "flash" it that way?

Would I have done any harm to the voltage regulator or generator by running it as negative ground?

Any thoughts and or input welcome.

Thanks,

Craig

[Gergstuff]

Okay, I tracked down the old post I had about pos. v. neg. ground.

There seemed to be a bit of a difference of opinion as to the best way to go.

I do not have a radio and the voltage regulator appears new so perhaps it is one that will accept either polarity?

With the polarity reversed (negative ground) at least the ammeter runs the right way.

Any votes for positive v. negative ground?

Craig

[Otto Skorzeny]

There will probably be no damage to the generator. I don't know about the regulator.

I actually had a regulator malfunctionl which caused a reverse polarity, energizing the generator in such a way that it tried to spin on its. own (while the car was stopped and off). The engine, of course, kept this from happening. The generator got really hot before I was able to disconnect everything. After I replaced the regulator I flashed the generator to proper polarity and have had no problems with any of the components since.