VL - Positve Ground?

[wideglide38]

I am assembling my VLD dash and looking over the wiring diagram it appears the electrical system is a positive ground system. I am I reading the diagram correct?

Thanks,
William

[Jim]

See my old post about this:

http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...-VL&highlight=

[wideglide38]

Jim,
Thanks for thread! I searched the forum by "VL Positive Ground" and came up with 15 pages of results - after 2 pages I gave. Isn't the ammeter is polarity sensitive? I thought so. I'm assuming the larger diameter post is positive and the smaller negative? I connected a 6v battery, load and ammeter (Weston 354 ammeter) was able to produce a discharge across the meter; then reversed the leads and it produced a needle swing to charge. Is there a better way to determine a meter's polarity?
Thanks

[Jim]

Hmmm... I do believe that the ammeter will work both ways, but I recommend someone with more electrical experience will need to answer that one. It's been a LONG time since I put any of that together.

[Robert Luland]

It will work ether way but the needle will just go in the other direction. Bob L

[Steve Slocombe]

I also think the late VL wiring diagram is misleading. It shows the white face ammeter grounded through the left terminal, like the earlier bar and shield ammeter, but the white unit is upside down (with the needle pivot at the top) and at least the repro units need to be grounded through the right hand terminal.

[wideglide38]

Thanks all. I ohmmed out the switches this afternoon and the switching and contacts makes more sense. What still has me concerned is the left post of the ammeter is in direct contact with the switch plate p/n 4514-29 (which is grounded to forks & frame). The right ammeter post is isolated from the switch plate and has the yellow wire back to battery negative post in the diagram. When the right switch is turned to "park" or clockwise or "on" or counter-clockwise; battery positive is sent from terminal #6 through spring copper contact to terminal #7 then to the dash lamp then onto the left ammeter post and grounded switch plate. Which is a direct short. I believe the two wires should be reversed where the yellow wire (battery negative) lands on the left ammeter post and the right, isolated ammeter post receives the wire from the dash lamp (battery positive). Have I completely missed something??
Thanks,
William

[Steve Slocombe]

No, I don't think you have missed anything. The later VLs with the white faced ammeter need to be grounded through the right hand terminal, not the left, and the Harley wiring diagram is misleading. Maybe that's why the 1935 Shop Dope reports bulb failures and recommends running a separate ground wire to the frame.

[haubi]

Hello,

A question to the electric plan.
I`m not the electric expert. But is this right, if only the ignition switch is on , the motor is running and at this time the light is on. And the light switch is not turned !!
If you have contact between 5 and 6 , the lights are on and the battery get charged.
Is the right ?

Thank you, haubi