LEDs on a Positive Ground System

[SOCOPowerMan]

Has anyone tried this? I would like to add LEDs to our Oliver 770 since none of the old bulbs work anymore. But being a positive ground I wasn't sure how that would effect them.

I *THINK* I remember that LEDs are polar in such a ways that if they don't work with your wiring you just swap the + and - around and they should work then. By that theory it shouldn't matter if the system is a positive or negative ground, right?

 

[Steve@Advance]

That is true, they are polarity specific.

Only time that is a problem is trying to use a replacement lamp in a socket that grounds through the base.

As far as headlights, they have a harness plug or screw terminals which can be easily reversed.

 

[John T]

That's right they are DIODES and as such indeed polarity sensitive. So long as the socket/bulb base allows wiring at reverse polarity you should be fine. NOTE any old time (if you have such and any such blinkers/flashers etc) bi metal current/heat flashers may not function due to LED high resistance ???.

John T

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Would you consider changing the tractor over to negative ground? I usually change my antiques over to 12V neg ground. Although, I do have a couple here which are still 6V, but they are neg ground. I couldn't find 6V LED's locally, or reasonably, so I found a little inverter/converter- [I don't remember what it's called, except that it's not called a transformer]. which got me 12V so I could use some LED's I had.

 

[wore out]

Are you intending to swap and LED "lamp/bulb" into an existing light unit, or replacing the whole unit with an "LED lamp assembly"?

If starting from scratch most light units have a read and a black wire, if (+) ground, simply connect the red wire to chassis ground.

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

(quoted from post at 09:08:20 05/04/20) Are you intending to swap and LED "lamp/bulb" into an existing light unit, or replacing the whole unit with an "LED lamp assembly"?

If starting from scratch most light units have a read and a black wire, if (+) ground, simply connect the red wire to chassis ground.

I should have clarified that. I'll start from scratch. I'm not trying to put an LED bulb in the old housing unit. I'll just get something that's got a similar look that's already packaged up nice and neat with two little wires hanging out!

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

(quoted from post at 08:55:27 05/04/20) Would you consider changing the tractor over to negative ground? I usually change my antiques over to 12V neg ground. Although, I do have a couple here which are still 6V, but they are neg ground. I couldn't find 6V LED's locally, or reasonably, so I found a little inverter/converter- [I don't remember what it's called, except that it's not called a transformer]. which got me 12V so I could use some LED's I had.

Would I consider this? Yes. But why? Wouldn't that entail changing a lot of the parts - starter/gauges/wiring for just about everything? Is there a big benefit that I'm not thinking about by doing this?

 

[SOCOPowerMan]

(quoted from post at 08:55:27 05/04/20) Would you consider changing the tractor over to negative ground? I usually change my antiques over to 12V neg ground. Although, I do have a couple here which are still 6V, but they are neg ground. I couldn't find 6V LED's locally, or reasonably, so I found a little inverter/converter- [I don't remember what it's called, except that it's not called a transformer]. which got me 12V so I could use some LED's I had.

We also have a Ford 601 that's 6V and I have toyed with the idea of changing it to 12V. But can't really justify the cost for a tractor that we only put 10-15 hours a year on right now. If you can find information on that invertor/converter/non-ransformer, then send it may way. I need new lights all around on that tractor, too!

 

[buickanddeere]

Just purchase LED's that are not polarity sensitive

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Changing polarity is not a big deal, unless you have a polarity specific voltage regulator. Usually just changing wires around.