Pos or neg Ground?

[firefighteremt3100]

I was wondering if anyone could explain how to determine if your vehicle is Positive or Negative Grounded? I got a 2004 Silverado and Im not sure which type it is. My 99 Silverado I believe was Negative Ground. Thanks in advance...

[Cool Zr2]

negative ground.

[71GMC_3/4T]

Pretty much anything you find nowadays is negative ground.

 

You'd have to go waaaay back in years to find positive gnd. I think there were some tractors, and possibly old cars/trucks that had pos gnd, and they were usually back in the 6 volt battery era.

 

How to determine?

Use a voltmeter to measure from a metal part of your chassis to the + terminal. If you read +12V, you have negative ground. If you read nothing, measure to the - terminal. If you read -12V, you have positive ground.

Another way is to follow the cables from the battery to where they connect. If the - cable attaches to the engine block, it is negative ground.

[firefighteremt3100]

Thanks alot for the quick answers. Apparently I'm not thinking today so forgive my ignorance

[Shawn T]

I am under the impression that every type of vehicle on the market is negative grounded. I think back in the "old days" there were vehicles equipped with posative grounded systems. Every car battery I have ever seen is grounded on the negative side. Sure posative grounding works on DC application, you just get a "negative voltage". It just reverses the polarity. I don't know if there is an advantage to either, just industry standard. I am trying to remember through all of the beer drinking days of college to my very first semester when I had actual DC theory, so I could be wrong.

[firefighteremt3100]

I failed AC/DC Electronics so....I cant go by that lol. Just all the emergency lights and siren manuals all have sections dependent upon if its positive or a negatively grounded vehicle. Just wantm_reo make sure of the difference.

[Shawn T]

I am under the impression that every type of vehicle on the market is negative grounded.  I think back in the "old days" there were vehicles equipped with posative grounded systems.  Every car battery I have ever seen is grounded  on the negative side.  Sure posative grounding works on DC application, you just get a "negative voltage".  It just reverses the polarity.  I don't know if there is an advantage to either, just industry standard.  I am trying to remember through all of the beer drinking days of college to my very first semester when I had actual DC theory, so I could be wrong.

 

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71 GMC 3/4T

We must have been posting at the same time, because I pretty much repeated what you explained. Anyways, at least I have somebody agreeing with me.