Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

silly me, I have just purchased a new , and expensive, 6 volt battery for my W/ng, the one I am replacing has spade terminals the new one small bolts, that isn't the problem, what is the fact I didn't take notice of the correct cables as to polarity and as the wiring on the bike is like the proverbial crows nest there is nothing on the old spade terminals to I/D polarity, I don't really wish to rewire the whole machine at the moment so is there any simple way to I/D polarity, I did connect the battery the way I believed it should be and when turning the lights on the ammeter showed a discharge, is this all there is to it?
Thanks and kind regards

That's enough Richard. Does it run? Start it and it should swing to the positive given a few revs.

W/NGs are negative earth, by the way, though after 70 odd years there's no knowing how it's been wired.

It's a simple matter to change either way, unless you have an electronic regulator or older LED bulbs.

thank you Simon, I havn't had her running for quite a while now but I have joined the club and intend to take her to the Black Forrest rally in May hence spending monies, ouch, ouch, ouch,! I shall have a go at firing her up in the week.
kind regards

hi my w/ng was positive earth when i got it over 30 years ago, and when i rewired it 3 years ago i made negative earth and i have a 53 nh is now negative earth and i believe it was positive earth when new and a lot of older motorcycles and cars etc are positive earth

Some interesting reading from Lucas on why they changed to positive earth in the mid '30's.
I believe that the reason for changing back (in the '60's) was around the increasing use of semi conductors in in-car entertainment equipment. Heaven knows why the W/NG alone was wired negative - standardisation with US vehicles I should think.