Thread: why not 6 volt?

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why should i switch from 6 volt to 12? if everything works what is the advantage?

why? starting and so other people can see you on the road at nite.

Switching is beneficial for the same reasons that car manufacturers switched in the fifties. First, power is amps times volts. Doubling the volts halfs the amps for the same power. This means that wiring is lighter OR on the other hand, more power is delivered at the same amperage.

If you need late model accessories like a stereo, air solenoids, gps, etc, it is tough to find the new stuff in six volts......and the hokey volt a drop resistors arent a good solution.

If you keep it original, six it is....if you modernize, 12 is the way to go. Soon, cars will run on a 42 volt system for the same reason.....triple the voltage delivers much more power thru the same size wire OR you can drop the wire size.

If your 6 volt system is strong and in working order there is no reason to change a stock car. For performance in a modern V8 yeah, you gotta go to 12 volts. My stock straight 8 1950 Packard has a 875 CCA 6 volt Interstate battery- that's equal to my 96 Eldorado's! A new starter will spin fast like it should on your car. The generator is a downside if you drive a lot. Lots of short trips= many start ups- never allows the generator to replace what the starts took out and then you have a low battery. If you don't want to mess with changing to 12 volt bulbs and fiddling with 12v to 6v voltage reducers to run instruments and such, just get a 6 volt alternator. Almost evryone in So. California with either rod or original stocker uses an alternator in place of a generator. This goes for old 12 volt systems originally using generators too.

My 6v Delco generator put out 35 amps and a 6v alterntor will put out 65 amps. With a very powerful battery like I got, I have absolutely no problems with weak lights at night. If you do lots of battery draining stuff you can just charge it up later but never have to worry about draining it completely at the time.

If you decide to stay with 6 volt-- track down an Optima dealer that carries or can order a 6 volt Optima. Worked GREAT on my '51 Chev when it was stock and ran me $100 or so.

So what does the change involve? Just a new battery and alternator or is there more?

I have done it before----
to do it right-- it's actually pretty involved. I just added a couple of step downs to my guages, installed a 12v generator and put a low amp 12v battery in??? It worked just fine for over a year until I sold my '54 Chev.......

Of course to do it right......

I would recommend the Top Secret guide to 12v conversions. Speedway motors carries it.


Hope that helps.