12v innards to 6v gen housing??
- Thread starter Human Fly
- Start date
Bassman/NZ
Well-known member
I have done this. I used the barrel and field coils from a 58 Ford Y block. The end plates and armature are the original 6v. Works fine.
In actual fact, a 6v gennie can be used as is, simply by using a 12 volt regulator. Gennies dont know whether they are 6v or 12v, it's the regulator that specifies voltage. However, there is a small possibility of overheating and burning out a 6v gennie used in this manner. Some folks will leap up and down and say using a 6v is wrong, but it's not. I have done it myself in previous builds. The only reason I'm using the 12v fields this time is because they were given to me.
In actual fact, a 6v gennie can be used as is, simply by using a 12 volt regulator. Gennies dont know whether they are 6v or 12v, it's the regulator that specifies voltage. However, there is a small possibility of overheating and burning out a 6v gennie used in this manner. Some folks will leap up and down and say using a 6v is wrong, but it's not. I have done it myself in previous builds. The only reason I'm using the 12v fields this time is because they were given to me.
chuck stevens
Well-known member
Yes, it can be done and it works fine. I used a early 60's 12v field coils, removed very carefully. The countersunk square drive bolt that holds them is hard to get out, but once it's removed on all of them you can slid them out. They fit the 6v barrel perfect. I used the 12v armature in the flathead generator and found a 12v regulator with the right size amp rating. I was very surprised when the ol amp meter went to the + on start up. The nice thing is if the battery is out of sight this system looks totally stock.
8BA gen has two alignment holes on the bottom of the case with the pin located in the one that lines up the belt depending on wide or narrow belt setup. You can drill the 12V case carefully to match. The last generators were used on the early Falcons and the regulators are solid state and said to be less likely to cause voltage spikes in operation than the earlier regulators. Swapping to the 12V case is easier than installing the 12V field coils in your 6V case. Use a Ford CVR to provide right voltage to your 6V gauges. ..B.
Last edited:
Lowsquire
Member
hey Tom,
as stated, early falcon 12 V gen needed, NOT the lucas one, they are a smaller case dia.
you basically just swap the front plate and pulley on. You can replace the field coils into your 6V case, but I have never been able to get the screws out of a 50yr old gen succesfully. I havent seen one at a swap for a while..getting harder to find, as most early falcs have been converted to Alts by now, and the Gen thrown out.
"jones and Moriarty" on St georges Rd Northcote are a great old auto elec shop, they do my gen rebuilds.
as stated, early falcon 12 V gen needed, NOT the lucas one, they are a smaller case dia.
you basically just swap the front plate and pulley on. You can replace the field coils into your 6V case, but I have never been able to get the screws out of a 50yr old gen succesfully. I havent seen one at a swap for a while..getting harder to find, as most early falcs have been converted to Alts by now, and the Gen thrown out.
"jones and Moriarty" on St georges Rd Northcote are a great old auto elec shop, they do my gen rebuilds.
jimvette59
Well-known member
You can replace the field coils with 12 v ones. They are available on line for about 55.00.or you can just switch out the field with the 12 v later for, the only thing you have to do is drill a hole to locate it one the mount.
68HILLBILLY
Senior Member
I did, converted my 47 ford to 12v by putting in new 12v field coils, and changing regulator. got my coils from a place called ACE in wichita kansas.
Ralph Moore
Well-known member
How can you tell if a generator is 6 or 12 volt? I got one in trade with old chrome on it, other than a little pitting it doesn't look bad. It is the 8BA style, Field terminal on side of case and Armature terminal in rear. It has a number 1265 on case.
Could this be 12 volt 65 Amp?
Could this be 12 volt 65 Amp?
If you just swap the whole case and use front, back and armature from the 6V gen, you have the 12V field coils without needing to mangle anything with a BFH, but an arbor press is the tool that eases the removal of the big machine screws that hold the pole shoes in place. ..B.
jimvette59
Well-known member
Hi, S Duncan I ground a 1/2 socket allen wrench to fit and used a hand held Impact Tool. It works for me. Jim.T.
oldskool
Well-known member
buy using a 6v armature in a 12 volt system your looseing 30% amps a 12 volt armature has one more communtator segment and uses a ball bearing end plate. i use a punch to remove the screws because i don't happen to have a arbor press handy..
Ralph Moore
Well-known member
So I cleaned up the chromed generator, and went to mount it in the late 49-53 stand(it did not have a mount as early ones did) and it didn't fit properly.
After looking at it close I figured out someone took an early gen and cut off the mount to fit the late style. Of course it doesn't have the locating pin hole, so it would not seat properly. Was this a common practice?
Is there a way to hook this up on a test stand to check the output?
After looking at it close I figured out someone took an early gen and cut off the mount to fit the late style. Of course it doesn't have the locating pin hole, so it would not seat properly. Was this a common practice?
Is there a way to hook this up on a test stand to check the output?
Charlie Stephens
Well-known member
I was in an old time generator shop and noted that they held the tool to remove the screws in a drill press. They turned it by hand but the press kept the tool in the hole.
Charlie Stephens
Curious as to how you determined you lost 30% charging capability. If you run down the battery to half strength, then start the vehicle and add all electrical load, the generator should still be able to keep up. Charge current is controlled by the current regulator inside the "voltage regulator" and can be adjusted there, bearing in mind that exceeding the current rating of the generator will cause it to run hotter. Keeping the original armature, fan, endplates and pulley makes it look totally stock but if you're not concerned with how it looks you could use the entire Y-block generator, ears and all. ..B.