12v 6v windows

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prez

Junior Member
Merry Christmas Barners !
hope someone can help ? have converted my Lincoln from 6 to 12v.
am trying to find a voltage reducer for the power windows circuit
Did a current draw test , applying 12v the worst window uses 32 amps
and the quietest still sucks 26 amps. This seems excessive to me and I
cant find a reducer that will cope.
maybe someone has dealt with this problem before me ....
 
If it is possible I would check the current draw at 6 volts. It is probably goin to be less, maybe about 12 amps. This is just a guess, I have not measured one. What ever it is 6 volts / 12 amps for example is 1/2 ohm. That is the resistor size you need to drop 12 volts to 6 volts for that motor. It will be a physically large resistor because it dissipates 6 volts X12amps or 72 watts! And it would get real hot when running the motor.
A better option is to try to find 12 volt motors. I changed my heater fan motor to 12 volt when I converted my 54. The horns worked fine at 12 volts, just loud. They say 6 volt starters work on 12 volts. Maybe your window motors will too. You would have to fuse them for high current and watch to make sure the wires do not get so hot the insulation melts.
 
From my point of view, I think you are expecting to much from sixty year old motors.
I agree with "John" that you should look into finding 12v motors to replace the possibly worn out 6v motors.
 
Another trick to try if you are adventuresome is to make a 5 cell C size NiCad battery pack to operate the windows. 5 nicads in series is 6 volts. This C size cell is what they use in battery powered drills. One pack should work for all 4 windows if you put them up or down one at a time. You would want to use high quality batteries such as 3800mah ones. The next thing is how to charge them. I would charge them off the 12v battery continuously at a very low rate using a 1.8k ohm resistor. This would fully charge a dead battery pack in 2 weeks but should not over heat them. If you wanted a fast charge capability you could switch in a 20 ohm resistor in parallel with the 1.8k ohm resistor. This would fully charge a dead pack in 1 hour but will ruin the pack if you leave it on more than 1 hour!
 
FWIW, the seat motors in my 55 bird have been running on 12 volts for 15 years. They don't get used as offen as the windows, but they go full travel with no noticeable heat. Those old motors had good windings and a lot of iron, so if the tracks are good, low friction, you might get away with it like I do. Obviously, 12 volt motors would be ideal. Or having yours rewound.
 
miker98038 said:
FWIW, the seat motors in my 55 bird have been running on 12 volts for 15 years. They don't get used as offen as the windows, but they go full travel with no noticeable heat. Those old motors had good windings and a lot of iron, so if the tracks are good, low friction, you might get away with it like I do.
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I like the idea of cleaning up what you've got so they're in good shape and use them. I too have a 12v converted '55 with what I assume to be the original 6v seat & window motors. The motors haven't given me any trouble (knock on wood) so I've left them alone.
I once drove a very wet converted to 12v stick-shift car with a 6v starter, out of a river using just the starter and it worked for years afterward.
 
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prez said:
Merry Christmas Barners !
have converted my Lincoln from 6 to 12v.
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prez, Merry Christmas to you too!
I don't know about anyone else here but I vote for you attaching a couple pictures of your Lincoln. ;)
 
what a great forum !
just about to do a big road trip with car friends
from another country , they also will be using my windows !
- don't want to burn out the safety relay or worse a motor
and have to do trim removal etc
will try to show some pics of the car
white 55 capri coupe
thanks for your input at this time of year
 
I knew someone who had a '54 glasstop 2-dr hardtop that he converted to 12 volts, but left the 12v motors in the windows. They just rolled up or down twice as fast as they originally did when the car had 6 volt system. After all, its not like the motor is continuous duty right. The motor only runs for a second to move the window its entire travel. Mind you, that would not work for the heater blower motor, since it might run for long periods of time.
 
JohnSunliner said:
If it is possible I would check the current draw at 6 volts. It is probably goin to be less,
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The rule is: the lower the voltage is, the greater the amperage is. That is why car manufacturers were able to reduce wiring size when they went to the 12volt system. Current is half what it used to be with the 6 volt system.
 
prez said:
the worst window uses 32 amps
and the quietest still sucks 26 amps.
Click to expand...

12 gage wire is rated for 20amps maximum. I do not believe the factory used 10 gage wire (rated for 30 maps maximum) to supply the window motors. I think it was 12 gage.

Is it possible you might be reading the wrong scale on your electric meter ?

If not, maybe you should check to see if windows are not "binding" in the runners. If there is physical resistance, it will increase current draw at the motor.
 
Daves55Sedan said:
12 gage wire is rated for 20amps maximum. I do not believe the factory used 10 gage wire (rated for 30 maps maximum) to supply the window motors. I think it was 12 gage.

Is it possible you might be reading the wrong scale on your electric meter ?

If not, maybe you should check to see if windows are not "binding" in the runners. If there is physical resistance, it will increase current draw at the motor.
Click to expand...

Good points.
I would also check for excessive resistance and good fresh ground connections.
Another consideration are fusible links at power sources. This wiring is old and fragile. Fuses are fine but fusible links provide better whole body wiring protection.
http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/fusible-link.shtml
If you do use fusible links it is best to attach a spare link wired to the source so that if it does blow to protect your wiring you can attach the spare easily "after" you discover the problem.
 
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