8 volt battery

rscardina

rscardina

Senior Member
I recently was told by one of my club members that he was considering converting to a 8 volt battery. Are there many Model A owners that have made this conversion and is there a significant advantage to doing so?
 
Start by asking why he wants to convert? When he tells you the problem he is trying to solve with the 8 volt battery tell him how to fix the problem. Usually it is undersize battery cables (most auto stores don't know the difference, 6 volt cables are heavier) and poor grounds. Maybe his starter is just worry out? There is a lot of information in the archives but from what I have read it is not a good idea. If he has to do something, convert to a 12 volt battery.

Charlie Stephens
 
Using an 8 volt battery is a "band-aid" to cover up another problem. When all of the electrical systems on a Model-A are correct, there is no reason to go to an 8 volt.
 
You asked so; an 8 volt battery is a band-aid. Cleaning the grounds and checking for shorts should be done not only to help the car run better but for safety. If the starter is dragging might be time for a rebuild. 6 volt battery should and does work just fine. I have a 1948 F2 6 cylinder, the 6 volt battery turns and starts the engine just fine. If I were to convert I would go right to a 12 volt battery and not mess around with 8.
 
I agree with the others. Proper connections/grounds and the right size cables [ the more bigger, the more better] with 6v is just fine. I also add an extra ground cable from battery [ or frame] to the transmitter or clutch cover [ I know it shouldn't be needed, but, It makes me feel better.]
If I were to change voltage, it would be to 12v, but, I don't foresee doing that.
So, I didn't have anything to add.
 
What little I know about electricity strats with the basic "Clean, Bright, and Tight" Next is cable size. Make sure you have big thick cables that will carry the amp load. They should be 00 gauge. The light stuff they sell at Pep boys will not handle 6 V very well. You may want to place an auxilarily ground between the engine and the frame which may or may not help but will hurt nothing.
Terry
 
rscardina said:
I recently was told by one of my club members that he was considering converting to a 8 volt battery. Are there many Model A owners that have made this conversion and is there a significant advantage to doing so?
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Do you know why he is considering it? Does he do much cold weather driving? I know some guys use 8v batteries on some old farm tractors but that's to get them going at sub-zero temps. Others have mentioned the areas to look at if he's having starting issues. Just curious why he's considering it. More clarification would be nice.


Looking for the front bumper emblem that has "Ford, Made In Canada"
 
All of the above is correct and there will be charging issues. The cutout on the generator cuts out around 7.4 volts or so. Not enough to keep an 8 volt up to par.
 
My A came with an 8 v positive ground battery & alternator. The only reason I haven't converted to 12 neg ground is I put a new expensive 8 volt Interstate battery in not knowing what a red headed stepchild it is. Although my A starts, charges,& runs great I've given up on trying to keep 6volt headlight bulbs working. I have a 12v alternator, battery, & electronic ignition ready to go. One of these days I'll acquire the rest of the parts to convert and try to sell the 8volt alternator.
Hugh
 
mantta said:
All of the above is correct and there will be charging issues. The cutout on the generator cuts out around 7.4 volts or so. Not enough to keep an 8 volt up to par.
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Hmmm... never thought of that. My 23 Model T came with a brand new 8 volt battery and I have no headlights working. I have not looked at the wiring yet but I was wondering if 8 volts is enough to burn out the 6 volt bulbs. ?
 
I had an 8 Volt battery on my Model A once . It was always blowing out the bulbs .
I think you should have a 2 volt resister on each of the 6 volt bulbs !!
So that is another reason not to bother doing it!!

John Cochran
 
juke joint johnny said:
I had an 8 Volt battery on my Model A once . It was always blowing out the bulbs .
I think you should have a 2 volt resister on each of the 6 volt bulbs !!
So that is another reason not to bother doing it!!

John Cochran
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So I will either have to get some resistors, get a 6 volt battery, or change to 12 volt bulbs. Or change to 12 volt.
Why do these tales get started? 12v is better than 6v, so 8v must be better too. Sounds to me like 8v isn't quite as good as either 6v or 12v !

Oh well, I just discovered that either my generator or my cutout is not working either. Ah, the woes of de-mothballing a Model T after a 35-year storage. I sure wish the seller had kept his 8v battery. :o
 
mantta said:
All of the above is correct and there will be charging issues. The cutout on the generator cuts out around 7.4 volts or so. Not enough to keep an 8 volt up to par.
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The stock cut out is not a regulator, just an on and off switch
 
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Cool Hand Lurker said:
So I will either have to get some resistors, get a 6 volt battery, or change to 12 volt bulbs. Or change to 12 volt.
Why do these tales get started? 12v is better than 6v, so 8v must be better too. Sounds to me like 8v isn't quite as good as either 6v or 12v !

Oh well, I just discovered that either my generator or my cutout is not working either. Ah, the woes of de-mothballing a Model T after a 35-year storage. I sure wish the seller had kept his 8v battery. :o
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Eight volt is better than 6 and 10 volt is even better, but 6 or 12 will do the job fine. The problem is that you cannot get, over the counter, 8 or 10 volt components. If there was a demand for them it would be easy to make them but the standard is 6 or 12 (24 volt is probably coming soon).


Charlie Stephens
 
Cool Hand Lurker said:
So I will either have to get some resistors, get a 6 volt battery, or change to 12 volt bulbs. Or change to 12 volt.
Why do these tales get started? 12v is better than 6v, so 8v must be better too. Sounds to me like 8v isn't quite as good as either 6v or 12v !

Oh well, I just discovered that either my generator or my cutout is not working either. Ah, the woes of de-mothballing a Model T after a 35-year storage. I sure wish the seller had kept his 8v battery. :o
Click to expand...

12 volt is NOT better than 6 volt in the operation of the car. There are reasons people go to 12 volts but none should be that the car will run better.
 
Two years ago I bought a restored 1950 Studebaker Champion, and the seller had just bought a new 8 volt battery for it for $112. He also bought an 8 volt charger for the battery. As soon as I got the car home I removed the battery and sold it and the charger on craigslist for $75. I then installed a 10 year old 6 volt battery I had laying under a tree. The car starts and runs perfectly fine, even with the 10 year old battery.

If you see a chart of voltage vs. bulb life, you will see that each volt over the bulbs rating really shortens bulb life, and bulb life drops exponentially, not a straight line graph.
 
Here's what I know and don't know. Golf carts use 8V batteries, but are they single or in multiples? (8V, 16V, 24V, 32V?) If they're singles, then I would expect there to made, light bulbs in 8 V sizes.
Terry

Charlie Stephens said:
Eight volt is better than 6 and 10 volt is even better, but 6 or 12 will do the job fine. The problem is that you cannot get, over the counter, 8 or 10 volt components. If there was a demand for them it would be easy to make them but the standard is 6 or 12 (24 volt is probably coming soon).


Charlie Stephens
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Golf carts use either 6 or 8v batteries depending on their total voltage and year of manufacture.

When equipped with lights all I've ever seen [or installed] are 12v. Just a reducer from 36 or 48v to 12v is installed.
 
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