8 Volt Battery

C

classiclover

Junior Member
What are the expert opinions on innstalling an 8 volt batter to give additional power to a starter motor that looses power when it gets hot
 
Better to address the starter and its problems. An 8v battery will require the voltage regulator to be adjusted to provide approx 8.8-9.2v to properly charge it. That voltage will be damaging to bulbs and other electrical parts on the car that are designed with 7.2-7.6v of charging. A 6v starter in correct condition will do the job easily if battery, cables, and charging system are up to snuff.


Terry
 
Fix the real issues. An 8v battery is nothing more than a bandage meant to cover up underlying issues.
 
Another thing to consider is a 6 volt Optima battery. I have one in my '37 Ford and it cranks the engine faster than the wet cell batteries did and it doesn't damage the firewall tray that it sits in. It has a cover on which makes it look like a wet cell battery. I bought this cover some years ago on E-bay for around $35.
 
Like Cadillac said. My mechanic put an 8 volt in my ‘32 Marmon. I couldn’t keep enough bulbs on hand. Went back to 6 volt after a rewire and had strong response from the starter. My vote; stay with the six volt.

Richard
 
Some day, if I can find someone to run the camera, I'll post a movie of a cold start on my '51 with an Optima and a properly rebuilt starter. It will remove any doubts about 6 volts.
 
After reading through all of the contributions to the question of an 8v battery in a 6v system, I formed the opinion that the majority of the responses were based on theory rather than actual experiences.
I lived in Eastern Idaho during the '40's through '1953, until I was 21. The winter weather in Eastern Idaho is very brutal, temps can drop down to 35 below for days and days, most 6v vehicles have a hard time starting in the morning. It was a common practice to remove the battery from a vehicle, bringing it into a heated house.
Many people found that an 8v battery in a 6v system improved early morning starting.
I installed a 8v battery into my '36 Ford in '53, adjusted the regulator to 8v plus volts with no problems to the light bulbs and/or accessories, radio/heater. I continued to use a 8v battery in my '36 until 1958 when I put the car back into service after I returned from two years in the US Army in Germany.
As a foot note, I should add that in 1953 I up-graded the charging system in my '36 to a '39 generator and regulator in lieu of the original '36 system.
 
Last edited:
Not to be piling on, but I agree - there is no good reason to go to an 8 volt battery.

I also have a 1948 Willys jeep. We see the same questions and comments on the old jeep forums about changing to 8 or 12 volts for faster starting, better lights etc. When everything is right (proper size cables, clean ground connections and a properly rebuilt starter), it should crank and start just as easy as a 12 volt car. To make this point, about 3 years ago I made this short video showing how well my stock 6v jeep cranks. Many in the old jeep world were amazed, because all their starter would do is go ruh...ruh...ruh...ruh. You know the sound :)

Check it out:
https://youtu.be/MFIuY-OyKtM


With the latest generator of LED head and tail lights, 6 volt systems can easily provide lighting on par with a modern car.
 
Last edited:
blucar said:
After reading through all of the contributions to the question of an 8v battery in a 6v system, I formed the opinion that the majority of the responses were based on theory rather than actual experiences.
I lived in Eastern Idaho during the '40's through '1953, until I was 21. The winter weather in Eastern Idaho is very brutal, temps can drop down to 35 below for days and days, most 6v vehicles have a hard time starting in the morning. It was a common practice to remove the battery from a vehicle, bringing it into a heated house.
Many people found that an 8v battery in a 6v system improved early morning starting.
I installed a 8v battery into my '36 Ford in '53, adjusted the regulator to 8v plus volts with no problems to the light bulbs and/or accessories, radio/heater. I continued to use a 8v battery in my '36 until 1958 when I put the car back into service after I returned from two years in the US Army in Germany.
As a foot note, I should add that in 1953 I up-graded the charging system in my '36 to a '39 generator and regulator in lieu of the original '36 system.
Click to expand...

Interesting, but two entirely different situations : Everyday drivers in the winter in the fifties vs. fair weather hobby vehicles, usually operated under good conditions and maintained properly. In those days, I was an expert on taking batteries indoors in the winter, but I don't do that any more either.
 
Last edited:
bluecar, Where were you stationed in Germany? I was there from January 1958 to June 1959 stationed in Pirmasens, about 50 km northwest of Kaiserslautern. I had a hotrod 1934 roadster at the time I was drafted. My father drove it weekly while I was gone but I sold it around three months after I got home.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top