Question

E

Ed H.

Senior Member
A note about me, self employed for 27 yrs auto shop. I have been working on cars sense high school, 50 some yrs.
I retired, ya right, lasted a whole yr was going out of my mind so i got a job working for a camp ground. I work three days a week.

Now for the question, my employer loves old tractors and model A's. The tractors can be quite cantankerous when it comes to starting, 90% are 6 volt pos grd.
The really hard starting ones get a 8 volt battery, easy on the system and enough to fire it right up.

I just got one going that has been sitting in a field for 30 some yrs, we opted to put a 8 battery in it. As a side note, these old girls only run twice a yr, during parades around the camp ground, there are 60 some odd tractors and model A's.

After I got the cub going, it would not charge, gen was fine, checked all the wiring, it too was fine. i picked up a new regulator. still no charge and yes I polarized it.. Decided to go home at that point and think about it

The more i thought about it, would a 8 volt battery be telling the reg it does not need a charge, shouldn't the voltage be below 6 volts to tell the system it needs some juice?
As I recall, all the ones we put 8 volt batteries in dont charge either.
Hope i didn't loose you along the way.
Thanks for any input.
 
Yes, you need to adjust the voltage regulator. We had 8 volt batteries in our modified farm tractors in the 60's and 70's. The voltage regulator coil needs to be adjusted by changing the spring tension. I have done it but don't exactly remember how anymore.
 
I just bought a 1950 Studebaker last summer that had a new $110 eight volt battery. The first thing I did was remove the battery and sell it for $75, then installed a free 6 volt battery that was over 10 years old. The car starts right up and everything works like it should, plus the lights will last longer. I don't like 8 volt batteries and never had a problem with 6 volt cars and tractors.

Now, to answer your question, if you are going to keep the 8 volt battery you will need to go inside the regulator and adjust the screw tighter (if it has one), or bend the metal holding the spring so it pulls harder on the spring. You'll need to adjust the regulator to make the generator put out more than battery voltage. A 6 volt battery needs about 7.2 volts, so the 8 volt battery will need about 9.5 volts generator output to keep the battery properly charged. The regulator coil is the one with the fine wire winding.
 
When was the last time you saw an 8 volt battery charger?

If you are going to increase system voltage, why not go to 12 volts? You will find it much better supported than 6 and 8 volt.
 
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Dollar Bill said:
When was the last time you saw an 8 volt battery charger?

If you are going to increase system voltage, why not go to 12 volts? You will find it much better supported than 6 and 12 volt.
Click to expand...

Very true. During my stint as Farm Mechanic (VERY satisfying, I might add) we converted a Ford 9N to 12V which is very simply done.

New external 4 wire (three to the gen) Regulator
New 12v battery.

And that was IT. Machine starts now in the coldest weather.

I will admit it "hits" a little hard on those cold mornings. Others have recommended having the starter re-wound to be a 12v starter - but the owner (not me, I'm just a minion) thought that the "drum" type bendix would be equal to the task - and so far to my knowledge, it has.

Joe K
 
Splice a length of 1/8th inch arc welding rod in the starter cable run.

It softens the bendix impact.
 
Leave the 8 volt batteries in the golf carts.
stay with 6 volts, clean up the grounds and any terminals and enjoy.
I have never had any problems with 6 volt systems that are in good running order.
 
Stay 6, I agree. You need more info re the regulator. If it has three coils you'll need to go to the one with the very fine wire an increase the spring tension until you reach 9.2V.
Make sure the battery is completely charged. This the simple version.
Note, retest with the cover on the regulator, it will change. Also of note new aftermarket regulators tend not to be stable as the voltage is critical.
I would suggest that there is no regulator on the market that holds a candle to OEM, including old ones. Please send me all those regulators that you replace. They are getting hard to find.

I seldom suggest that a regulator be replaced. Not pertinent to this thread but replacing regulators when generators or alternators are replaced, is good for the pocketbook.
 
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fiddlybits said:
Leave the 8 volt batteries in the golf carts.
stay with 6 volts, clean up the grounds and any terminals and enjoy.
I have never had any problems with 6 volt systems that are in good running order.
Click to expand...

Sound advice.

My Vic is 6-volts without additional ground straps installed here and there and I never have a grounding problem. The most important and neglected ground point is where the ground cable from the battery is attached to the frame. It is out of sight and hard to get to.

Every 10 years or so, or when you replace a battery, remove the ground cable and with a small disk sander grind all the paint, rust, and crud off the boss on the frame where the cable attaches. Take the cable, nut, and bolt and treat them to a wire wheeling.

Also make sure you have the proper 6-volt battery cables installed.

Tom Endy
 
Thanks everyone, I will try adjusting the reg, if that dont work then it is back to six volts.
Honestly appreciate everyone's time and thoughts.
 
I tried the 8 volt battery and blew my bulbs if I turned the lights on while going down the road. I went back to 6 volt (30 years ago) and haven't had a problem. I don't know why people change to 12 volt. I have always run an "inverter" to change 6 volt pos to 12 neg to run anything like CB's and never had a problem. Now it charges my Cell phone to.
 
It was suggested early on in my local club to go to either 8V battery or to a 12V system.

But I stuck with the 6V. I have not had a problem and I like having the car as Henry made it.

For my CB radio to use during tours, I removed an old 12V rechargeable cell from a Verizon or Comcast cable box in the basement, and I charge it before I go on tour and it lasts easily all day. I have the CB and battery tucked into a pack which sits on the floor in the back ('30 Tudor)

The charger is the cable box itself. Just plug the battery back in.
 
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