The Ford Barn

OLD AS I · 03-16-2017, 06:51 AM

Am maintaining my 6 volt positive ground system however I'd like to be able to have 12 volt available for an accessory in the future, what's the best converter and is there one that will convert and have the 12 volt system negative ground ?
There must be the same topic on here somewhere but I never get anywhere when I do a search

flatheadmurre · 03-16-2017, 07:01 AM

As long as you keep te accesories isolated from chassi ground polarity isn´t a big issue.
Remember that with a conversion you will have twice the current draw from the car plus losses in the converter.
So if the 12v unit says 2Amps it will draw 4A minimum from the 6V system.
What i want to say is big audiosystems or other high current draws are not realistic for 2 reasons converters are expensive and generators won´t handle it.

D. Jones · 03-16-2017, 09:27 AM

I bought one from Amazon, I don't remember the brand, and hooked it up, through a switch, to the cigar lighter in my pickup so the wife can charge her phone and we can run our old Garmen when we travel. Works great for what we need.

JSeery · 03-16-2017, 10:42 AM

Old Henry did a lot of research on this topic a while back.

rotorwrench · 03-16-2017, 10:53 AM

Inverters are available but, as mentioned, you do have to run both a power wire and a ground wire from this source to the load device to keep it an isolated circuit. Used to run 12-volt DC to 115-volt AC inverters on field trucks back when I worked the seismograph trail.

The little 12-volt maintenance free alarm & trailer brake batteries only cost about 16 bucks and hold a pretty good charge. I use two of those to power my old rotor balance machine to get the 24-volt then I use the same batteries back on the trailer brakes when I go pick stuff up.

corvette8n · 03-16-2017, 03:09 PM

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Do you need to power something that is 12v or do you want to charge you cell phone? If cell or GPS see my other post
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200502
Also look at my album where I took a dollar store cig. lighter charger and reversed the wires.

wisbangman · 03-16-2017, 03:44 PM

I have a ' vintage ' picnic basket in my trunk. Inside the picnic basket lives a 12 volt RV battery. I have a Sony 12 volt CD player in the glove box. Yes, I do have to recharge the ' picnic basket ' battery once or twice a summer, but if I need 12 volts, I have it ! every thing else is original 6 volt. May be an alternative for your 12 volt need.

03-16-2017, 06:51 AM	#1
OLD AS I Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Oakwood, ON Canada Posts: 251	best 6 to 12 converter Am maintaining my 6 volt positive ground system however I'd like to be able to have 12 volt available for an accessory in the future, what's the best converter and is there one that will convert and have the 12 volt system negative ground ? There must be the same topic on here somewhere but I never get anywhere when I do a search

03-16-2017, 07:01 AM	#2
flatheadmurre Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Sweden Posts: 3,045	Re: best 6 to 12 converter As long as you keep te accesories isolated from chassi ground polarity isn´t a big issue. Remember that with a conversion you will have twice the current draw from the car plus losses in the converter. So if the 12v unit says 2Amps it will draw 4A minimum from the 6V system. What i want to say is big audiosystems or other high current draws are not realistic for 2 reasons converters are expensive and generators won´t handle it.

03-16-2017, 09:27 AM	#3
D. Jones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 514	Re: best 6 to 12 converter I bought one from Amazon, I don't remember the brand, and hooked it up, through a switch, to the cigar lighter in my pickup so the wife can charge her phone and we can run our old Garmen when we travel. Works great for what we need.

03-16-2017, 10:42 AM	#4
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: best 6 to 12 converter Old Henry did a lot of research on this topic a while back.

03-16-2017, 10:53 AM	#5
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: best 6 to 12 converter Inverters are available but, as mentioned, you do have to run both a power wire and a ground wire from this source to the load device to keep it an isolated circuit. Used to run 12-volt DC to 115-volt AC inverters on field trucks back when I worked the seismograph trail. The little 12-volt maintenance free alarm & trailer brake batteries only cost about 16 bucks and hold a pretty good charge. I use two of those to power my old rotor balance machine to get the 24-volt then I use the same batteries back on the trailer brakes when I go pick stuff up.

03-16-2017, 03:09 PM	#6
corvette8n Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: 36 miles north of Albany NY Posts: 2,950	Re: best 6 to 12 converter Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Do you need to power something that is 12v or do you want to charge you cell phone? If cell or GPS see my other post http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200502 Also look at my album where I took a dollar store cig. lighter charger and reversed the wires.

03-16-2017, 03:44 PM	#7
wisbangman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: oshkosh wi Posts: 216	Re: best 6 to 12 converter I have a ' vintage ' picnic basket in my trunk. Inside the picnic basket lives a 12 volt RV battery. I have a Sony 12 volt CD player in the glove box. Yes, I do have to recharge the ' picnic basket ' battery once or twice a summer, but if I need 12 volts, I have it ! every thing else is original 6 volt. May be an alternative for your 12 volt need.