|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
11-30-2020, 04:53 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,101
|
8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Do you see anything wrong with installing a 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car with an alternator.
|
11-30-2020, 04:59 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,173
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Should work fine with an 8 volt alternator except for the cost, lights burning out quicker and stress on the ignition system. Other than that, go for it. 8^) Jack E/NJ
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
11-30-2020, 05:02 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,101
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
When i got the car they said that the alternator was 8 volt. I have noticed that bulbs have been burning out.
Soooooooo, is there really any advantage to the 8 volt. Maybe more cranking amps? |
11-30-2020, 05:10 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys
Posts: 10,319
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
I really don't think that there is an 8 volt battery (golf cart batteries excepted) that has more CCA than a 6 volt Optima. What you really need are good connections, good grounds, and the proper size battery cables.
|
11-30-2020, 05:45 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 9,007
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
100% correct and well stated!
__________________
"I can explain it for you. However, I can't understand it for you". |
11-30-2020, 06:28 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,173
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
|
11-30-2020, 06:33 PM | #7 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 72
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
The car was built to run with a six volt electrical system. Increasing battery voltage by 33 percent is not a good idea. You can see when bulbs burn out but what about damage to the coil, etc? There is a risk but whereÂ’s the gain?
Just put a 6 volt Red Top Optima battery in my 36 Cabriolet and what a difference! Spins over fast and starts instantly. This battery has 800 cold cranking amps which is more than any other battery I could find. The Optima I replaced was in the car for almost 13 years. Good value for $199.99 from Optima with free shipping. |
11-30-2020, 07:09 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys
Posts: 10,319
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
As we all should know, an Optima is 800 CCA. Generally speaking, you can only get so many watts in a given volume with a lead acid battery. Basic electrical theory tells you you give up car-starting amperage for bulb-destroying voltage. Don't make a lot of sense to me.
Old tractors don't usually have a lot of extras like radios, electrical gauges, heater blower motors, and lights. The lights they do have are usually easily replaced cheap bulbs. |
11-30-2020, 08:04 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: u-rah-rah-Wisconsin
Posts: 1,137
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Even the conventional 6 volt lead acid battery from Napa has 600+ CCA. The whole 8 volt 'solution' is just misplaced thinking to me.
__________________
19 and 49 F1 - jes' like Henry II built 1946 Deluxe - as Henry built it |
11-30-2020, 09:30 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,173
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Volt-CCA or cold cranking power (watts) delivered to the starter is the main factor. How long that cranking power is able to be delivered determines the size of the battery. Jack E/NJ
|
11-30-2020, 09:32 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Star, MS
Posts: 4,024
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
The wattage is volts x amps. 570 amps at 8v is more than 600 (+) at 6v.
I'm not supporting using an 8v battery, just my opinion that an 8v battery does give more cranking power. Jack was posting while I was typing Last edited by 40cpe; 11-30-2020 at 09:39 PM. |
11-30-2020, 11:42 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 7,053
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
The idea of using a 8v battery has been around forever. To me it seems like a easy "fix" to more problems.
|
11-30-2020, 11:53 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Posts: 1,575
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
an 8 volt battery is a patch for a problem. not only will the bulbs burn out faster, if you want the 8 volt batt to stay properly charged , you will have to adjust the voltage regulator .
|
12-01-2020, 12:20 AM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 7,053
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Not to mention points. If you want a quick coil 6 volt bypass on startup. Maybe spend 13$ on a tractor 6v 4 pole solenoid.
https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/3...IaAis1EALw_wcB https://www.steinertractor.com/ABC39...EaAjmeEALw_wcB |
12-01-2020, 01:08 AM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 7,053
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Lead acid batteries are fine if you like replacing them every few years. Used to buy batteries from a forklift place. Lead acid. Couple years of that and replacement... I bought a optima 6v. Never looked back for 10yrs. Own a couple.
Last edited by Tinker; 12-01-2020 at 01:13 AM. |
12-01-2020, 06:31 AM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: faucett, mo
Posts: 419
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
The problem I had with an 8 volt battery was how to charge it when I wasn't driving down the road. So I went back to a 6 volt battery and adjusted the voltage regulator for 7.2 volts and was happy evermore.
|
12-01-2020, 10:40 AM | #17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Posts: 821
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
My '38 Convertible had an 8 volt battery in it when I first got it. A Barn member spotted it right away(I would have probably never noticed) and I switched it back to a 6 volt shortly after. The amp gauge needle had been jumping around like crazy before and settled back to normal after the battery switch. Works fine with the 6 volt battery.
|
12-01-2020, 10:44 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northeast Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,582
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Volts and amps are not interchangeable concepts. Electrical theory can get complicated, but think of amps as storage and volts as push. A 6 volt battery can have lots more amps than an 8 volt battery ---- this usually shows itself in the physical size, as bigger size batteries aren't stronger but do last longer. More cranking amps means it will crank for longer (but not any faster) until it dies out.
Back to your question, you can put in an 8 volt battery if you adjust your voltage regulator to properly charge it. Yes, bulbs will be brighter and burn out faster, and your starter may spin quicker, but there is no guarantee that you'll have more cranking amps in storage to crank it for longer. Personally, I see 8 volt batteries as a band-aid for 6 volt problems. Better to fix the problem than to just cover it up. |
12-01-2020, 10:59 AM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coral Springs FL
Posts: 10,944
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
Better off spending the time and money to make sure your 6V
system is in tip top condition. If you are intent on changing voltage, convert system to 12V. |
12-01-2020, 06:34 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,101
|
Re: 8 volt battery in a 6 volt car?
No, I am not trying to convert or change anything, the 8 volt was in the car when I got it.
I will be taking it out an ordered a 6 v optima. It seems to me I will have less problems, better cranking amps and 15lbs lighter. |
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|