The Ford Barn

Racur96 · 08-10-2013, 01:43 AM

I've been driving my 29 pickup daily now for the past week. I've adjusted the generator & it's putting out about 8-9 amps charge while going down the road at 45 or so. It has maybe a 1 amp charge at idle but when I turn my headlights on it drops down to a 10-11 amp discharge on low beams and almost bottoms out with high beams on. I've installed a new battery about 2 months ago, running a stock 6v positive ground system, stock generator with GE 6006 sealed beam headlights. Any idea why it's dropping so much? I'm afraid to up the charging rate anymore as it may blow the headlights.

Mike V. Florida · 08-10-2013, 01:48 AM

Perfectly ok! It's working normally.

Racur96 · 08-10-2013, 02:00 AM

Hi mike, this may sound like a stupid question but will the battery not go dead if I'm driving it a long distance? Like an hour or so at night with that much discharge. Thanks

Mike V. Florida · 08-10-2013, 02:49 AM

Nope. It would take many hours of driving before the battery would be low enough to stop the engine

Tom Wesenberg · 08-10-2013, 06:43 AM

The model A generator is made for a safe maximum continuous output of about 12 amps. Sealed beams use more than that, so if you want to use them I would use a later higher output generator and install a voltage regulator. Lead/acid batteries don't like to be left in a state of discharge. They also don't like to be in a state of continuous overcharge, such as 8 or 9 amps, when it's already fully charged.

Kurt in NJ · 08-10-2013, 01:01 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

If you read the instruction book it says that it is normal to have "discharge" with the lights on

I have found that seal beams take more amps than the quartz halogen bulbs I have ---also 50cp bulbs too.

Racur96 · 08-10-2013, 02:21 PM

I have read my Instruction book and know its supposed to discharge but the question I was wandering about was the amount of discharge being so much. I guess I'll get the parts to go back to the original headlight setup. Thanks guys.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 08-10-2013, 11:01 PM

If you're not a purist, just pop on a 6 Volt positive ground alternator & everything will be good & trouble free. Bill W.

(And you will be prepared for that time when you might HAVE to drive a considerable time at night.)

Mike V. Florida · 08-10-2013, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racur96

I have read my Instruction book and know its supposed to discharge but the question I was wandering about was the amount of discharge being so much. I guess I'll get the parts to go back to the original headlight setup. Thanks guys.

Before you go and spend your money, how much night driving are you doing?

75 % of all your driving, 50%, 10%, less? People have used the sealed beam headlights for a long time with a generator. Once is a while will hurt nothing.

Marvin/TN · 08-11-2013, 12:27 AM

When I bought my Model A over 55 years ago it had a seal beam conversion. I used it as my daily driver to and from school as well as anyother time I wanted/needed to drive it. Never had a Problem with the battery going dead. 6 Volt system with cut out

Racur96 · 08-11-2013, 01:38 PM

Maybe 50% of my driving will be night time driving. I'm out a lot and do some stop and go driving. I came home last night about 2 am and they seemed to be fine and battery started good this morning, it was about a 20 min drive.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 08-11-2013, 03:02 PM

Ponder this: OLD cars had a generator & a CRANK! Modern cars have an alternator & NO CRANK! Bill W.

Racur96 · 08-11-2013, 03:21 PM

Haha you do have a point bill. I'm not a complete purist on this truck like I am my other one but I HATE the looks of a alternator on an a engine, not the design of a alternator just the look, but does anyone make a alternator for the a that looks like a stock a generator. I know there is one offered for the 8ba style flatheads that mount up top & front but I haven't seen one for the a's. if they do offer one that's something I would consider doing. Thanks

08-10-2013, 01:43 AM	#1
Racur96 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: lawrenceburg, tn Posts: 128	Discharge with sealed beams I've been driving my 29 pickup daily now for the past week. I've adjusted the generator & it's putting out about 8-9 amps charge while going down the road at 45 or so. It has maybe a 1 amp charge at idle but when I turn my headlights on it drops down to a 10-11 amp discharge on low beams and almost bottoms out with high beams on. I've installed a new battery about 2 months ago, running a stock 6v positive ground system, stock generator with GE 6006 sealed beam headlights. Any idea why it's dropping so much? I'm afraid to up the charging rate anymore as it may blow the headlights.

08-10-2013, 01:48 AM	#2
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Perfectly ok! It's working normally. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II Last edited by Mike V. Florida; 08-10-2013 at 02:00 AM.

08-10-2013, 02:00 AM	#3
Racur96 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: lawrenceburg, tn Posts: 128	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Hi mike, this may sound like a stupid question but will the battery not go dead if I'm driving it a long distance? Like an hour or so at night with that much discharge. Thanks

08-10-2013, 02:49 AM	#4
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Nope. It would take many hours of driving before the battery would be low enough to stop the engine __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

08-10-2013, 06:43 AM	#5
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Discharge with sealed beams The model A generator is made for a safe maximum continuous output of about 12 amps. Sealed beams use more than that, so if you want to use them I would use a later higher output generator and install a voltage regulator. Lead/acid batteries don't like to be left in a state of discharge. They also don't like to be in a state of continuous overcharge, such as 8 or 9 amps, when it's already fully charged.

08-10-2013, 01:01 PM	#6
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,158	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If you read the instruction book it says that it is normal to have "discharge" with the lights on I have found that seal beams take more amps than the quartz halogen bulbs I have ---also 50cp bulbs too.

08-10-2013, 02:21 PM	#7
Racur96 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: lawrenceburg, tn Posts: 128	Re: Discharge with sealed beams I have read my Instruction book and know its supposed to discharge but the question I was wandering about was the amount of discharge being so much. I guess I'll get the parts to go back to the original headlight setup. Thanks guys.

08-10-2013, 11:01 PM	#8
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Discharge with sealed beams If you're not a purist, just pop on a 6 Volt positive ground alternator & everything will be good & trouble free. Bill W. (And you will be prepared for that time when you might HAVE to drive a considerable time at night.) __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF" Last edited by BILL WILLIAMSON; 08-11-2013 at 12:13 AM.

08-11-2013, 12:27 AM	#10
Marvin/TN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chattanooga, TN area Posts: 832	Re: Discharge with sealed beams When I bought my Model A over 55 years ago it had a seal beam conversion. I used it as my daily driver to and from school as well as anyother time I wanted/needed to drive it. Never had a Problem with the battery going dead. 6 Volt system with cut out

08-11-2013, 01:38 PM	#11
Racur96 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: lawrenceburg, tn Posts: 128	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Maybe 50% of my driving will be night time driving. I'm out a lot and do some stop and go driving. I came home last night about 2 am and they seemed to be fine and battery started good this morning, it was about a 20 min drive.

08-11-2013, 03:02 PM	#12
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Ponder this: OLD cars had a generator & a CRANK! Modern cars have an alternator & NO CRANK! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

08-11-2013, 03:21 PM	#13
Racur96 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: lawrenceburg, tn Posts: 128	Re: Discharge with sealed beams Haha you do have a point bill. I'm not a complete purist on this truck like I am my other one but I HATE the looks of a alternator on an a engine, not the design of a alternator just the look, but does anyone make a alternator for the a that looks like a stock a generator. I know there is one offered for the 8ba style flatheads that mount up top & front but I haven't seen one for the a's. if they do offer one that's something I would consider doing. Thanks