Best place to tap into for 6 volt power?

[OL JENNY]

Where is the best place to get power for 6 volt accessories? I have installed a set of clear lens fog lights from Snyder's to use as driving lights for additional safety. These lights will operate on a toggle switch. Currently I pulled power from the passenger side (yellow wire) of the terminal box. I am using a 6 volt alternator, and just want to make sure I do not do something to confuse issues.
A second issue is that after replacing my gas tank and during timing using a test light, everything worked perfect when I clipped to the movable point arm of my original points, but if I connected to the ignition wire at the coil (Red Wire) my test light would have an ever dim glow to the bulb filament when the points were closed and the ignition switch on. This did not occur when connected to the points directly. Thanks

[Jacksonlll]

The movable point arm is connected directly to the red wire, right side, of the coil. This wire goes up to the ignition switch, then down to the dist to the lower plate, then to the little black wire that shorts out a lot, and up through the upper plate to the movable arm. With the key on, this is all one circuit. Chase it and find your problem Since the light only glows, this means that something is causing a short in that circuit. Or, it means that your points are dirty. Clean them. But, you said everything worked perfect when you connected to the point arm. Does not add up. Try it all again, and here is a video that might help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXA6...rIa0r_fFQcz4R0

[OL JENNY]

Jack I used your video of "How to time a Model A" to develop my timing procedure. I know that it should not matter where you connect the test light, either to the red wire coil side or the point arm, but I did it several times and each time coil made a little glow in the bulb filament and point arm the bulb was totally out. The car runs normal but I also know something has to be incorrect for that glow to occur. I will continue to try and isolate the ground. My points are clean.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by OL JENNY

Where is the best place to get power for 6 volt accessories? I have installed a set of clear lens fog lights from Snyder's to use as driving lights for additional safety. These lights will operate on a toggle switch. Currently I pulled power from the passenger side (yellow wire) of the terminal box. I am using a 6 volt alternator, and just want to make sure I do not do something to confuse issues.
<snip>

You want to connect to the generator side (alternator side in your case) of the terminal box (yellow w-black tracer) so that when the alternator is not putting out enough current and you are drawing from the battery, it will show a discharge on your ammeter.

This will also ensure that the charging amps shown on the ammeter are only the amps going into the battery and does not include the amps being fed to the accessories.

In the future, I recommend you post 2 separate questions to the board with distinct titles describing the question, instead of combining them like this. You will get better replies.

[OL JENNY]

Jim thanks, I will change the connection, I did notice that the ammeter continued to show charge when the lights were on. Thank you for your advice on posting, I appreciate it and will follow it in the future.

[Bruce,Upstate NY]

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I run any accessory wires (radio, lights, etc. ) from the cable connection at the starter, each running through a fuse before any switches, therefor not overloading any already busy wires.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Bruce,Upstate NY

I run any accessory wires (radio, lights, etc. ) from the cable connection at the starter, each running through a fuse before any switches, therefor not overloading any already busy wires.

I think this is the best way when you are adding accessories.

[eagle]

Make SURE to fuse it according to expected load and wire size.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The bulb is dim when connected at the points side of the coil, but it goes out when connected to the movable points arm. That means you have a voltage difference between those two points. In other words resistance is causing a voltage drop along that path. The coil would be drawing about 4 amps on 6 volts, and the wire to the switch and the other wire to the points shouldn't cause enough resistance to light the bulb, even dimly.

The switch might have poor contacts, and the distributor lower plate wire might have several broken strands. If you have a repro switch, I would probe each side with your light. If the light is dim on one side of the switch, but not the other side, then the switch has high resistance.

[marc hildebrant]

Originally Posted by Bruce,Upstate NY

I run any accessory wires (radio, lights, etc. ) from the cable connection at the starter, each running through a fuse before any switches, therefor not overloading any already busy wires.

Bruce,

That is a good location in order to not load up wires in the car, however, that location will make the ammeter give a different reading than "normal".

In the normal mode, the ammeter shows how much current is going into or out of the battery. Your connection will draw current for an accessory which will now show up as "battery" current on the ammeter.

The best location for the accessories would be on the same side of the ammeter as the present lights\horn. However, a change in wire size would be needed for a "heavy" load.

Marc

[OL JENNY]

Marc I appreciate you post. The question I was trying to understand in my mind, was how would hooking to the starter be any different than what I have done (hooking into the yellow wires in the terminal box) as far as ammeter readings. I realize the load on existing wires would have been better coming off the starter. You have confirmed my questions. Couldn't I just connect to the single post on my alternator with an adequate size accessory wire and leave the original yellow black wire alone? If I ran a heavier wire from the alternator to the terminal box on the yellow/black side and pulled a feed from there, wouldn't that be the same thing as coming off the alternator?

[marc hildebrant]

Ol Jenny,

You can connect to the generator for your accessories and then have the ammeter be "normal". If you have a cutout, then the battery side is where the accessories connect.

When the engine is running, the current for the accessories will be supplied by the generator. When the engine isn't running, then the current will come from the battery. Thus, if you are running accessories that do not draw much current the present wires are fine. However, if the accessories draw more than a couple of amps, then the wires in the car between the battery and the generator should be increased so that you don't overload them when the battery is only supplying the power.

The Model A was designed for a small number of accessories and as such, the wire size is O.K. for a standard car. If you are adding a lot of "stuff" then either :

1. Rewire the car for the increased current draw and have the ammeter work "normal".

2. Attach to the starter as discussed and have the ammeter work "different".

Note: The "normal" ammeter operation makes setting the charging current easy to do. If it's not in the "normal" setup, then setting the charging current isn't easy since the ammeter isn't correct.

The Model A used a simple but elegant electrical system.

Marc

[OL JENNY]

Thanks to all who took time to post on this question. I am running a 6volt alternator and have added clear fog lights to use as running lights. These lights purchased from Snyder's have H3 35W Halogen bulbs and are installed on a toggle on /off switch. Since they do pull more than a couple of Amps I am going to run a 10ga fine strand wire from the alternator to the switch that controls the accessory bar. These lights will not be on when the engine is off, I have a LED red light that is on when the lights are on. Aaahhh the issues we create for ourselves.