6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Guys, please school me on boosting a engine with 12 volts, have new heavy cables, positive side of battery to ground strap, have another, heavy cable from trans case to frame. Newly overhaul engine, new 6 volt battery. Thanks

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Positive to positive. Negative to negative, don't let the car bumpers touch.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

I would question, why boost with 12-volts? Is the battery not up to snuff?

You don't want to damage a vehicles electrical system so it should be isolated from the starting system. The starter can take 12-volts but other things, not so much.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

If I understand you correctly, you want to boost a vehicle with a 6 volt positive system, with 12 volts to get it to start. I assume this is so you can take advantage of the faster starter speeds.

Here is how I would do this:

1. Disconnect the lead from the starter to the starter solenoid at the starter solenoid.
2. Connect the 12V vehicle Positive to the 6V vehicle Positive
3. Temporarily clamp the negative booster cable to the starter cable to rotate the engine. Unclamp it once the motor starts.

-You don't want to allow 12 volt power to reach the rest of your vehicle, because not all components are rated for 12 volts. (Instrument cluster is an example)

-Don't run the starter for too long like this.

-Remember you need to unclamp the negative booster cable as soon as the motor starts.
(The terrible noise you hear will be a hint)




Kirk

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Hi Everyone. lotsagas, here's some reading for you. More than you wanted probably.

Jump Starting? https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...3179&showall=1

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Yikes that's quite the thread.
But it did remind me of one thing I didn't mention above.

For my 12V boost method to work, your 6V battery needs to have enough charge to be able to fire the coil. If its totally dead it won't work.

Kirk

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Make sure all cables are clean, also where you mount them should be clean and free of paint. Have your battery tested for charge and amps.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

I did it with a six volt system . I used booster cables from the solenoid to the 12 volt battery. That way it was isolated and still only six volts to the rest of the electrical system. It worked well. I made the final contact at the 12 volt battery on the floor. A little sparky but it sure made the starter spin and a quick start for the Merc. You can see how it worked in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO25Y2zgShE

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

I've jumped my 6 volt positive ground system from a 12 volt battery connected the same as you would two 12 volt batteries many times without any damage to anything. But it takes two people, one to clamp the jumper cables on the instant the other hits the starter and unclamp them as soon as the engine starts. Otherwise, the battery cables (and probably other things) heat up pretty fast. Gotta have extra heavy jumper cables too. The usual 12 volt flimsy cables might not work as well.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

I've heard of people successfully boosting six volt batteries straight off a twelve without incident. But I've also heard stories of exploding batteries resulting from this practice. I won't be trying it.
Here is a quote from a tractor forum: "NEVER EVER hook a 12 volt battery to a 6 volt battery, if you do it could well be the last thing you ever see. Yes they blow up and most of the time when they do the person gets it right in the eyes. If you are going to jump start one you hook one jump lead to the frame of the tractor and the other one to the post on the starter. That way the 6 volt battery never has 12 volts on it but the starter does. This will not work if the 6 volt battery is flat dead so the 6 volt battery has to have enough in it to make spark or the tractor has to have a mag ".

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Spend $112 and totally avoid any disasters. Buy a new 6v red top Optima from Amazon and install it temporarily into the car. (they are packed correctly now for safe shipment - change mandated by Optima)

FYI - When I jump 12v to 12v cars I disconnect one battery cable from the GOOD car before applying jumper cables.

I've seen too many alternators ruined by halfway hopes. Unfortunately you won't even know it's ruined (1 blown diode) for several months. My $0.02 worth much more.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

A bit like Ralph ,what I do is get a heavy duty jump cable on any terminal on a 12 volt battery ,it can be pose or neg run that to the starter motor hot side ,/cable or terminal bolt, run the other cable from the 12 volt other terminal to any ground such as a exhaust bolt. You will get a few sparks .Also you could set up a remote starter switch such as a( Model T or 34? 35 or even a solenoid type,) off the starter terminal with a short cable .you then run a ground to the head bolt to your 12 volt battery and one to the the new solenoid press the button and bingo /Ted

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

The Ford Service lit at the time, I believe a Service Bulletin, addressed this when these cars were new, and the procedure was 12 vlt to solonoid to send power to starter only as was started..Very Good Tip!!!

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Sounds like you need eye and hand protection in case of exploding battery.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

No, exploding battery because the power is applied to the starter side of the solenoid, isolated from the pos six--that's the point. Yes, thoughtful action is always prudent working on cars, failing lead acid batteries emit explosive gases at any voltage..if you smell strong sulphur, proceed with xtra caution..

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

I have been jumping these for 50 yrs no with no problems. Every thing we own, the
positive post is painted red with a paint pen so my electrical 'challenged' help don't
get blown up (they don't know what pos grd. is. ) Blow ups happen at the battery,
there are vapors there, not good, you clamp the 12vt red lead to a head bolt which is positive. Getting it running with 12vts after a long sleep. We do this all the time. At
the solonoid + side remove the feed wire, we call it the house wire. Next disconnect
the Batt. wire on the regulator, now the body & generator is dead, gauges everthing
else is dead. With a 12vt batt installed, jump the coil and jump the solonoid >make sure you know if the start terminal on solenoid is the ground type or the plus type if
you have solonoid with button on the bottom ya got it made..I only say this cause we
have a dedicated beat to death F6 dump to clean horse poop, thing won't start without 12vts at all, most likely needs a starter & ain't got time, so we jump it. Been
running all year this way even with a 6Vt coil. Now if you are dealing with 24vts you better know what ya doing............

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

The best bet is to carry a 12 volt battery jumper pack. The one I use
has a shut off switch. This allows you to put the cable clamps on with
red POS to red ground on the 6 volt battery and the Black NEG to the
heavy cable at or going to the starter. With someone inside to turn
the ignition switch on and work the gas have them turn the switch on
but do NOT push the starter button. Now when ready you can turn the
switch on the battery pack PUTTING 12 VOLTS TO THE STARTER ONLY.
This way 12 volts is not introduced into the 6 volt system. You can even
do this yourself by working the carb by hand. G.M.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Happy Thanksgiving one and all .....

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

So, lots of talk about jumping the 6v positive ground with a 12 volt, I get it. But what if you want to jump a 6v positive ground with a 6v battery? Can you just hook positive to positive and negative to negative, or do I need to disconnect the original battery? Reason I ask is when my car gets hot it does not want to start right up like when its cold. I have a red top Optima that is about six years old and I think its getting tired. I just as soon keep a fully charged six volt battery in the trunk rather then be dealing with 12v jumps.

Re: 6 volt, positive ground boost help?
 

Positive to positive and negative to negative directly to the battery that is still connected.
(the same thing I would have said 4 years ago when this thread was new )