The Ford Barn

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 10:29 AM

just got a NICE 1941 Mercury Eight Sedan. want to change it over to Negative Ground. How do I do that?? the P.O. somehow has JUICED the 6 Volt Battery to 13Volts!! noticed when first trying it out that the Engine turned over fast and fired right up (no wonder). Generator is/was shot. bought a one-wire alternator, but do not want to hook it up before I know what to do with a dumb Positive Ground system. stay safe. thanks

tubman · 03-15-2019, 10:47 AM

At the risk of rousing your ire (witness the user name), I suggest that you slow down and and have a little discussion about this. Doing what you are suggesting is about the last thing you want to do if your car is really "NICE". Plus the comment "JUICED the 6 Volt Battery to 13 Volts" suggests there is something else going on here. At this point, we don't even know if we are talking about a 6 volt or 12 volt system. Slow down and learn to take advantage of all the knowledge this Forum can provide.

Welcome to "The Ford Barn", by the way.

JSeery · 03-15-2019, 11:10 AM

How about posting a photo of the battery. How did you come up with 13 volts, measure with a voltmeter? Coil and Generator (alternator) and maybe the starter are the major items involved with a voltage changeover, but lights, heater fan, gauges, etc also need to be addressed.

Kerk · 03-15-2019, 11:33 AM

I suggest the first thing you do is to disconnect BOTH battery cables from the battery and then put a volt meter across the battery terminals and con firm the Battery''s real voltage. Then you can decide the next step!! JMHS kx

Red98 · 03-15-2019, 04:28 PM

Twelve volt batteries are actually 13 volts but most people use the nominal 12 when describing them. Lead acid cells are 2.15 volts per cell and a (nominal) 12 has 6 cells, which rounds to 13. (note to OP) Calling your 12 volt a 'juiced 13' will serve to invite confusion away from the answers you seek.

How to:

reverse the battery terminals.
reverse the ammeter wire.
radio is a potential problem.
if there are any motors, like heater...they must also be reversed.
bulbs and lamps can be ignored
reverse the ignition coil

Reverse is hopefully understood to mean changing one for the other.

flatford8 · 03-15-2019, 04:35 PM

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Welcome.... we love pictures!!!..... until you decide what or if there is a problem, I wouldn’t leave the battery hooked up when your not working on it. “Nice” cars burn just as fast as the ones that I own..... Mark

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

At the risk of rousing your ire (witness the user name), I suggest that you slow down and and have a little discussion about this. Doing what you are suggesting is about the last thing you want to do if your car is really "NICE". Plus the comment "JUICED the 6 Volt Battery to 13 Volts" suggests there is something else going on here. At this point, we don't even know if we are talking about a 6 volt or 12 volt system. Slow down and learn to take advantage of all the knowledge this Forum can provide.

Welcome to "The Ford Barn", by the way.

Thanks BTW we ALL cannot be Handsome and Debonair...some of us gotta be UGLY!!… HA... bought this some 2 weeks ago. just recently got around to checking the output of the orig gen (zero), battery is/was a 6 volt (3 cells)…. but checked the battery with terminals disconnected, and that dumb dirtyword was reading 13VOLTS!! YIKES!! never witnessed that before. read it with 2 multmeters (1 digital, 1 analog). the seller I got it from did not know much of anything about the car (30-35), he did not even know how to shift with the column shift. but... the car fired right up and did drive great, and stopped only when I used my right foot on the middle pedal. Today I took the orig generator and the regulator that was on the car to Live Oak FL to a guy that rebuilds these. Left it with him and he said he would get on it Monday. so. if it all goes okay with the rebuild, should not be any reason to convert it over to Negative Ground; as I had been thinking about using a 1-wire alternator (12V)…. attempted to put photos of it on here, but failed. too old to figure it out I guess (77), will try and put one on here when I get this dumb dirtyword cotton-picking snot-sucking finger-licking answer done. I can only GUESS the PO somehow got 12Volts into a 6Volt Battery. I never could!! stay safe. THANKS FYI: my photos failed to "upload" again... keeps telling me it needs a URL for the image (I do not know what URL is, or actually means either). advice (on inserting photos)??

JSeery · 03-15-2019, 06:58 PM

Did you select Go Advanced and then Manage Attachments (paperclip on bar)? Somewhat straight forward from there. Biggest issues is the file size, there are upload file size limits, ~ 500Kb.

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 07:13 PM

thanks... will now try again....nope...negative... keeps showing a new tab:
"script prompt... enter URL …. nothing about "go advanced" or 'manage attach' that I can see. wheeeeeee thanks ???

I clik on the "insert image", then new tab that says: fordbarn.com needs some information. script prompt. please enter the URL of you image.

going in circles. ???

JSeery · 03-15-2019, 08:11 PM

It should be at the bottom of the thread, right below the last post (I'm seeing it as I input the text). Says Post Quick Reply & Go Advanced. If your not seeing it how are you posting?

Mike in AZ · 03-15-2019, 08:38 PM

Welcome to the ‘Barn. Yep, we love pics. So hope you can solve pic posting. When you’re typing in you reply your choices to post that reply are the “post quick reply” or “go advanced” buttons below the message you want to post. “ go advanced” might be helpful with pic posting. Good luck. Mike

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 08:40 PM

DIRTYWORD... not only am I UGLY, but BLIND. been looking for that post quick reply at bottom.... cannot see it on my end. each time to "download" my photo, it says can't do. I go to "manage attachments" but, but, they do not attach!! ??

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 08:47 PM

can I send photos via email? I do (or did.....) know how to do that.... and where would I send them??? stay safe. thanks

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 08:47 PM

1941 mercury eight sedan

grouchyandugly · 03-15-2019, 09:29 PM

1941 mercury eight sedan. dead end again. went to Advance, but NADA.
do not know what to do about "no photos"... I have them stored, but not able to get them onto here..... iffen I was a "woman" I would be "happy", because I got something to complain about !!! stay safe. thanks

Bob C · 03-15-2019, 09:53 PM

Look at this.

Charlie Stephens · 03-15-2019, 11:36 PM

Here are the photos:

Charlie Stephens

tubman · 03-16-2019, 06:41 AM

Nice looking car. Could it be that some previous owner put a small 12 volt battery (Odyssey, etc.) inside one of those faux 6 volt cases?

Black Fifty · 03-16-2019, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

Nice looking car. Could it be that some previous owner put a small 12 volt battery (Odyssey, etc.) inside one of those faux 6 volt cases?

Good call, Tubman. Thinking the same thing.

54vicky · 03-16-2019, 09:18 AM

I am with tubman also there is no way a 6 volt would show 12 volt no matter what meter you use

03-15-2019, 10:47 AM	#2
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,304	Re: positive to negative change At the risk of rousing your ire (witness the user name), I suggest that you slow down and and have a little discussion about this. Doing what you are suggesting is about the last thing you want to do if your car is really "NICE". Plus the comment "JUICED the 6 Volt Battery to 13 Volts" suggests there is something else going on here. At this point, we don't even know if we are talking about a 6 volt or 12 volt system. Slow down and learn to take advantage of all the knowledge this Forum can provide. Welcome to "The Ford Barn", by the way.

03-15-2019, 11:10 AM	#3
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: positive to negative change How about posting a photo of the battery. How did you come up with 13 volts, measure with a voltmeter? Coil and Generator (alternator) and maybe the starter are the major items involved with a voltage changeover, but lights, heater fan, gauges, etc also need to be addressed.

03-15-2019, 11:33 AM	#4
Kerk Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 642	Re: positive to negative change I suggest the first thing you do is to disconnect BOTH battery cables from the battery and then put a volt meter across the battery terminals and con firm the Battery''s real voltage. Then you can decide the next step!! JMHS kx

03-15-2019, 04:28 PM	#5
Red98 Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 60	Re: positive to negative change Twelve volt batteries are actually 13 volts but most people use the nominal 12 when describing them. Lead acid cells are 2.15 volts per cell and a (nominal) 12 has 6 cells, which rounds to 13. (note to OP) Calling your 12 volt a 'juiced 13' will serve to invite confusion away from the answers you seek. How to: reverse the battery terminals. reverse the ammeter wire. radio is a potential problem. if there are any motors, like heater...they must also be reversed. bulbs and lamps can be ignored reverse the ignition coil Reverse is hopefully understood to mean changing one for the other.

03-15-2019, 04:35 PM	#6
flatford8 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Lyman,ME. Posts: 2,623	Re: positive to negative change Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Welcome.... we love pictures!!!..... until you decide what or if there is a problem, I wouldn’t leave the battery hooked up when your not working on it. “Nice” cars burn just as fast as the ones that I own..... Mark __________________ I'm thinkin' about crankin' My ragged ol' truck up and haulin' myself into town. Billy Joe Shaver

03-15-2019, 06:58 PM	#8
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: positive to negative change Did you select Go Advanced and then Manage Attachments (paperclip on bar)? Somewhat straight forward from there. Biggest issues is the file size, there are upload file size limits, ~ 500Kb.

03-15-2019, 07:13 PM	#9
grouchyandugly Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: N.E. FLA Posts: 57	Re: positive to negative change thanks... will now try again....nope...negative... keeps showing a new tab: "script prompt... enter URL …. nothing about "go advanced" or 'manage attach' that I can see. wheeeeeee thanks ??? I clik on the "insert image", then new tab that says: fordbarn.com needs some information. script prompt. please enter the URL of you image. going in circles. ???

03-15-2019, 08:11 PM	#10
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: positive to negative change It should be at the bottom of the thread, right below the last post (I'm seeing it as I input the text). Says Post Quick Reply & Go Advanced. If your not seeing it how are you posting?

03-15-2019, 08:38 PM	#11
Mike in AZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waddell, AZ Posts: 2,540	Re: positive to negative change Welcome to the ‘Barn. Yep, we love pics. So hope you can solve pic posting. When you’re typing in you reply your choices to post that reply are the “post quick reply” or “go advanced” buttons below the message you want to post. “ go advanced” might be helpful with pic posting. Good luck. Mike

03-15-2019, 08:40 PM	#12
grouchyandugly Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: N.E. FLA Posts: 57	Re: positive to negative change DIRTYWORD... not only am I UGLY, but BLIND. been looking for that post quick reply at bottom.... cannot see it on my end. each time to "download" my photo, it says can't do. I go to "manage attachments" but, but, they do not attach!! ??

03-15-2019, 08:47 PM	#13
grouchyandugly Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: N.E. FLA Posts: 57	Re: positive to negative change can I send photos via email? I do (or did.....) know how to do that.... and where would I send them??? stay safe. thanks

03-15-2019, 08:47 PM	#14
grouchyandugly Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: N.E. FLA Posts: 57	Re: positive to negative change 1941 mercury eight sedan

03-15-2019, 09:29 PM	#15
grouchyandugly Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: N.E. FLA Posts: 57	Re: positive to negative change 1941 mercury eight sedan. dead end again. went to Advance, but NADA. do not know what to do about "no photos"... I have them stored, but not able to get them onto here..... iffen I was a "woman" I would be "happy", because I got something to complain about !!! stay safe. thanks

03-16-2019, 06:41 AM	#18
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,304	Re: positive to negative change Nice looking car. Could it be that some previous owner put a small 12 volt battery (Odyssey, etc.) inside one of those faux 6 volt cases?

03-16-2019, 09:18 AM	#20
54vicky Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oakville Ontario Posts: 586	Re: positive to negative change I am with tubman also there is no way a 6 volt would show 12 volt no matter what meter you use