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Old 11-10-2019, 05:30 PM   #1
sofield
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Default 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

If using a 8 Volt battery what is the effect on all the 6 volt parts?
Starter motor, all bulbs, coil, generator, horn, 6 volt signal stat, ammeter etc.
Your answers are appreciated.
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Old 11-10-2019, 05:42 PM   #2
Tacoma Bob
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Had a 53 Caddy in high school (1966) 8v marine battery no issues that I recall.
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Old 11-10-2019, 06:05 PM   #3
Charlie Stephens
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Use the "Search" button in the black bar near the top of the page for this subject ("8 volt battery", be sure to use the quote marks). My advice would be to fix what is wrong and not introduce other problems with a patch. Usual problems are dirty grounds and battery cables that are too small (the cables from the local auto parts are probably for 12 volt systems which use smaller cable).

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Old 11-10-2019, 07:03 PM   #4
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Say what???

Take a look at this:

https://youtu.be/LC5SYil9vGw

Last edited by Magicbox51; 11-10-2019 at 11:54 PM.
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Old 11-10-2019, 07:44 PM   #5
Keith True
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Now that video was worth watching all the way through.I hear lots of people with A's tell me they learned how to do this or that on youtube,Now I see where they get some of these hare brained ideas.I really liked how he changed the timing,and set the carb by turning turning something he had plugging the vacuum port.A's seem to run in spite of people like him.That video dragged on a little at first,but as it went on,it just got fascinating with him thinking he was fixing the car.
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Old 11-10-2019, 07:48 PM   #6
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith True View Post
Now that video was worth watching all the way through.I hear lots of people with A's tell me they learned how to do this or that on youtube,Now I see where they get some of these hare brained ideas.I really liked how he changed the timing,and set the carb by turning turning something he had plugging the vacuum port.A's seem to run in spite of people like him.That video dragged on a little at first,but as it went on,it just got fascinating with him thinking he was fixing the car.
No kidding. I thought it was priceless.
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Old 11-10-2019, 08:54 PM   #7
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith True View Post
Now that video was worth watching all the way through.I hear lots of people with A's tell me they learned how to do this or that on youtube,Now I see where they get some of these hare brained ideas.I really liked how he changed the timing,and set the carb by turning turning something he had plugging the vacuum port.A's seem to run in spite of people like him.That video dragged on a little at first,but as it went on,it just got fascinating with him thinking he was fixing the car.
I guess I will have to try again. After the first few minutes I had to stop watching. That guy was making me agitated.
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Old 11-10-2019, 11:08 PM   #8
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Master Cylinder View Post
I guess I will have to try again. After the first few minutes I had to stop watching. That guy was making me agitated.
Yeah, just wait till you get to the part about setting distributor timing.
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Old 11-11-2019, 11:31 AM   #9
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Quote:
Originally Posted by Magicbox51 View Post
Yeah, just wait till you get to the part about setting distributor timing.
Have you watched some of his other videos?
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Old 11-11-2019, 11:41 AM   #10
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Master Cylinder View Post
Have you watched some of his other videos?
No, are there more?
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Old 11-10-2019, 08:37 PM   #11
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

If I changed anything it would be to 12 volts, negative ground.

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Old 11-10-2019, 09:34 PM   #12
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Unrestrained by a battery, a Model A generator will put out up to 32 volts.

Of course many who have issues with the battery connection and find it goes "open circuit" frequently find their headlights and a whole bunch of other bulbs suddenly "burned out." That 32v will do a number.

8V batteries will work just fine if everything else around it is designed for 8 volts. Last I checked, 8 volt light bulbs were pretty much restricted to 9 volt lantern battery spotlights. With the new world of LED headlight bulbs which work fine on 6V or 12V, they'll probably work fine on 8 volts too.

And your starter motor compared to operation on 6V will sound quite "perky" on 8 volts since it is 25 percent higher voltage. If that is your goal, you can use 12V battery with a stock Model A generator and your stock starter will sound REALLY perky at 12v. And you can consider your 12V incandescents bulbs even brighter than 6v 32cp bulbs - which they may be being a modern bulb.

Its all a matter of what you want to do. 8V cell batteries can still be found. NOT like 6V batteries though and you may have to settle for a case size somewhat different than the Model A. 8V Batteries probably more plentiful than 8V bulbs. Might make for a short 6V bulb life unless you have some sort of "dropping resistor" planned.

I myself have stuck pretty much with 6V. Except for that one time I "jumped" the Model A from my regular car - Model A headlights OFF.

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Last edited by Joe K; 11-10-2019 at 09:40 PM.
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Old 11-10-2019, 10:24 PM   #13
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

No one has said it, but the cutout would need to be changed. You can buy 8 volt cutouts.
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Old 11-10-2019, 11:30 PM   #14
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

To answer the original post, Light bulbs are the main thing to consider, Many have said they have converted and are happy with it. The main reason seems to be the brighter lights which will just burn out faster, and a somewhat faster starter. 6-volt starters seem to work very well, and even though they crank slower than converting to 8 or 12 volts, the 6-volt starter in my car does pretty well. I would think that if one is to convert, I would go with 12-volts, negative ground, and an alternator. At least then you would have something more standard. I think going with 8-volts is asking for problems down the road. That's just my opinion.
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Old 11-10-2019, 11:38 PM   #15
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

Expect light bulbs to burn out quicker..8 volt not needed A's work good on 6..
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Old 11-11-2019, 12:41 AM   #16
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

The guy in the video needs to share all his secrets in a new book. How to repair the model A.
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Old 11-11-2019, 06:39 AM   #17
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

I have a bunch of new-old light bulbs for the A.They are Mazda,and the packages are marked 6-8 volt.I don't know if they made 8 volt only bulbs or not,I've never seen any,but that doesn't mean anything.
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Old 11-11-2019, 06:58 AM   #18
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

My son runs a 8 volt in his 29 CCPU .The standard generator and cutout charge at 10 amps happily and only slightly warm to the touch after a long run . The coil stays cool and the starter motor seems very happy on 8 volts . The bendix has tight big bolts and good tagged lock washers . It starts easily in cold wet days helped by a hotter spark and more perky starter motor . The spark plugs seem to be unaffected . So far so good the down side is short bulb life if anyone came out with 8 volt bulbs for the A I think there would be a ready market . Just wondering if we could put a suitable resistor in the lighting circuit .The horn seems OK on the extra 2 volts.

John back in cold wet Suffolk County England .

Last edited by john charlton; 11-11-2019 at 07:04 AM.
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Old 11-11-2019, 11:09 AM   #19
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

The voltage drop of a single resistor would vary with the applied load - more lights, more drop. A better approach may be to use 12V bulbs with 1.5 - 2 times the wattage rating, if you can find them. Approximate wattage of the bulbs - 3/6/10 Cp = 3/6/10 watts; 15 CP = 12W, 21 CP = 18W, 32 CP = 24W, 50 CP = 36W.
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Old 11-11-2019, 11:29 AM   #20
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Default Re: 8 volt battery in 6 volt car

sofield - Are you just asking for knowledge, or do you have a problem/issue needing to be resolved?
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