[AT] 8-volt batteries in 6-volt tractors

[charlie hill]

I agree George but there were so many Super A's around down here in the 50's 
and 60's with 8 V batteries that I wasn't completely sure they didn't come 
that way.  Your comment clears that up.  LOL

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George Willer" <gwill at toast.net>
To: "'Antique tractor email discussion group'" 
<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 3:33 PM
Subject: RE: [AT] 8-volt batteries in 6-volt tractors


> Mike,
>
> Here's my opinion, and it's only an opinion based on experience. 
> Converting
> to an 8 volt battery is merely an attempt to avoid putting the system in
> good condition.  I've done a fair amount of mechanical music instrument
> restorations over the years, and a mentor I respect gave me this 
> advice..."
> Taking a shortcut to make something work for a while is like being kind to
> your dog by cutting his tail off a little at a time".  I put the 8 volt
> batteries in that category.  Converting to either 8 or 12 volts don't 
> really
> address the underlying problem that will have to be addressed sooner or
> later.
>
> George Willer
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
>> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Mike Sloane
>> Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 9:41 AM
>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>> Subject: Re: [AT] 8-volt batteries in 6-volt tractors
>>
>>  From what I understand, your Ford's 6 volt generator & cutout will
>> charge the 8 volt battery up to about 6.75 volts, so you really will
>> gain nothing. On a tractor with a "normal" three terminal voltage
>> regulator, I understand that it is possible to adjust it to put out 8.9
>> volts (which is what you need to charge an 8 volt battery properly). If
>> you do that, your lights will last maybe an hour or so and then burn
>> out. And I know of no 8 volt replacement tractor lamps. Your coil will
>> also run hot at the higher voltage.
>>
>> But, as many folks have said before, if the tractor won't start on the 6
>> volts it was designed for, then your problem isn't the battery; it is
>> something else - ignition, wiring, rings, valves, etc. Higher battery
>> voltage may help for a while, but you haven't fixed the problem. On the
>> other hand, if your battery/generator is shot, you need brighter lights
>> for night work, you need to start in bitter cold, or some other issue,
>> then you might as well just "bite the bullet" and do a proper complete
>> 12 volt conversion.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> D. Day wrote:
>> > TSC has quit stocking 6-volt batteries and replaced them with 8-volt.
>> The
>> > sticker on the 8-volt battery states that the 'extra 2 volts helps
>> antique
>> > vehicles start easier.'
>> >
>> > Several years ago, a friend suggested that I buy an 8-volt for a Ford 
>> > 2N
>> > that I was working on. Once I installed it, I found that the charging
>> system
>> > on the 2N wasn't keeping up with the task and I was unsure exactly how
>> to
>> > charge an 8-volt battery with my 6-volt/12-volt charger.
>> >
>> > I called Exide, the company that made the 8-volt battery, and finally
>> spoke
>> > with an engineer. He suggested strongly that 8-volt batteries should
>> never
>> > be used in any application that was not designed to maintain an 8-volt
>> > battery.  He said that typically the on-board 6-volt charging systems
>> are
>> > not adequate and except for a few industrial machines, no one makes an
>> > 8-volt charger.  According to him, charging an 8-volt battery with a 6-
>> volt
>> > charger doesn't work and charging it with a 12-volt charger is
>> dangerous.
>> >
>> > Anyone have experience with 8-volt batteries?
>> >
>> > Dick Day
>> >
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Mike Sloane
>> Allamuchy NJ
>> mikesloane at verizon.net
>> Website: <www.geocities.com/mikesloane>
>> Images: <www.fotki.com/mikesloane>
>>
>> You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image
>> when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.
>> -Anne Lamott, writer (1954- )
>>
>>
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>> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
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>
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