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What Converts 6 Volts Up To 12 Volts?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Scotch Buzzard King, Sep 28, 2011.

  1. And don't tell me another battery. I've got a flathead that I'm going to be using a 12 volt GM distributor on, but I don't want to convert my whole car up to 12 volts. I'm using the distributor because it has the Pertronix upgrade on it, and its the one from the early 265 Chevy V8 that has the oiling tube on the side. I would much rather find something that could up the voltage to the distributor much like a car converter that switches 12v up to 120v. I've seen some before but can't remember where I saw the 6v to 12v converter. Anyone knows where to get one?
     
  2. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    Do believe they make a 6V Pertronix. Put points back in the damm thing.
     
  3. handyandy289
    Joined: Sep 19, 2010
    Posts: 354

    handyandy289
    Member
    from Georgia

    Most 6 to 12 volt conversions only require the change of coils. Is pertronix voltage sensative?
     
  4. goose-em
    Joined: Aug 23, 2008
    Posts: 349

    goose-em
    Member
    from Louisiana

    They do make 6 to 12 volt converters but they are not made to run a 12 volt coil.

    I would suggest running to batteries in series, one 6 volt battery to power all your junk and the two in series running your coil.

    I have a schematic somewhere I will try to dig up.

    for a converter check out Radio Shack, they used to have one.

    Also do a google search, mostly you will find the converters won't run your coil.

    6 V battery 6 V battery
    ________ ________
    | + - | | + - | common
    +----------|-o o-|-----+------|-o o-|------------ ground
    | |________| | |________|
    | |
    12 6
    volts volts

    This looks right in my browser but not on the forum

    Here is the link,

    http://www.inertia.org/ACVWJYRO/acvwjy/6-to-12.htm
     

  5. junk yard kid
    Joined: Nov 11, 2007
    Posts: 2,718

    junk yard kid
    Member

    To up the voltage you lose most of your amps. You cant get free power. So yor better off running 12 volt and dropping it to 6v for the rest. but i dont think they make that one of those.
     
  6. Sheep Dip
    Joined: Dec 29, 2010
    Posts: 1,572

    Sheep Dip
    Member
    from Central Ca

    I did my OT 46 jeep years ago by installing a voltage drop at a feed point to everything I wanted to keep 6 volt and not change to 12 volt. The starter spins faster and has been working for over 25 years...no issues with anything.
     
  7. Dale Fairfax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2006
    Posts: 2,585

    Dale Fairfax
    Member Emeritus

    Transformers work only on A.C. There aint no magic black box to do what you want to do. Either another battery or the 6 V. Pertronix.
     
  8. oldtom69
    Joined: Dec 6, 2009
    Posts: 583

    oldtom69
    Member
    from grandin nd

    dont forget that those chevy points distributors ran on 6 volts anyway due to the ballast resistor-they only saw 12 volts while cranking the starter
     
  9. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,944

    squirrel
    Member

    take the fricken pertronix out and put points in and run it on 6v. sheesh

    I have an old Radio Shack converter that is designed to run a 12v car radio in a 6v car. I wonder if it would work?
     
  10. Would the 12 volt points work on just 6 volts? I mean I've got a new 6 volt coil that doesn't require a resistor, but someone told me a while back that I would have to use 6 volt points. I thought the idea was bullshit when I found that the condensers on the old 6 volt points came out to be the same part number on the 12 volt points when its inside of the GM family. I could be wrong on the condenser, but that's what my old parts manual lead me to believe anyhow. Shit, now I'm confused. :confused:
     
  11. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,944

    squirrel
    Member

    the points are a switch, switches don't care about voltage. And the coil runs at around 6v or 8v on a 12v system because of the ballast resistor.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2011
  12. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,444

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    Yes there are magic boxes..I'll look tomorrow, ain't cheap and especially if some amps is needed..
     
  13. 53PlymCran
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 57

    53PlymCran
    Member

    That's not exactly true, switches are designed for a maximum potential. Try using a simple 110V, typical household light switch on a 440V system to connect power. Bet you it burns out. Voltage is directly proportional to current, meaning if you double your voltage (and keep your resistance constant), you will double your current. It's simple math. If the points can handle twice the current, then sure, they can handle twice the potential applied. If they tend to pit or burn out, then they can't handle it. Think of spark plugs. What's the voltage potential required to jump that gap? Quite a bit. What happens to the electrode gap over time? It gets wider. Just by staying inside there and doing its job of sparking, not because something is physically spreading it apart. That's because each time it sparks, tiny little micro pits appear, and wear away at the electrode. Points are constantly making contact and then disconnecting (opening and closing, as in a switch). If you have higher potential and the same resistance, you'll have more current; it'll pit quicker, and wear faster.
    How much faster? I have no idea. Could be so long that you'd never notice it. But it still would. Sheesh.
     
  14. Awesome! :D
     
  15. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    What?? Really? You don't have to change bulbs, gauges, voltage regs or fuses?? Dang that'll make it easy for me!!
     
  16. lexington
    Joined: Jul 28, 2011
    Posts: 83

    lexington
    Member

    Goosem if you use the system you show with two batteries do you use a 6 or 12 volt c generator?Also if you use 12 volt generator how do you charge both batteries and still only put out 6 volts to you accesories? I apologize for butting in Scotch Buzzard but if you were to use that setup you would have the same question I assume thanks
     
  17. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,944

    squirrel
    Member

    yeah, but I think points made for a 12v ignition system should be able to handle a 6v ignition system. It's not like they're semiconductors or something....
     
  18. yup
     
  19. 53PlymCran
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 57

    53PlymCran
    Member

    Well, points made for a 12V system could definitely handle a 6V, it's less voltage. But points made for a 6V system being able to handle a 12V system?
    ~Jt
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2011
  20. goose-em
    Joined: Aug 23, 2008
    Posts: 349

    goose-em
    Member
    from Louisiana

    6 volt generator. Batteries are in series so both will charge. This is essentially a 6 volt system that puts 12 volts out at one end.

    AS long as both batteries are charging at 6 volts from the generator you should not need to worry about running either one of them down.
     
  21. Diesel battery-powered Flathead! Hell yeah! :D
     
  22. goose-em
    Joined: Aug 23, 2008
    Posts: 349

    goose-em
    Member
    from Louisiana

    And I would run both a voltmeter and an ammeter.

    The age old question, which is better.

    Answer, neither, they do two different things.

    Used together they can be valuable. As long as your ammeter shows you are putting out the right amount of amps both those batteries are charging.

    As long as you voltmeter reflects around 6 volts both are doing their job.

    In fact you could go all crazy and run another voltmeter on the 12 volt output and see that that is working right also. It would be passive so it would not go to the generator, I hope that made sense.

    Just make sure you run all of your 6 volt stuff off the 6 volt tap and your 12 volt stuff off your twelve volt tap.

    And Buzzard King you are right, It is similar to a semi truck set up.
     
  23. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,818

    BJR
    Member

    THIS IS WRONG! If the batteries are in series you would charge them as a 12 volt. If they were in parallel then you would charge them as a 6 volt. In series you add the voltage of each battery together, and get 12 volts. In parallel they remain 6 volt but have double the amperage or cranking power.
     
  24. DICK SPADARO
    Joined: Jun 6, 2005
    Posts: 1,887

    DICK SPADARO
    Member Emeritus

    Well Ive been questioned before but there is no need for 12v, just run the distributor on the same 6V hook up with a 6v coil. It is just like the original 8ba design but the distributor is now a Chevy design.


    Correction
    Spank, spank, spank, Oops sorry, brain didn't click on the electronic ignition conversion. I just assumed you would be using a regular point style conversion not any fancy hi fangled electronic stuff. This combination runs perfect on just points why complicate it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2011
  25. A dual battery set in series would need to be charged at 12 volts. They would have to be in parallel to charge at 6 volts. It would be next to impossible to use 12 volts off
    parallel 6v batteries with conventional circuitry.

    There was (is?) a "magic 6 to 12 volt box, it was commonly used for putting 12v radios in 6v bugs. Would it power a Pertronix, don't know, if it did, would you really want to rely on it for ignition; doubt it.

    Points are points, never have seen a difference in physical construction between 6v or 12v point set.
     
  26. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,251

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    WOW!! Just, WOW!! I started to quote all of the "wrong" postings in this thread, then realized that it would take more time than I have available today to explain the errors, discrepancies, misinformation, etc.

    I decided that it was more entertaining just to read it, and ponder the smoke and blown fuses that would result from implementing some of the suggestions. There is a mix of correct and incorrect information in this thread. Those of you posting correct info know who you are. For the others that are not ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN about what you're doing when it comes to electrical systems in cars, please refrain from disseminating bad information. It could damage property, or hurt someone.

    Either replace the Pertronix with a 6-volt version, or take the pertronix out of the "12 volt?" distributor, put in points and a condenser, and run the damn thing.

    They do make 6-to-12 volt converters, but I wouldn't want to run my ignition with one. Here's a link: http://www.pressenter.com/~cmeyer/
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2011
  27. MrForty
    Joined: Aug 31, 2011
    Posts: 83

    MrForty
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

    Ebbsspeed is correct they make a 6 volt upgrade.

    Most likely in this distributor you have an original Ignitor kit number 1183 that was designed for a minimum operating voltage of 8V. You can swap it out for a kit number 1183N6. (The N is for negative ground and 6 means it runs on a 6 volt system)
     
  28. Good info. :D
     
  29. goose-em
    Joined: Aug 23, 2008
    Posts: 349

    goose-em
    Member
    from Louisiana

    Well, you caught me. I made a mistake with regards to the generator, it will need to be 12 volts.

    I apologize for my faulty memory. Actually I think I may have been drinking when I responded.
     

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