Technical Will a 12v headlight switch work on a 6v system?

This question has probably been posed before... The rheostat coil on my '50 Buick Headlight Switch fried last night when I re-installed the switch after cleaning it. Heaven forbid I try to get all functions on the switch to work properly... LOL Anyway, with the understanding that trying to re-attach the coil to the terminal is supposedly a lost cause as solder will not withstand the heat generated when energized, I've come across a near duplicate switch on eBay, but it's from a '53 Buick, 12 volt car... I've read that guys who've upgraded their car to 12v still use their 6v switches... How about the opposite working? A 12v switch on a 6v system? Does anyone know of someone who repairs switches? Was also curious if I could drill out old brass rivet terminal, get a new one, and try to wrap the end of the coil wire around the new terminal... HELP!!

 

6 volts draw more current than 12, typically, but yes, it will work.

 

6v system will draw twice as much current as a 12v system. If the switch has a circuit breaker built in, that might act up. The dash lights will not work quite right, and it may or may not burn out the resistor.

If the 12v switch is cheap, give it a try. Or wait until you find a 6v switch. Or see about fixing the contact...you might be able to find a brass screw at a hardware store, and file the end mostly flat to resemble the rivet, and use a nut to hold it together?

 

Thanks for your replies guys. The whole amp/resistance thing of electrical always made my head hurt. I figured there was a reason why Buick had 2 separate switches. 12v switch is $40, but like most stuff on eBay, untested. Also saw a 6v switch, $20, again not tested and probably a worse for wear than mine. I don't even want to tell you what I've seen NOS switches go for!

I'll try the brass screw route. I ended up losing maybe only 2-3 winds on the end of the coil where it cooked off, so it's worth trying. I might even be able to find a screw small enough that I could tap into the old rivet, and try to wrap a turn or two of the coil around.

 

While you are fiddling with the thing...consider a quick overhaul. I've never found much more than dirt to be wrong with old OEM switches.
Most will come apart fairly easily by bending back tabs on the steel part to release a plastic terminal block. Be careful and lay stuff out in order, as there are likely 2 groupings of contacts in there connecting the 2 power leads to the various lights. All the stuff generally lifts out, so just lay out plastic, brass, and springs in order, swizzle the bits in thinner til clean, polish any contacts that look rough, and reassemble with clean light grease. Switch will be ready for the next 60 years of service.
On the resistor...if you cannot adequately reattach the nichrome to the contacts, solder in a 14 gauge wire to where each end was and run wires to a separate instrument light rheostat...'41-48 Ford would work and I'm sure there are many others. Thes are just little knobs in one of the holes in lower flange of dash pointing down...al elderly GM cars have lots of holes there for accessories and options.

 

If you can reattach the resistor wire try using silver solder .

 

I was thinking about this...on late model cars, I usually have to turn the dash lights down about half way for night driving. But on my old stuff, I have to have them full brightness. I didn't even bother connecting the rheostat on the last one I built, the dash lights come on with the ignition key. So....just bypass the rheostat if you can't get it to work, and you are tired of messing with it and spending money.

 

On Squirrel's suggestion...note that the typical 6V instrument bulbs come in two levels, I think 1 and 2 candlepower.

 

Again thanks for tips. Yeah, I thought of just connecting dash lights to headlight terminal if worst comes to worst and foregoing Map Lights all together.

Problem I have on this switch is that the Map Lights had a separate terminal on this switch. Switch was pretty interesting. First pull-stop is front Park lights and rear running. Second pull-stop is Headlights and rear running. And if memory serves correct, turn the knob, map lights on. Turn one more, map lights off, dash lights on, turn again to rheostat area, dash lights are dimmed.