12 volt wiring conversion

Oh, I agree a 6 volt can be adjusted, but it will not work with just a battery swap the voltage regulator needs to be adjusted. In general a 8 volt battery has the worse of both worlds, requires higher operateing voltage, without haveing the common parts that a 12 volt system does.
12 volt was used because it is cheaper to do so, not because it is a vast inprovement, if so why stop there? why not 24? 36? 48? 64? all were commonly used in the 50's inother applications.
48 and 64 have dangers associated with them that the lower voltages do not.

Oh, I agree a 6 volt can be adjusted, but it will not work with just a battery swap the voltage regulator needs to be adjusted

that is exactly what I wrote, please read carefully before responding inaccurately,

I wasn't responding inaccurately, nor was I disagreeing with you. So take a chill pill.
Not all my posting are directed at or to you. The orignal post about a 8 volt battery made no mention about adjusting the regulator nor the problems that can bring.
In the case of adjusting the 6 volt regulator to work on a 8 volt system I totally agree it can be done.

I'm good with that!

I am not sure of the dual battery circuitry ... I will delve into that a little bit more. The alternator power is definatly short for the 6 volt alternator to charge the 8 volt battery. Maybe I need that 8 volt regulator pack in my 6 volt alternator!

FredD

back in the 70s, my 6 volt battery croaked, the auto parts stores only offered 6v. for Volkswagen bugs, too small,

my buddy sez: "go to Marine Supply at the shipyards,, they have 6 volt batteries,"

so I go in and tell em I need the deepest cranking 6volt battery they have, he asks how big is your truck?

why? well, because our biggest 6 volt is 6 foot by 4 foot by 3 foot tall, should slide right in the back of your bed there,,

OK, ha, ha, you guys got me, got anything smaller?

Buy some H-4 conversions (7" round) and 55/60 watt 6 volt bulbs (sold thru J.C. Whitney or some Motorcycle catalogs I.E. Dennis Kirk, etc) and run 10 gauge wireing for the feed. They will be as bright as "modern" 12 volts. They do draw almost twice what the stock 35 watt lights do, but give good light.
For the chargeing system, the Optional 45 or 50 amp genny helps or if you can get the Leese- Neville thats another option.
The stock 30 amp unit will work ok, but with duel wipers, heater and everthing running, it will be max'd out with nothing left over. BTDT. I ran my K-7 900 miles in the dead of winter, both day and night with temps dropping below zero, with a 30 amp genny and the above H-4 headlights. SO am speaking from experiance.

That makes sense. I had never thought of conversion lights. Thank you.

To play devil's advocate, I've read of quite a few people saying that the 6/12v battery from antiqueautobattery has worked well for them. I've never used one myself, so I can't say from personal experience.

I, myself, plan to keep mine 6v pos ground, utilize the H-4 headlights, and redo the wiring with a simple fuse block hidden under the dash to bypass the need for everything to go through the light switch. I guess the squeaks and rattles of an old truck coupled with the sound of the engine is all the "radio" I need, lol. Interstate Battery still carries 6v batteries, as well. IIRC, the R140 or bigger had 12v as an option with the SD engine. Maybe tdoing a search for one of them will net you a 12v generator, regulator, and other wiring needs?


EDIT: If the new wiring doesn't aid in quick starts, I may add a second 6v battery for longer cranking before it wears down. (Parallel)

To play devil's advocate, I've read of quite a few people saying that the 6/12v battery from antiqueautobattery has worked well for them. I've never used one myself, so I can't say from personal experience.

Wireing a battery like that will funtion for a while, but will kill the battery long term no if ands or buts about it . It is plain science and there is no getting around it. How long the battery will last depends on a lot of things, but its life will be shorter then either a streight 12 volt or streight 6 volt system. Wasn't the whole idea to make the truck reliable?
I have over 10 years on one 6 volt in my K-7. If you are prepared to replace the battery every few years, then may be you'll find it accepable get such short life. To me, it is putting a bandaid on a problem rather then solveing it.

I understand CB89 and I agree with everything that he says, here.
Six volt with a positive ground is not for the common every day owner who often has to rely on someone else for help.
The way that I see it, it is time to replace those 60 year old gauges with something new and 12 volt negative ground. The auto club guy came by to boost our 1940 Ford, before I changed it to 12 volt negative ground. He was about to do the booster cable connection when I stopped him. The connection could have caused an explosion when his 12 volt negative ground system was crossed onto the old 6 volt positive ground Ford. The Auto Club guy did not know. I do not know who would be responsible for any injury that he might have suffered.
A six volt starter loves twelve volts and it will last a very long time on the higher volts. Your starting time will be reduced because the engine will really rotate quickly, 12 volt lights are generally brighter, easier to find, you can install a modern radio, electric fuel pump, and electronic ignition. Bill Hamilton can supply a fuel injection for your Binder and then it will really "cook". Autometer and other suppliers like Stewart Warner make quad gauge sets that are direct replacements for the Old Binder BS. A Painless Performance wire kit will upgrade your pickup, add a New Port Engineering direct fit wiper kit and a simple heater with defrost from Vintage Air and the old truck will be so much easier to enjoy.
For myself, I cannot see keeping our Binders all original just because. It will cost tens of thousands of dollars to build a show stopper that is all original. In the end, no one one will give a $&%$#@, except you. Maybe that is the answer.
Here, we try to look at these old trucks as a blank canvas and go from there. It is the pleasant shape that is the charm, for us. The modern running gear and upgraded systems make the truck reliable and it fits nicely into a modern situation. The old engines are very strongly built and will take handle performance upgrades. A turbo or supercharger on the engine a better transmission and brakes on axles with better gearing and you are off. It is possible to put a five or six speed TREMEC transmission behind the original engine. Even an NVG4500 will fit up. If you get the right NVG 4500, you can add an NVG 241 transfer case and this opens up another great adventure.
I am a trained monkey and I have the paper-work for the bottom of my cage to prove it. The biggest mistake that I can make is to not do the research before I go to the parts store. The last of the "Old Guys" from my generation are retiring and it is unlikely that the computer bound parts persons that have replaced us will have the same interest as you. Having said this, it is just easier to upgrade.