6V-12V and Back to 6V ??

Tall T · Oct 19, 2017

I just now fired up my '53 Chev 235.

I serviced the starter and installed it before a previous startup attempt. It is a simple floor button start, no solenoid, but with a new 6 Volt battery, I got no action at all out of the starter.

Here's the question for the electrical wizards out there — which is practically everyone but me:

When I last used the truck, 18 years ago, I had been driving the starter with a 12 volt battery sitting in the foot well of the step van, but the rest of the setup is and was always 6 volt.

So this morning I took the starter out and apart again to run some tests on it . . . field coil continuity, testing for grounds to starter frame and grounded brushes (insulated ones). Everything was fine so I put it back in the truck.

No go until I connected a 12 V to it and it cranked to beat the band. After trickling gas into the carb (from my seat which is handy) I got fuel from the tank and it fired up and purred.

So finally . . . the question:

Once a starter has been powered by 12 volts can one not simply switch back to 6V ?

Thanks,
Terry

JMOR · Oct 19, 2017

(quoted from post at 20:03:13 10/19/17) I just now fired up my '53 Chev 235.

I serviced the starter and installed it before a previous startup attempt. It is a simple floor button start, no solenoid, but with a new 6 Volt battery, I got no action at all out of the starter.

Here's the question for the electrical wizards out there — which is practically everyone but me:

When I last used the truck, 18 years ago, I had been driving the starter with a 12 volt battery sitting in the foot well of the step van, but the rest of the setup is and was always 6 volt.

So this morning I took the starter out and apart again to run some tests on it . . . field coil continuity, testing for grounds to starter frame and grounded brushes (insulated ones). Everything was fine so I put it back in the truck.

No go until I connected a 12 V to it and it cranked to beat the band. After trickling gas into the carb (from my seat which is handy) I got fuel from the tank and it fired up and purred.

So finally . . . the question:

Once a starter has been powered by 12 volts can one not simply switch back to 6V ?

Thanks,
Terry

/12/6 swapping will not matter. Now that it has recently operated on 12, try 6 again.

Tall T · Oct 19, 2017

Thanks, will do.

When I had it out this morning, I bench motored it successfully with 12, but then installed it and got no action out of 6V. I'll try it again though.

I wonder if taking the starter out again and motoring it with no bendix load will reorient it to 6V. (?)

Was sure a treat to hear it fire up after 18 years and to have all my dash gauges operative and 48 psi oil pressure. Ammeter indicates discharge though. Gen motored fine on the bench.
Time for a new 6 volt regulator I think. I tried polarizing it.

Terry

Dean · Oct 19, 2017

I would suspect the starter switch, cables or connections.

Dean

Tim PloughNman Daley RIP · Oct 20, 2017

Starters don't care if 6 volts or 12 volts. Many fellers put a 12 volt battery in and change nothing else out. 12 volts will kick like a mule upon starting.

Tall T · Oct 20, 2017

(quoted from post at 13:53:32 10/20/17) Starters don't care if 6 volts or 12 volts. Many fellers put a 12 volt battery in and change nothing else out. 12 volts will kick like a mule upon starting.

Hey Tim,

You must have just skimmed my first post.

I drove it for years using 6V for the starter. As that 6V got a little tired, I started using a 12V just for starting as you see in the photo.

My quandary now is that it won't responded to 6V anymore . . . or so it seems.

My ammeter has been reading discharge after a couple of warmups, so my plan was to put the 6V batt on charge and give 6V another go on the starter.

But in the meantime I thought I'd go after the non-charging issue . . . so I cleaned up all voltage regulator connections and started it up instantly on 12V again. after thumping the voltage regulator with a rubber mallet, the needle jumped to the charging side.
But it is making quick snaps back over to discharge with an audible click coming from the regulator and then bouncing back over to the charging side. Any ideas . . . old tricks?

Thanks,
Terry

Tall T · Oct 20, 2017

(quoted from post at 19:08:26 10/19/17) I would suspect the starter switch, cables or connections.

Dean

Dean,

You were right on the mark.
I tested the positive cable for continuity and the test light lit up,
but still I decided to try the positive cable I had been using on the 12V battery and bingo!
It is now starting fine on 6V.

Went after the voltage regulator internal contacts again with a slightly rougher paper and then a 600 polish and the voltage regulator is now operating perfectly without intermittent needle action.

Thanks for the help,
Terry

Here's the dash gauge, engine running.

6V-12V and Back to 6V ??

Tall T

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JMOR

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Tall T

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Dean

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Tim PloughNman Daley RIP

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Tall T

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Tall T

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