will a 6 volt generator put out 12 volts

a guy was telling me the other day that someone told him if you put a 12 volt regulator on a 6 volt generator it will charge to 12 volts. i really didnt know what to say since id never heard this before and never tried anything like it i just always assumed the internal wiring and fields wouldnt allow it. anyone out there tried this

Yes, that's what I have on my H.

Wont last very long under constant use sure it will for a short time but it also takes a 12v battery in the circut.

A few will and many will not. In fact, back when 8 volt batteries were popular, some 6 volt generators couldn't even be made to charge THEM (at 9 volts).

wow, learn something new every day. out of curiosity why wouldnt it last very long

What he told you is true IVE DONE IT AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS.

BE ADVISED: A genny dont necessarily know what its output is, it increases as you turn it faster and/or pump more current through its field windings.

What a Voltage Regualtor does (among other functions) is regualte and control the gennys field current so the output is controlled and the gennys fields and armature arent passing more current then they are rated to handle.

NOW BEFORE ANYONE HAS A CALF geeeeeeeeeee

Im NOT saying this is best,,,,, or engineering correct,,,,,,,,,and it did NOT set the world on fire for any real high charge rate,,,,,,, nor am I advising you do it,,,,,,,,, IM ONLYYYYYYYY SAYING YES IT WORKS so settle down all out there ready to jump on this lol


BE ADVISED one of the main limiting factors (in a gennys rating) is how many amps the field windings are rated to handle without overheating and ifffffffffffff you pump more amps through them (which raises gennys output) then rated for they could overheat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats why its NOT engineering perfect or the recommended way of doing things butttttttttttttttt the ratings can be on the safe conservative side so a bit of extra current may OR MAY NOT not hurt all that much

So theres the whole story now you can tell the big boys down at the pool hall or local restaurant where yall drink morning coffee

Best wishes

John T

(quoted from post at 04:58:46 04/30/12) wow, learn something new every day. out of curiosity why wouldnt it last very long

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Maybe because you're running the generator at 200-400% of its designed output?

As you have been advised a 6 volt generator will produce more than 6 volts if regulated to do so. It is, however, not recommended to do this. Generator manufacturers (both Delco Remy in the U.S. and Lucas in the UK) did NOT intend for 6V generators to operate at 12 volts. That is why they produced 6 and 12 volt variants. Remember that 1 volt is 1 Joule of energy per 1 coulomb (approx 100,000) electrons travelling through a circuit. When you run a 6V generator at 12V you asking it to carry far more energy per unit of electrons that it was designed for. If you force a 6 volt generator to run at 12 volts and still produce the same current flow (amps) as it did at 6 volts, then you asking too much of it. If you want to run at 12 volts, it is by far the best policy to use correct 12 volt equipment.
SadFarmall

i really want to thank everyone for the replys, seems like i have 30 6 volt generator laying around and am always short on alternators and money so id really like to try this on a few

NO harm in trying it (worse thing is you fry the genny lol), as I posted below I did it and never had any problems but that dont mean YOUR genny with YOUR VR and YOUR battery etc will do the same mind you NO WARRANTY as it depends on sooooooooo may variables we cant know here!!!!!!!!!!! If youre providing 12 volts it only takes half the current to get the same power mind you ie. A 6 volt genny providing 10 amps = 60 watts of power output, while a 12 volt genny providing only 5 amps = 60 watts (or 120 watts at 10 amps DUH 10 x 12). A genny is more of a current device then it is a voltage device. Its field windings (and armature) can only pass so much current before they could overheat and if you try to pump more through them (which produces more output) then designed for THEY COULD OVERHEAT!!!!! Or if you spin it faster (like smaller pulley) that also increases its output.

THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT is have a shop convert it and they would install new field coils but if you want to try it as is and simply change to a 12 volt VR it could work (mine did) or it could overcurrent and overheat the fields

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED and just because mine worked simply by using a 12 volt VR DONT MEAN YOURS WILL it depends on your genny and its Field current ratings and your VR and your battery and RPM SOME WILL WORK OTHERS MAY NOT !!!! No way for anyone to tell sittin here

John T

(quoted from post at 05:43:51 04/30/12) i really want to thank everyone for the replys, seems like i have 30 6 volt generator laying around and am always short on alternators and money so id really like to try this on a few

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The stuff to rebuild an alternator is about the same price as a good VR. Plus (I hate used electrical stuff) the delco 10SI Alts are cheep in junk yards. I'd be reluctant to go back to a genny unless restoring something.


Rick

It will do better with just a cut-out rather than a regulator. The points in the regulator won"t last long because they aren"t matched to the field coils. At 12 volts it puts out only half the current as it will at 6.