Charging 6 volt battery

Tim in New York · Apr 10, 2016

Had to buy a new battery for my AC B. I usually like to charge them before putting in, but this is my first 6 volt. Can I just trickle charge it with my normal 12 volt charger?

Thanks,
Tim

oldsarge · Apr 10, 2016

!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DeltaRed · Apr 10, 2016

No. Time to buy a 6 volt charger.

David from Kansas · Apr 10, 2016

You must use a 6V charger, however, if you have two 6V batteries you can connect them and charge both at the same time with your 12V charger.

Tim in New York · Apr 10, 2016

Thanks everyone - glad I asked!

Bob Bancroft · Apr 10, 2016

How's the charging system on your B? If it's in good shape, install the battery and run it. It's easy enough to charge an installed battery later if you have to.

DeltaRed · Apr 10, 2016

Yep,that works,do it frequently. I even made a small 'jumper wire' just for that purpose. Looks like a mini(14Gauge) jumper cable about 24" long.

Paul Janke · Apr 10, 2016

I have an old (1960's) inexpensive six and twelve volt battery charger which I had to open up once for some reason I no longer remember, but what I do remember was that for six volts all they had done was to put in a resistor wire which was in the circuit for charging six volt batteries and was bypassed for charging twelve volt batteries. It seemed to work fine. I have used it for decades on both six and twelve volts.

Ultradog MN · Apr 10, 2016

Another reason to convert to 12V.

rrlund · Apr 10, 2016

My charger's only a few years old and has a switch for either 6 or 12,fast or slow charge. I thought they all were.

D beatty · Apr 10, 2016

It would be a heck of a lot easier and cheaper to go down and buy a new 6-12 volt battery maintainer. The new ones you don't even have a button to switch from 6 to 12 volt it does it automatically .

David G · Apr 10, 2016

I do not think you will ever win that battle here.

jeffcat · Apr 10, 2016

JUst go to Lowes or Walley world and Buy a Shumacher charger. Cost is about $20.oo and it does everything you want all automatically!! Both voltages and trickles and desulfates all in one box. GO buy one. I have at least four of them and they are great. Pictures show the older one and the newer model is the red one. Don't mess around, just go buy one. Lowes has a special one or two times a year with a 20% discount and also veteran discount. THEY work GREAT! Did I say it enough times? They are not a big bad super duper charger but will take care of anything I have thrown at them. Someone on here about two years ago started praising them and I finally bought one. YES, WOW, and FANTASTIC!!

Ultradog MN · Apr 10, 2016

There was a time when a guy couldn't even suggest 12V (or electronic ignition) without the luddites getting all uptight and jumping in with all kind of comments about how those things ain't any good, how a guy must be a spendthrift to buy them, telling stories about their grampa and how the old ways were good enough for him or getting all in a huff about aesthetics and how ugly an alternator looked on an old tractor.
Any more, a guy can at least mention them with out all the back biting, hootin and hollerin.
The idea that those items are in fact worthy upgrades is becoming more and more accepted.
Slowly but inexorably, we are winning the argument.

David G · Apr 10, 2016

I just cannot see the issue in having something that you use be more reliable and convenient.

RalphWD45 · Apr 10, 2016

I have two newer chargers, I bought from Northern Tool, they are both ( bare with me on spelling)Schulemacher? Any way they are both junk, but 6-12 volt The last one quit within 2 months. The one I depend on is 12 vt. and an old Craftsman, that I bought in 1975, and has had the battery clips replaced twice, the power cord lengthened once, by (splicing), and has fallen off tractor rear tires, several times, operated in the rain, and still works great on all 3 settings. I think the next 6-12 volt charger, I buy, will come from Sears, (if they still exist).

Gambles · Apr 10, 2016

Yes, but hopefully Tim in New York knows that they need to be in series and not in parallel.

Pete in MD · Apr 10, 2016

Paul,
I still use an old Sears Companion brand 6/12 volt charger I bought in 1957. Replaced the power and charger cords at least twice but it still does the job done. Wonder if the new ones will last that long.

varmint · Apr 11, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:07:00 04/10/16) I just cannot see the issue in having something that you use be more reliable and convenient.

i think that the problem is with the guys that do not use them. 6 volt won't bother them just give them some thing to do for a hr. or 2

Dan Richardson · Apr 16, 2016

I have never seen a 6-12v maintainer. What brand is it?

Charging 6 volt battery

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