12v conversion

[Richard from SE AZ]

Why am I turned off so badly by 12v conversions??Looking thru the photo ads(Layed off, can't buy anything right now anyway)but as soon as I see an N in the ads with a 12v conversion I don't read anymore. My 2n is still 6v and it starts REAL QUICK!

 

[Dell (WA)]

Richard.......most 12v conversions are "Bubba" conversions as espoused by Bubba down at the local spittin'n'whittlin' club as the "thang to do".

I know 8-ways to convert to 12v and they all work. I've also learned about a gazillion ways to fuggem-up and fixxed them.

I haven't found the right reason to convert my eazy starting 6-volt 52-8N to 12v and I know how to do it right, the first time. .......Dell, a 12v advocate for the right reason

 

[ken in texas]

Your location (warm climate)could make a difference.Where I live(cold winters),Tractors can be difficult to start,and the extra voltage can make the differance.And some can be difficult to start when engine is hot and may have to be boosted,which can be a real inconvinece.It can make life a lot better when you can get on and start it right up.If yours start on 6 volts ,thats great,but for the rest of us the 12v conversion can be a life saver(blood pressure)

 

[Ron/PA]

I can't tell you why you're turned off by them but I can tell you some good uses for them.

We converted our 2n to 12 volt to run better head lights for night work, it comes in handy to run decent flashers for moving equipment on the highway, being so low to the ground the "N's" can be hard to see on our twisty hilly roads here in PA. The PTO system makes it hard to use a sprayer to do any spot spraying, so we use the 12v system to run a spot sprayer for thistles in our fields. Lesser uses include power for a decent radio, and a power port, (Cigarette lighter for us old pharts) to run various conveniences that just aren't built in 6V, such as coolers.

Now having said all that, my 8N is still 6V and starts just as easy as the 12V does in sub zero temps. However should the need arise, I'll convert it in a heart beat, but then again I've never been nor never will be a purist, as my N's are here to work, and show a profit, or be gone.

Ron/PA, the sometimes butcher of "N's"

 

[James Hill]

I am still in process of un-bubbafying mine, but do definately like 12v over 6 volt for the flashing lights, ad-light I putting this weekend,(will upload a photo when I am done) gotta get me one of thoise cig lighters too, bic dont like the wind...

 

[duey]

You may be the perfect candidate to deregulate you modern belchfire V8 to 6 volts... after all, there WERE V8s that actually started and RAN on 6 volt systems...

Let us know how it turns out....

If 6 volts is great, maybe THREE volts will be twice as good...

duey

 

[Bob]

If you like your 6-Volt "starts in Arizona" trailer-queen, GOOD FOR YOU, it's your tractor!

NOTHING wrong with that, ESPECIALLY if it is a "correct" restoration. A 12-Volt conversion certainly wouldn't be CORRECT.

However, I'm equally happy with my "starts in North Dakota cold and wears it's work clothes" 12-Volt conversion.

EVERYTHING around here has to earn it's keep and everything is 12-Volt, making sharing equipment, swapping batteries or jump-starting something easy and non-confusing.

I even have a 1953 GMC truck that I converted in the 70's and have NEVER looked back or had a problem with it's "electricals". It's ALL in how the job is done.

On a "working" tractor, a properly done 12-Volt conversion with an alternator will require LESS maintenance and $$$ than the OEM 6-Volt system.

 

[Richard from SE AZ]

It may interest Mr. Bob to know that there are also WORKING tractors in other parts of the country other than the the midwest. My trailer queen does sit on it's trailer alot, especially going from one job to the next. His sarcasm was not missed. He may also need to be made aware that it is not 100* in Se AZ year round.

 

[Kurt-NEPA]

I can't speak for others or the "correctness police", but I grew up with 6 volt cars and trucks. Every one of them gave us problems on worst, coldest and snowiest days of the year. If the engine wasn't perfectly tuned and you didn't catch it on the first couple of turns, you were out searching for a jump or a good strong push down hill. Maybe you don't get that cold, but we sure do in the Northeast. My 8N was converted to 12V and I have never regretted it. Just do it the right way and you won't be sorry. On the other hand, if 6 volts are working for you, why spend the money on a conversion. To each his own.

Kurt-NEPA

 

[bullman]

When I bought my 9N,still 6V, it had a 12V battery. The guy told me "won't hurt a thing". It's November, north Missouri, cold and starts "really quick" with the 12v. Put it in the garage for the winter, starting it at least weekly. Spring comes, took it out to put it to work and got scared it would "mess" sumthing up, so I bought a 6V battery. Starts every time in the cold just takes a turn or too more. I don't know if the 12V battery would have burned something up or not. Headlights don't work with either. Charlie

 

[Bruce (VA)]

"won't hurt a thing" and the headlights don't work......suppose there might be a connection there?

I imagine it might be a bit difficult to get that 6v generator to charge the 12v battery.
50 Tips

 

[gary t kish]

well i gave up on mine. i'm just going to charge the gotdan battery and say pis on it. and i've done 5 on orange tractors both with dist. and mags and never had so much confusion. i know alot of it is me ,but i was glad to here Dell say there was so gotdan many ways. but i bet i found a few more,not saying they worked. shes outside now cause i got it wet and it wont start. the fussiest piece o tractor i've ever had. 12 volt bullshut. gary, ------ in michigan

 

[gregy]

It was actually less expensive to convert to 12v then to buy a new 6v gen.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Maybe so if you have to actually buy one off the shelf instead of rebuilding it.

The usual problem is that there are a few folks out there who, for the sake of blood pressure if nothing else, really should take up another hobby or pay someone to fix their tractors. Spend some time on this board or any Ford board & you will see plenty of examples of what I'm talking about.

If I ever need one of my four 6v N's to operate 12v equipment, or if I take to plowing at night & need brighter lights, I'll convert it. But, other than those reasons, annual cleaning of the battery terminals & float chargers work just fine for me.
50 Tips

 

[Anonymous-0]

no need to convert to 12v unless you need to!sometimes it is needed or wanted for all the reasons posted below.and while us old guys have seen a generator (or a thousand)more folks here i would suspect,haven't ever messed with one.add 60 yrs of farmerized wiring jobs,and an alternator is just an easier fix for most.I dont have any problem with a correctly done rewire,but every old tractor i buy,gets new wiring before I ever even begin trying to start it.6v or otherwise.youd be suprised how many tractors can be repaired by the simple job of rewiring.and it sure saves a ton of time trouble shooting if you know wires are correct to begin with.as for the reliability issue,probably doesnt make much difference with good wires

 

[Anonymous-0]

dont get upset but whether it s 6 or 12v doesnt make any difference if it gets wet.it will die just the same.the trick to wireing is knowing what goes where and but most importantly WHY!.take the time to figure out why a wire goes where,and you will find theres no mystery whatsoever to the wiring on one.lets face it,one wire in the right spot will run any one of these tractors.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

"every old tractor i buy,gets new wiring before I ever even begin trying to start it.6v or otherwise."

Amen brother.

That's exactly where tip # 42 came from. If nothing else, it results in clean connections!
50 Tips

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 18:19:48 04/04/09) Why am I turned off so badly by 12v conversions??Looking thru the photo ads(Layed off, can't buy anything right now anyway)but as soon as I see an N in the ads with a 12v conversion I don't read anymore. My 2n is still 6v and it starts REAL QUICK!

now that I think of it all the N's i have brought in the last few years have been 12V,,, all junk and worthless,,, I would rather buy one thats 6V,,, used 6v parts fetch more money 8)

Its not a 6V/12 problem its those junk head gaskets and carbs used on a N

but i know what ya mean,,, I would like a new pick up are a nicer used one,,, I don't care much for a diesel so every one I see thats a diesel in adds I git turned off and don't read anymore

 

[bullman]

"I imagine it might be a bit difficult to get that 6v generator to charge the 12v battery."

Come to think of it I did have to put a charger on the 12V bout February. I would start it and run for about 10-15 minutes once a week. Ran it down by Feb I guess. After that it started until March when I bought the 6V. Not too worried bout the headlights at this point, I also don't mow, plow or anything else at night.

 

[Bob]

My GOODNESS, you're a touchy fellow!

 

[bmack95hd]

I have one '51 that is 6 volt and another '51 that is a 12 volt. The 12 volt is in the garage all tore apart not a restoration just correcting alot of years of bad mechanicing. I'm going to buy all new parts and keep it 12 volt then decide whether to leave the other '51 6 volt or convert. Will post some pics when the clean up is completed.

 

[duey]

Yeah, start a controversial thread then get huffing when someone has a different opinion.. typical abundant mentality... MY way or the HIGHWAY..

 

[duey]

Yeah, start a controversial thread then get huffy when someone has a different opinion.. typical abundant mentality... MY way or the HIGHWAY..

 

[Marshall Hardy]

I'm new to this site and noticed that there are some strong feelings on whether to us the original 6v system or convert to a 12 volt.
I'm not going to get involved in that discussion as I feel it's an individual by individual choice.

I would however, like some help with my 12v conversion efforts. I've installed a system that uses a single wire alternator, the original 6v coil mounted to the front of the engine behind the distributor but can't seem to get it to charge the battery. I've checked the wiring diagram three times and appear to have it right.

The alternator needs to be exercised each time I start the trator and once that's done I get a negative reading the entire time the tractor is running. I use the tractor every weekend and have had the system on for three plus months. Unfortunately I need to use a battery charger every so often and that kind of defeats the whole purpose of upgrtading my charging system.

Any help anyone might offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Anonymous-0]

Marshall,
Did you ever get a resolution on your issue? I seem to be having the same problem on my tractor. Any help would be appreciated

 

[Marshall Hardy]

Bigtree,

It took a little doing but my 12v system works great and I am more than happy I made the conversion.

I had two problems, first the ampmeter"s + and - terminals were marked backwards. Second I was using a one wire alternater and, despite what some people say, it was necessary to add a diode and additional ground to the alternator so it would charge the battery ever time the tractor was started.

Please feel free to ask any questions either through this site, at my email address, [email protected], or call me on my cell (585) 298-2623 anytime.

I"d be glad to help you in any way I can.

Marshall

 

[Bigtee]

Yes I did, Thank you.

The alternator was bad and I replaced it and everything is working properly now.

 

[Bigtee]

Yes I did, Thank you.

The alternator was bad and I replaced it and everything is working properly now.