6 !2 volt starters

[TomNewton]

I have a dumb question can I use a 6 volt starter with a 12 volt battery? Or will it blow up the starter?

 

[charlieu]

(quoted from post at 20:31:33 04/11/19) I have a dumb question can I use a 6 volt starter with a 12 volt battery? Or will it blow up the starter?

I tell people that use your 6 volt starter until it fails, It will last a long time. With 12v you will only crank the engine for about 2 seconds and it will be running. compared to the 6v system that you have to crank for a longer period of time. Long cranking time is what kills starter motors because of the heat that is developed.

 

[Janicholson]

Most will last as long as when using 6v. They can suffer from drive shock, so it is a reasonable thing to use #2 cables for the conversion. the smaller cables buffer the surge and lower the impact of the drive to the ring gear. Most of our tractors have been converted, and have had no starter issues, and very nice quick starts. Jim

 

[John T]

I was a used tractor dealer and farmer and didn't have any problems using 12 volts on a 6 volt starter and didn't let them crank longggggg periods. It can be a shock and a bit tough on starter drives and gears etc so when I did it I purposely DID NOT use a huge heavy duty high CCA 12 volt battery and maybe lighter gauge battery and ground cables.

John T

 

[TomNewton]

So if i go ahead and buy a 6 volt starter it will work? I think I blew up my old starter

 

[TomNewton]

ok What size wire should get ? What gauge?

 

[TomNewton]

Ok Thanks for your reply that helps

 

[TomNewton]

Thanks for your help.

 

[Janicholson]

Yes. How did you "blow Up" your starter? Jim

 

[Janicholson]

#2 Not 00gauge Two gauge is thinner than 00 gauge and found at auto parts stores. Jim

 

[TomNewton]

I tried to start it to many times because it would run for a little while and die.
I think that is why I killed my starter

 

[rustred]

the big thing is to keep your tractor tuned up. if it has to spin it needs a tune up. these old tractors should not take more than 3 turns to be running. one thing about the magneto , the engine hardly has to turn with a hand crank, and a tuned up engine starts vey easily. that is why magneto's have an impulse coupling , to produce a hot spark with a slow crank.

 

[Janicholson]

Starters have a duty cycle of about 20%. run for 15 seconds off for a minute plus or so to cool. Jim

 

[David G]

It will be fine.

 

[John T]

YES a 6 new volt starter will work HOWEVER if you're using 12 volts on a 6 volt starter I still suggest as I posted above. If its a 12 volt system and you have to replace the starter anyway Id just buy a new 12 volt starter.

John T

 

[John T]

It depends on the CCA of your battery and length of the cables, but a No 4 or No 2 would be in the ball park.

John T

 

[onefarmer]

I've done it with a H and two M's for over 30years now. I had to rebuild the starter in one of the M's once. The others never touched yet.

 

[TomNewton]

Gee Thats Good to here. Thank You Sir.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The only reason to install a 12V starter on a tractor that was originally converted to 6V is if you like to search high and low for unicorns, and pay too much when you find them.

The OEM starter is just fine on 6V or 12V.

Don't worry about any "slamming." Slamming is good, means the starter pinion is making full contact with the ring gear. Yes it's going to "slam" that's what a starter does when it's working as designed. On 6V the starter just "mushes" up against the ring gear, barely makes contact and wrecks the starter and ring gear. Had plenty of 12V conversions over the years, not one has ever broken a starter due to "slamming."