6 volt

[Bob Bancroft]

I still have a couple of machines which are 6 volt. It has finally occurred to me that they don't winter as well as my 12 volt machines. Most of my 12 volt machinery will crank and start after extended idle periods. Not so with the 6 volt ones. Doesn't seem to matter how new the battery is. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[560Dennis]

No , cold winter like you in ny , I have Farmall C 6 volt have started march 8 to move a tree I cut down . Hasn’t run since October.
Sae 30 wt oil in crankcase .

 

[olddavid]

I've found it to be true. On Dad's farm I found 12 volts gave the extra boost needed to start those old tractors when it was cold.

 

[timcasbolt]

I wonder if part of the problem might be that 6 volt batteries are not made with the level of quality they once were because they are so uncommon today.

 

[Butch(OH)]

Parked our 1950 AC model WF in the barn last October, it's still on 6V. Got on it last week and it started right up. Battery is 5 years old from Rural King.

 

[560Dennis]

Parked our 1950 AC model WF in the barn last October, it's still on 6V. Got on it last week and it started right up. Battery is 5 years old from Rural King.

I think it pretty robust design ,80 plus years old ,200 cubic inch , and started on demand ,can’t get much better than that ,bravo.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I still have a couple of machines which are 6 volt. It has finally occurred to me that they don't winter as well as my 12 volt machines. Most of my 12 volt machinery will crank and start after extended idle periods. Not so with the 6 volt ones. Doesn't seem to matter how new the battery is. Has anyone else noticed this?

More thoughts........ the worst offender is a long skinny one- 3EH in my antique Clark forklift. The 12 volt 3ET,s in my JD tractors also seemed to be the shortest lived. Something to do with the shape?

 

[sms]

You are probably aware but will ask anyway. Do you have good heavy battery cables? Less voltage means more amperage to do the work.

 

[DPittman]

The two I have left that 6 volt will start in cold weather till the temperature gets below 25* and stays there. I know some here would think 25* is a warm snap but the tractor don’t know that

 

[Bob Bancroft]

You are probably aware but will ask anyway. Do you have good heavy battery cables? Less voltage means more amperage to do the work.

Yes. They just don't seem to hold a charge as long as some others.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I usually get nearly ten years on them and the tractors don't get used a lot. Always got them at TSC but found O'Reilly's about ten bucks less and seem to hold up better. You have to be a bit fussy about keeping clean connections and making sure they charge good.

 

[MeanGene1]

More thoughts........ the worst offender is a long skinny one- 3EH in my antique Clark forklift. The 12 volt 3ET,s in my JD tractors also seemed to be the shortest lived. Something to do with the shape?

A Trukloader? This is mine, "Lil Forker"- lifts 1000 lbs to 7 ft

 

[Jimmydog]

My 6v tractor gives me less grief than my 12 volts. Don't remember when I last bought a 6v battery cause it's been quite a while. That little Fergie started all winter long to plow the drive way. 14F one morning, turned over slooow but started. Two of the 12 volt tractors have bungled up wiring so that might have something to do with it. The Massive Ferguson has an intermittent problem of dead battery; makes life interesting, my very own puzzle to solve.

 

[Ray,IN]

This all boils down to electrical connections. Make sure all are bright and shiny clean. If you have old cables, keep in mind the terminals corrode inside the crimp over time and create high resistance.
This graphic explains more than words. 6VDC does not have the amount of "push" as 12VDC either.

 

[Ray,IN]

duplicate

 

[Ray,IN]

duplicate

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Six volt systems need larger cables than 12s. Auto parts chains don't usually don't stock them.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

My IH 300u will start after setting for weeks in the winter just like it was shut off yesterday. The battery is a Deka brand-I forget how old-6 or 8 yrs old? Usually, it only cranks a 1/2 revolution, and is running. Original starter, but I have made 00 cables for it. 8000 hrs on it, 1 family owned. Mark.

 

[Ray,IN]

Six volt systems need larger cables than 12s. Auto parts chains don't usually don't stock them.

Yep, I've seen quite a few old tractors with 12V cables on them, 6V cables are #2-minimum, or larger size.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

No , cold winter like you in ny , I have Farmall C 6 volt have started march 8 to move a tree I cut down . Hasn’t run since October.
Sae 30 wt oil in crankcase .

Same. Super C with 15-40 during a cold snap last month.... come to a dead stop against each compression stroke....started once she got past 2 cylinders.