6 volt

[stoughtonfarmboy]

Farmer I worked for in high school had a 6v Allis Chalmers WD45. We parked it on a hill even in the summer to be able to start it. Parked it inside the dairy barn in the winter.

Ken

 

[DanielW]

I've always thought there's no universal right/wrong opinion to the 6V argument that pops up here now and again. My feelings are that the effectiveness of 6V depends both on the engine, and strength/cleanliness of all connections. It's far more critical for 6V to have heavy gauge wire and perfect connections. But even then, I don't think's it fair to make a general argument. Some folks always argue: "6V systems work great! You just have to make sure all the electrical is kept tuned up.". Others always argue, "6V systems are always too slow/sluggish!". It's a case-by-case basis.

- Smaller units like a C, the TE/O Fergies and our little 2N do just dandy with the stock 6V system, even in the dead of winter after sitting for weeks.

- The 6V system on our old Massey 44 was ok...ish...kind of... As long as you had the choke and throttle right to let it fire off within a few cranks if you were starting in winter.

- The 6V system on our Super W6 never really cut it. Even with a rebuilt starter, all new heavy-gauge cables; terminals; battery; and switch, it's cranking capacity was always marginal (at best). Especially in the winter, and especially once it got a valve and top-end job and had oodles of compression. In its case, the 12V conversion was the best thing we ever did.

Although I think a 6V conversion isn't necessary in most cases, I wouldn't judge anyone for converting. Even with our little 2N: Once the current 6V battery dies, I'll probably convert it to 12V. Not because it really needs it. But the easy ability to boost it (or perhaps more significantly: To be able to use it to boost other vehicles), the poor quality of modern 6V batteries, the lower price of 12V batteries, and the bulletproof simplicity of an internally-regulated alternator are enough reasons to convert in my opinion. The extra jam when starting is an added bonus. Though for most 12V conversions I prefer to swap-out or have the starter re-wound for 12V so it's not quite so hard on the ring gear teeth/bendix.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Sometimes 6volt systems like to have bigger cables if someone replaced an old cable with a new automotive small gauge little one you will not be happy.

fresh battery with same amps shouldn’t be much difference in over wintering other than like you say if they had more shelf time waiting to be installed.

I do convert and make use of my tractors that are already 12v much more frequently though it’s a nice option you can run your lawn sprayer and jump a pickup without having to modify any plans. There’s a little 4 row popcorn and sweet corn planter around with a monitor that gets bounced between the 4020 a ford 2000 that needed to be converted and the JD A depending on what’s going on let’s you just move down the line.

The A is most likely to be grabbed to jump something as the battery is nice to access and the meter works as it should you can watch the ammeter and know when it’s done charging

 

[Brian G. NY]

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.

I have wondered about this as well!

 

[olddavid]

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?

Many are physically smaller. Less electrolyte and fewer plates (maybe).

 

[37chief]

I have a Allis Chalmers Model M crawler tractor with a 6 Volt starter It has been started with a 12V battery since the 60's or earlier. Might want to look into 12 volts. . Stan

 

[NDIHC]

Nothing 6 volt here. Anything that was originally 6 volt has been changed to 12 volt. My Farmall Ms have been using 12 volts on 6 volt starters since the 1970s. I have replaced 1 starter spring in all those years and that was probably 30 years ago. I use regular car batteries and cables, not garden tractor batteries and 10 gauge wire like our friend George from TH Indiana. It's just too much hassle screwing around with trying to jump start or finding a working 6 volt battery. I can pull a battery or jump start from just about anything I own if I need to.

 

[40sVintage]

As others have said, bigger cables are key. I use 00 size. Also, I found that the bendix on the starter of my 2N was shot. Replacing that was the single biggest key to getting it turning over as fast as a 12v system. I was surprised that it'd make that much of a difference, but it did!

There is a way to refurb your battery yourself. I did it last year with my 8 year old 6v battery (which spends equal time between the 2N and my old Dodge truck), and it worked great.

 

[Sprint 6]

My 1950 Willys truck is still 6V. Rebuilt starter #2 cables, clean and tight connections. It sits all winter in an unheated garage. Every year, I just hook up the battery and fire it up. Haven't gotten it out yet this year, but don't expect anything different.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Nothing wrong with the cables or connections. The battery is simply dead from sitting for 5 months. Batteries replaced 1 year apart. Both tractors stored in the same conditions, parked, shut off, and left. 12V cranks and fires, 6V is dead as a doorstop.

The 6V has always been more problematic in my experience.