Charging a 6 Volt Battery

[John Skolits]

My 6 volt tractor battery is dead. It's only about 6 months old.

Is there a way to charge it with a 12 volt charger? I went to a few stores and didn't see any 6 volt chargers, just 12V.

1964 Ford 2000, Gas engine
 

[souNdguy]

Napa sells 6v/12v chargers. If i were going to monkey with a 12v charger on a 6v battery, then I'd thro in an ignition resistor, and get about an hour or two of charge on the battery... then re-install it in the tractor, and then turn the ignition on, and then use a 12v battery to jump the starter... The partially charged 6v will run the ignition.. once she cranks up, the genny will top of fthe battery... just run her at 1000rpm for 20-30 minutes before shutting her down. If the battery is salvageable.. this should do her.. That said.. I'm not a fan of using a 12v charger for 6v and 8v batteries.. better to buy the correct charger.. or build one from a spare DC wall wart of the correct votlage..e tc.

soundguy

soundguy
 

[Kirk / ihcollector]

Batteries Plus has regular 6volt chargers and the 6volt Battery Tender that will top off the battery and keep it charged with a trickle that will turn on and off as needed. I use this type on my 6 volt batteries. If you don"t have a store near you, you can order online from them.
 

[Vacherie]

I have seen 6/12 battery chargers at TSC.
 

[John Skolits]

Thanks everyone. I found one at a Ford New Holland dealer for $42.00. I have to watch it though since it's a pretty basic model. I can overcharge it if I'm not careful.

While getting the generator I picked up a new ligh bulb for the ignition light and low-and-behold, the light stays on when the tractor is running. I believe this means it's not charging. Yet I measured an increase in voltage while the tractor was running. At full throttle, it was about 6.8 volts. I just had the generator fixed about a month ago. Any ideas? Should the voltage be higher than 6 volts while the tractor is running?
 

[souNdguy]

When you say 'ignition lamp'.. do you really meant he genny charge/discharge lamp?

If it stays on, and is wired correctly.. it's likely that you are not really charging. 6.8v is just a hair above static voltage on a good 6v battery. You need int he 7.x range to really charge.

polarize the system... jump bat to field on a b-circuit system... do this for about a second or so.. then start up and try her out.

post back.

soundguy
 

[bfloyd4445]

you can use a low amp 12 volt charger. to charge the 6v battery. The bat will act like a short accross the charger just as a low charged 12 volt battery does. If you leave it on for a long time you will boil away the water eventually but it will work just fine have done this many times. I usually leave it on just long enough to build a surface chargew then use the tractor or vw generator to finish the charge.
 

[bfloyd4445]

you can use a low amp 12 volt charger. to charge the 6v battery. The bat will act like a short accross the charger just as a low charged 12 volt battery does. If you leave it on for a long time you will boil away the water eventually but it will work just fine have done this many times. I usually leave it on just long enough to build a surface chargew then use the tractor or vw generator to finish the charge.
 

[bfloyd4445]

you can use a low amp 12 volt charger. to charge the 6v battery. The bat will act like a short accross the charger just as a low charged 12 volt battery does. If you leave it on for a long time you will boil away the water eventually but it will work just fine have done this many times. I usually leave it on just long enough to build a surface chargew then use the tractor or vw generator to finish the charge.