Re: [FWDLK] 6 VOLT to 12 Volt - QUESTION!!!

[Dave Casey <dcasey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To the contrary, I offer this evidence that the radio is polarity sensitive.

Several early '65 (1964 and a half) Ford Mustangs were equipped with
generators from the factory. Recently a my brother's shop, we had one of
these in for some odds and ends, one of which being the radio, which didn't
work. Didn't make much sense until we realised that the battery cables were
on backwards, so the car was running 12v, positive ground. The only thing
that didn't work right was the radio. Switching the cables and zapping the
generator did the trick, and the radio worked. But if you're really curious,
there's one sure way to find out. . .


----- Original Message -----
From: Rogers, Jason <jprogers@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 8:50 AM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] 6 VOLT to 12 Volt - QUESTION!!!


> Regarding Forward Look Frank's posting, I agree that the radio is
> voltage-sensitive, but respectfully disagree that it is
polarity-sensitive.
> To the best of my knowledge and tests, the old tube radios don't "care"
> whether they are positive or negative grounded.  If the original 6V radio
is
> desired to be used, then yes it would need either (1) some sort of DC-DC
> converter, or (2) the transformer, tubes, and vibrator upgraded to 12V.
>
> I converted my '55 Belvedere to 12V(-) many years ago.  In my conversion I
> used parts from a '56 Plymouth, including the gauges and sending units,
the
> blower motor, the starter, the generator.  What was obviously affected by
> the polarity change was the '55's ammeter.  I simply reversed the wiring
at
> the ammeter gauge connections.  The 6V radio I've not hooked up yet.  I
know
> a large resistor will technically do the voltage dropping job, but the
> resistor gets REALLY hot, thus my recommendation for a DC-DC converter.
>
> In response to Bill B.'s question about why anyone would do such a
> conversion, my main reason for doing so was to get more starting "oomph"
at
> freezing temperatures.  My car, which is my first car, was my daily driver
> for 3 years after it was "restored" (it wasn't a frame-off restoration,
but
> the engine, brakes, paint, and upholstery were all redone).  I lived in
the
> Denver area at the time and on one very cold winter day (5 F?) I ALMOST
had
> a no-start condition.  I was a teenage high-school student at the time,
and
> the thought of my beautiful Belvedere sitting stranded in the school's
> parking lot was mortifying to me.  (At nights, the Belvy sat in the
garage.)
> Knowing we had a '56 parts car in the family, I decided to make the
> conversion (including the starter, which my grandfather had recommended
was
> not necessary).  Also, I liked the idea of having brighter light bulbs
(the
> 12V bulbs have a higher lumens rating than the 6V bulbs), the ability to
use
> halogen sealed beam headlights, and the ability to hook up a little
Pioneer
> stereo, which is inconspicuously mounted inside the glove compartment (but
> the rear speakers are conspicuously mounted on the rear package
> shelf...LOL...).  Now that I'm a bit older and wiser, and that my Belvy
has
> long since been relegated to recreational-duty only, I've contemplated
> converting it back to 6V for originality.  Oh, but I hear my grandfather's
> words reverberating through my mind, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
>
> Jason Rogers.
>
>
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