VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt 6 Volt Cables Changed..smile

OKAY. I got tired of hearing about you can't have a big enough batt. cable, so here's my new #0000. And a new ground cable also.

I'm going to glue a piece of black rubber to the underside of the batt. lid. There's only about 1/2 inch clearence. Ty-Wraps are going on the battery also just in case I go into the woods at 50 mph (no brakes), I won't have to worry about a elect. fire..grin

Thanks goes out to Ed for the heads up on parts.

Steve...Good job. That's funny that you should talk about gluing a piece of rubber to the battery lid I did the same thing. When I got my car I noticed that there was not very much clearance between the battery top and the lid, a short waiting to happen on the first big bump,I though, so I glued in a piece of rubber roofing.......ED

I thought the battery was still supposed to be "strapped" down...At least I thought it was on my '53 3600...

Hey, Steve...I'd like to get a oooo, too. You didn't mention where you picked it up and for how much...If you don't mind divulging such information...

Rubber...You's guys is so fancy...I used an 'ol piece a cardboard...grin

<CLICK>

weldingsupply.com

#0000 Red welding cable.. Very flexable. It takes 30 inches for my 38 coupe.
I really didn't believe it would make any difference at all. But really it did. The starter turned over faster and sounded more powerful. A 38 216 should turn over at 65rpm. My 235 which has a 216 starter /flywheel turns over 7 times in 5 secs. I marked the flywheel in the hole used for timing and counted the turnovers. I'm glad I did it.

I didn't see anything like a strap on my 38. The battery fits tight but it could jump up and down over a rough bump. I used a construction 1/2 inch wide 36 inch long ty-wrap to solve that problem. There are two 1/4 inch rods one on each side of the battery tray. I replaced them with new rods. I can't see that they do anything but I replaced them anyway. The tray itself is RIVETED in

I did mine also. If someone in the passengers side ever got made and stomped their feet they might have got a shocking experience..

Kevin.....I did not know that California folks even typed with a accent..But I had noticed the mix of cultures when I was there.
My parents lived in San Francisco when My father worked on building the Golden Gate Bridge...My sister was born there but
she has no accent......ED

Is your battery strapped in by some means? Mine was a floater.

I was just "practicing", in case I ever get out thata way...Wow do you have any pictures of the 'ol town...?

Yes, those two rods fit though a frame that holds the battery down with two nuts...You can still get one...

Welding Supply, huh...? I didn't think they'd have cable in red...And what did you do for the starter end thingy....?

Oh, wait a second, they must have the "lugs", too.

84 RPM, sounds excellent!

Ed turned me on to this site. Really cheap compared to my local prices. Fast shippers too.

http://www.delcity.net/store/Battery-Cables-&-Accessories/

OKAY another stupid question . Some of the local 6volt guys say getting a 8 volt battery is even better (the starter loves it and the bulbs are brighter). I think you have to tweek the regulator to get a 8 volt supply. BUT...I have a 1 wire alternator. That means I'm outa luck...right? No way to get the internal regulator to put out 8 volts...right?

I don't think you can get an internal regulator for an 8 volt system, never heard of one anyway. What on earth are you even thinking about 8 volts for? Short bulb and accessory life with little to no gain. 8 volt batteries are a bad 'solution' for a weak starting system. Me thinks it time to stop tinkering Steve.

Who said "If It Ain't Broke...Don't Fix It?
...."Just Chrome It!!".

Not worried about the starting system(so far). The dash lights and heater motor and fog lights are suppose to work better on 8 volts according to old timers. There are links showing how to tweek the regulator on a old chevy to do this.There's no way I would go back to a generator/regulator. I was wondering about the 6v alternator settings.If it was something that could be done easily, I might try it. I'm not leaving 6 volts unless it was a simple adjustment to give better results.

As far a bulb life. I doubt my night time driving would be used for very many hours. I've got 6 v bulbs everywhere. My heater motor could use a little boost I think. It runs on all speeds but it sounds weak.

When you're old and bored tinkering is what happens, or I could go fishing or start whittling.

Steve, I can see in your photo that you used a clamp type connector on the battery terminal end of your new cable but can't quite see how the lug is fastened on the other end. Is it soldered, crimped, or what? Beamer

Steve, it sounds like you've already got your mind made up but putting an 8v battery in your car is a 'cure' for a non existent problem. The 'old timers' did that rather than fixing the real problem with their vehicles (clean grounds, properly working starter, etc.).

If your heater motor is slow maybe its time for brushes or bushings? Bad grounds? Using a 8 volt battery to perk things up is a fire waiting to happen or a big melt down anyway.
If you want to brighten things up change over to 12 volts.

Crimped on the lug end. The battery end is forced down by the metal strap across the connector.

I'll stick with 6 volts I guess. The heater fan runs smooth and quiet but you can stop the blade by just touching the blade. Not very strong.

I'm thinking if the battery ever dies away from home how hard it would be to get a jump start when you have an 8 volt battery?

That's true.Just a bad idea I guess. I'll stick with 6 volts.

Talk to your automotive electrical guy...He'll set you straight on what a terrible idea switching to 8 volt is PERIOD...

So how did you "crimp" that lug on to the cable...? For those who think soldering might work. I don't recommend it...You'll never wash all the flux out of the lug and a year or so later it will come back to "haunt" you with flux corrosion...similar to battery acid...

Steve...It's time for a new motor...They're a little pricier than 12 volt, but easy to get...

I'm calling my stock broker and have him change all my investments to "chevyofthe40s" and "The Filling Station".

I figure about the time I get everything 6volts in good shape I'll have a buyer that wants the car if I'll change it over to 12volts..grin

Charlie are you listening?...

Steve ..I would stick with 6 volt......If your heater fan don't spin fast enough for you, hook up some bicycles pedals to it and then you can also benefit from the exercise....or invest in a Hamster in a cage wheel (if you want to be Green)...ED

I think I will have to get some of the thicker battery cables for my 37,it has been converted to 12 volts but bigger is always better.

The 12 V cables are about half the size of 6 V cables. That is because they carry only 1/2 the amps.

i had slow turnover and invested in ooo guage wire, now it startes first turn.......

I would imagine you now have extra current for the coil...

Yes better current but the significant consequence is higher voltage at the coil and therefore hotter spark.