VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt 48,Chevy Convertable

Hey everybody good evening I am new to this website and it's great. I've already got some feedback just trying to figure out how to navigate it..
I really had some questions I have a 1948 Chevy convertible. I am going to be converting it over to 12 V, I need some help on how to figure out not to mess up the 12 V pump. I don't know how many amps it draws so I can put a reducer, does anybody have any advice on what I need to change the seal annoyed or do they know which hot wire needs to go to the reducer? Can someone give me some feedback please thank you very much.

Just for clarification, if it has the stock pump it's not a 12v pump. Perhaps you meant not mess up the 6v pump on 12 volts?

Check the 1948 Chevy specs. It might state the amperage draw of that pump.

Google old online Chevy manuals. Look in the specification information section.

I am in no way an expert on this but will offer an opinion. If the pump on the 48 is similar to the one on my 50 it appears to be either a Delco starter or generator used as a motor mounted vertically on the firewall with a pump and reservoir hung underneath it. It has a 10ga wire supplying a solenoid bolted to its side. While the solenoid might need to be changed to 12v, I’d think the intermittent 12v to the motor when operating the top wouldn’t do much damage. Same as jumping a 6v system with 12v. Thoughts?

I was having similar thoughts to Minetto's. I know people who have operated 6 volt starter motors with 12 volts for many years.

My reluctance to suggest that is based on not knowing exactly how the hydraulic system for the top works.

One concern is the amount of time the motor needs to run. A starting motor hardly ever operates more than 10 seconds. In fact cranking a 6 volt starter with 12 volts for extended time will probably damage it. How long will the motor need to run to open or close the top?

The other knowledge gap is how the hydraulic system will handle or respond to the faster motor speed and therefore greater pressure and flow due to 12 volts. Will the cylinders move so fast that it will damage the linkage and frame? Will the extra pressure makes hoses and seals fail?

Lowriders have hydraulics. I assume the pump motor is very similar to a starter motor. The lowrider hydraulic pump motor is made for 12 volt power, but the hoppers sometimes put 8 - 10 12 volt batteries to that motor, and I've never heard of a motor burning out. I think you'll be ok. If the motor burns out, just have it rewired for 12 volt.

I'm not an expert, but won't the 12 volts make the starter spin faster? What impact will that have on the hydraulic pump and system?

Yes you are correct I meant how do I wire this where I do not mess up the 6 V pump somebody said that I could just leave it alone and switch out the solenoid to a 12 V and it will be OK. It will just got a little faster but I am wondering where do I grab the power from to put a reducer from the switch or is there a certain place I need to look for to put a drop resistor

It will go a lot faster on 12v. What unintended consequences may happen I have no clue. The safest course of action is to leave everything 6v and put 6 to 12v step-ups on any device you want to run at 12v. I have one in my 38 connected to a cigarette lighter socket to run my GPS when on tour.