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Technical 6 volt wiper motors

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by thompsonwayne1, Dec 9, 2015.

  1. thompsonwayne1
    Joined: Nov 6, 2013
    Posts: 88

    thompsonwayne1
    Member

    Did any cars have 6 volt wiper motors? I thought all the old 6 volt cars had vacuum wipers.I sell a heatsinked dropping resistor to run a 6 volt tube radio or a 6 volt heater fan motor in a 12 volt car. Sold a lot of them, they work good. But I have a customer that wants to use it for a 6 volt wiper motor. I've never heard of a 6 volt wiper motor
    Thanks
     
  2. 41hemi
    Joined: Jul 2, 2007
    Posts: 1,014

    41hemi
    Member

    My 52 Ford pickup has 6 volt wipers. 55 DeSoto and Chrysler had 6 volt wipers also. Yes they do exist!!
     
  3. V8 Bob
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 3,130

    V8 Bob
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I think some 6 V VWs used electric wiper motors.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2015
    HOTRODPRIMER likes this.
  4. '66 VW's did. HRP
     
  5. Den49cpe
    Joined: Jun 11, 2005
    Posts: 22

    Den49cpe
    Member

    International pick ups 1946 -1949 and possibly 1941 - 1945 had 6v electric wiper motors. I have one or two if you need any. These fit above the windshield.
     
  6. d2_willys
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 4,328

    d2_willys
    Member
    from Kansas

    The Chrysler and Ford 6v wiper motors are positive ground, while the VW wiper motors are negative ground. This should not affect what your resistor does. Biggest issue is heat, but if you can run heater fan motors you should be able to run wiper motors. It all depends on the current being drawn in worst cases.
     
  7. how about some more info or a link to your resistor.
     
  8. 41 C28
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,772

    41 C28
    Member

    I run the original 6 volt wiper motor on my 48 Dodge now on 12 volt, just not too long at a time. The original was two speeds, so now slow is fast and fast is real fast.
     
  9. ol-nobull
    Joined: Oct 16, 2013
    Posts: 1,655

    ol-nobull
    Member

    Hi. My 46 Chevy Coupe has 6 volt electric wipers. I am the third owner & this was a conversion done by one of the previous owners.
    The whole key to matching a resistor for voltage drop is the amperage of the motor AND a mounting location where the resistor's heat will not cause problems.

    Jimmie
     
  10. Yes, the thing is you would have to find out what current the motor draws, I guess that would change with the load on the motor? And if the current changes with load the, resistor needs would also change. I would think the best thing to do would be to adapt a 12 volt motor.
     
  11. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,756

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Chrysler had electric wipers starting in 1940. There were electric wipers before that but Chrysler was the first major company to make them standard equipment.

    So, they made 6V wipers for 15 years 1940 - 1955.
     
  12. junkyardgenius
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 900

    junkyardgenius
    Member
    from Kernow

    I bought a 6 volt motor from ebay which was made for a boat, shortened the shaft and adapted it to the cable setp on my wife,s 54 Chevy, worked great.
     
  13. G-son
    Joined: Dec 19, 2012
    Posts: 1,473

    G-son
    Member
    from Sweden

    Indeed. Just for an example, an electric motor draws ALOT of current as it starts (or when loaded so heavy it stalls), and that reduces as the motor rpm goes up (keep the load too high for too long, and the high current will burn it up - but that's beside the point right now).

    Lets say the motor draws 5 times normal running current at startup. If the resistor is chosen to give the motor 6V (from a 12V source) at normal running conditions, the initial high current will cause a way higher voltage drop over the resistor. That means the motor will not get 6V, probably more like 1-2V. If the motor is able to start and get up to speed that might be okay, but it will be a slow start compared to normal. There is a good chance the motor is unable to start at all, too weak to begin moving at such a low voltage.

    A motor, and anything else with a changing current draw needs an "active" electronic regulator that produces a steady voltage no matter how low or high load there is. There are plenty of options to solve that, if you just know a little about electronics.
     
  14. thompsonwayne1
    Joined: Nov 6, 2013
    Posts: 88

    thompsonwayne1
    Member

    For the person who wanted a link to these resistors I sell, They are Ebay item #
    231533919154. I've used a lot of them on tube radios I refurbish and sold a lot of them with never any complaints. It's a simple voltage dropping resistor and I know the amount of voltage it drops depends on the load in series with it. But for tube type car radios and heater fan motors it drops and "uses" about 5 to 7 volts, which is in the ballpark, and works.
     
  15. Model A Fords used both vacuum and electric wiper motors, 6 volt positive ground. If you tell us what type of car the customer has some other ideas might come up.

    Charlie Stephens
     
  16. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,618

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I've had 4 Model A Coupes, all with 6 volt wiper motors, mounted onto the windshield frame.
    Also had a bunch of windshield frames with holes for the electric type motor.
     
  17. my 55 Studebaker had 6V electric wipers. Boy did they go when I converted to 12V then I took the arms off because it was a Custom
     
  18. Ford52PU
    Joined: Jan 31, 2007
    Posts: 522

    Ford52PU
    Member
    from PA

    My 52 Pickup has 6 volt wipers for now.
     
  19. Carbonarc
    Joined: Nov 30, 2015
    Posts: 5

    Carbonarc

    Hi everyone, I'm my new to the group and hope this post is not out of line. My 53 has electric wipers (6 vdc) which I've read were a factory option. I was an industrial electrical tech and may have some insight into the question. Compared to a 12 v, a 6 volt motor will flow approximately twice the current so it can produce the same power. The higher current flow is why 6 volt wiring is almost always a larger gauge.
    A voltage dropping device should not be used with the wipers in a 6 volt circuit. The resister, however, is required in a 12 volt circuit running a 6 volt motor, but in this case it would be better to find a 12 volt motor.
    As you mention using a voltage dropping resister works well with small loads such as 6v radios in 12v systems. But in larger load circuits the resister creates undesirable heat.
     

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