Hey guys I need some help here. I have converted my 55 from 6volt to 12volt and I have a problem I need help with. I read on here a post of what you neede to do from a artical on a 55 T-Bird that they converted. Here is my problem: My generator and my voltage regulator is getting very hot. Keep in mind my generator is still 6volt but everything eles is 12volt and it is Neg ground also. I ran a wire from the ignition side of the starter sol. to the positive (+) side of the coil and then a wire from there to a ballest resistor, then on the other side of the resistor thats where I run my original ignition switch wire. Now if I take the wire I ran from the ignition side of the starter sol to the positive (+) side of the coil then nothing gets hot and my car starts fine this way. But I dont know if my battery will be getting charged like that. Even though my generator is still 6volt I just cant see it getting hot like that. I done the same on a 51 ford truck I had and it didnt get hot but it didnt charge my battery at night either. Any help at all, I would like to hear it. I will try anything at this point. Thanks
Roger, First thing; a 6 volt generator which ran on positive ground and was changed to neg ground would need to be polorized to work properly. Then it would only put out a max of 9 volts unless the regulator was adjustable. In your case you need a 12 volt generator or alternator or your battery will not charge. The charging system should exhibit 13.6 to 14.6 when the engine is running. Get an inexpensive voltmeter and see what you have now. Any less than 12.6 volts is a discharge condition, running or not. A 6 volt generator in a 12v system is at max output constantly, hence the high heat. Change over before you have a meltdown. Ed
Roger, i agree with above post. Change the generator to a 12volt unit. As for your ignition wiring you have it a bit mixed up. Firstly the original ignition feed should go to one side of the ballast resistor. The other side of the ballast resistor goes to the positive coil terminal. If your starter solenoid has four terminals, a wire run from the post which is only alive when the starter is turning should connect to the positive terminal of the coil. This effectively puts twelve volts to the coil when the engine is cranking. Your explanation of how you have it wired is a bit confusing. As Fordheaded says change the generator before you fry it and maybe short outbyour wiring. Electrically the six volt generator windings wll be drawing too much current for the existing wiring. I am surprized that the regulator is holding up to this load. Regards
Ed, Thank you very much. The generator will come off tomorrow and get redone. So I do have the car wired right its the generator that cant handle the load. Thats why it dont get hot when I take the ignition wire off it. I did polorize the regulator before I started the car but I need to polorize the Gen. also. I will get this gen fix and get it back onthe car. I'll let you know how it works out. Thanks for your help. Roger
Rick, Now that you brought that up I guess I do have the wiring wrong on the car. The way you mention it is the way I was going for but I messed that up real good. I will change the wire out to, that makes much better sence to me now. I'm glad you guys helped me out. You dont know how much this helps me. I'll get back with you guys on this as soon as I get my gen back.
If you have a 12v gen. that will work fine but why not change over to a simple one wire alt ? They are much better than any gen will ever be . You also get rid of that voltage regulator too ! I have a 55 ford and did an engine change to a 5.0 but I am using a one wire alt now . It's so much easier to wire up too . Just a thought . Jim
Rick55, I might not have explained it right. But the way you told me to wire the car up is the way I have it. I'll try to explain it again and tell me if this is right. My original ignition wire is going to one side of my ballest resistor, the other side of my resistor I have a wire going to the positive side of the coil, then I have a wire going from the positive side of the coil to the ignition side of my starter solenoid. My starter solenoid does have 4 terminals. Does this sound right.
I had a electric shop test my generator and I got it back and Im good to go. He said I might have the wrong regulator on the car. He said something about a type "A" generator and a type "B" generator. Im going to take my regulator back and see if Advance Auto Parts can tell me which one I have or if they can give me a different one that I do have. Guys I really didnt think this was going to be so confusing to do.
Something else you may want to add to the wealth of knowledge you gain here is this book from Speedway Motors, written by Randy Rundle called "The Official 12 volt Conversion Guide". It's a wise $12 investment. UPDATE: I originally posted a link to the book but it appears that Speedway no longer carries it.
Ok guys I want to thank all of you for the help and info you gave me. Now to the problem I had with my generator and voltage reg getting hot. I bought all new parts for the car to do the conversion. It ended up being the new voltage reg that was the problem. The guy at the parts store ordered the Wrong One, as in he ordered a new 6volt reg instead of a 12volt reg. I dont know how he got it mixed up because I ordered everything at the sametime for the car. I quess that will be a lesson to me to double check everything I get from know on. I didnt evan want to post this but I thought about it and this is a learning and info site here for the guys who own cars like ours. So just remember even though you buy new parts and get excited to get your project done, take the time and double check all your parts evan though your ordered them new. Guys, I want to say again I thank you for all the help and info you gave me on my car and hopefully I can do the same for you guys. I'll post some pics of my car soon. I have them now on the computer, I just need to load them up here. Thanks Roger.
Roger, sorry I haven't answered sooner, but yeah, what you have done is right. I wasn't sure when reading your first post so just spelt it out a little bit different. Regards
I posted a link to Speedways page for Randy Rundle's book. They don't seem to carry it anymore however, I do have the link for Randy Rundles Business home page (Fifth Ave Internet Garage)where you can get it directly from the man himself. While you're there, check out some of his other stuff, a link worth saving fifthaveinternetgarage.com
When oredering parts for that car, starting now tell them its for a 56. That way you will get 12 volt parts.
This works great for me, and it's very inexpensive. http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/9/040/article/6_To_12_Volt_Conversion_Guide_.html
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