I have a dodge c-series 3/4 ton pickup, 230cid flathead straight six with 3 on the tree. I put a 12v generator in my 6v truck. The last thing to get working is the heater box. The original one is still in there. It says mopar on it, isn't rusted out, doesn't leak antifreeze, and the electric motor worked a couple years ago when the truck was 6v. It is a really cool piece and I want to keep it. I need to set this thing up to run the fan. It has one wire and grounds to the mount. Can I run a switch to the fan through a 1ohm ballast resistor from the ignition on a dodge dart? How well would that work? I saw voltage drops for sale on ebay for this purpose and they were listed as 1ohm, so I thought about how I already have a few 2 pole ballasts floating around as spares. Of course they get hot, but I can mount one on the engine side of the firewall. Is there a slicker and still inexpensive way to do this? If so where would I get the parts? Can I easily run a three position switch (would have to be a twist knob to look right) or potentiometer? Maybe even a house lightswitch dimmer dressed up with an old knob? Where can I frugally source decent quality parts? I don't have streetrod catalog money right now, and it will soon be a little cold to drive with no heat. I do have some home depot/radio shack money and some creativity to make it look right. I've done some wiring but when it gets into ohms etc. I know just enough to be dangerous. Thanks! Kevin
Another option is replacing the motor with a 12 volt one. If you pull your old one out you can take it to the parts store and look through their book to find one that will work. Another option is a fan from a computer. They are 12 volts and should move enough air to keep you from freezing.
Was gonna be my suggestion have helped friends with this on their 40's chevy's faily simple install and works just fine.
Try here: http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/6v-to-12v.html It says a Napa part # VT6187 (Echlin) heavy load ballast resistor will work.
http://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/parts/parts_counter_2.html go here... part munber is 02415HR .. 18 bucks.. put it in the duct to keep it cool..
use the catolog pages provided to find a motor with similar dimensions that is 12volt, never worry about it again....
I bought a voltage reducer for my 53 3100 Chevy when I converted to 12 Volt. It seemed to run the fan too slow. I tried it w/o the reducer, fan runs really fast. Left it that way, been 5 or 6 years now. No problem yet. And I use it quite a bit.
A cheapo cell phone charger is 6 volts. cut of the cigarrette lighter adapter and wire it in. A friend on mine did this for his guages. works awsome.
Voltage out equals Resistor2 divided by (Resistor1 + Resistor2) times Voltage in Wire it like this - Voltage in - Resistor1 - Voltage out - Resistor2 - GND Use 10ohm resistors. A lot cheaper than anything else.
I asked the same question over at the Pilothouse forum. There's a good answer and a picture of the part to buy in here; http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=22969&highlight=heater
I ran my 6 volt heater on 12 volts no problem in my old 49 Chevy. I'm gonna do it again in my latest one if I ever finish it.
The only awsome thing when you connect this gadget to the fan motor will be the sparks & smoke out of it. A resistor is easiest and best thing. The value of the resistor (ohms) depends on how much current the motor draws.
Years ago I converted an early '50's IH dump to 12 volts for a friend. We solved the problem by using two 6 volt batteries, charged them in series with a 12 volt generator, and took 6 volts off one battery for the gauges and accessories. It worked for years, including the 6 volt starter supplied with 12 volts. In the '60's, I drove a '48 Chev sedan delivery set up to charge an 8 volt battery. It was a tar top battery, so I tapped 3 cells for 6 volts for the same reason. The starter was fine, but the 6 volt headlamps would burn out sometimes when turned on at very low temperatures, otherwise they were bright as a new car.
So I went out and did some wiring tonite. First I ran 12v to the fan. There were no shorts in the old wire, and it ran like hell. I bought a 1.3ohm resistor and I jumped it in there to see how it would fare. It ran the fan slower, maybe a little too slow. Then I had a -bright- idea. I ran the power for the fan straight off the ballast resistor for the coil. It worked awesome. The fan was kicking ass but definitely slower than the straight 12volts. After five or ten minutes the engine went dead out of nowhere and the heater stopped too. I blew the ballast, probably by asking it to pass too much power to the fan motor. Tomorrow is another day.
Get a resistor type heater switch. Wire it in line with the switch you have. Turn it to where the motor runs like you want it to on high. Tuck it up behind the dash, and forget about it.
Agreed, the cell phone charger will fry! They are good for charging at 100 milliamps or less, the heater motor draws around 8 amps. Resistors are ok, but do get hot and change the speed of the motor. I would use the two battery approach or get a solid state voltage regulator capable of the 8 amps the motor draws.
this may help: <table width="980" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="narrowtext" valign="top" width="222" align="left"><table style="border: 1px solid rgb(90, 89, 90); width: 100%;" border="0"><tbody><tr><td class="padded2" style="color: White; background-color: rgb(90, 89, 90); font-size: 12px; width: 100%;"><label for=""></label> </td> </tr><tr> <td class="padded2" style="background-color: rgb(90, 89, 90);"> </td><td class="padded2" style="color: White; background-color: rgb(90, 89, 90); font-size: 12px; width: 100%;"><input checked="checked" type="checkbox"><label for="">Show Prices</label></td> </tr><tr> <td class="padded2" style="background-color: rgb(90, 89, 90);"> </td><td class="padded2" style="color: White; background-color: rgb(90, 89, 90); font-size: 12px; width: 100%;"><input checked="checked" type="checkbox"><label for="">Show Cost</label></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table width="100%" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="col_corner_wrap"> <td> </td> <td class="col_btm_white_span"> </td> <td> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td width="5"> </td> <td valign="top"> <table width="100%" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr class="col_corner_wrap"><td> </td><td class="col_wt_span_wide"> </td><td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <table class="wideback" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="5" align="left"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="wideback padded2" width="8"> </td> <td colspan="3" class="DetailTitle" align="left"> VOLT RED <table style="width: 100%;" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="padded2" style="color: Black; background-color: White; font-size: 12pt;"> Back to Results </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td class="wideback padded2" width="8"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="wideback padded2" width="8"> </td> <td class="padded2" width="40%" align="left"> <table border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="padded2" valign="middle" align="center">3 Images << Prev Next >></td> </tr><tr> <td class="padded2" valign="bottom" align="center"> Full </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td colspan="2" valign="top" align="center"> <table> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" align="right">Part: </td> <td class="widetext" valign="top" align="left">ECH VT6187</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" align="right">Product Line: </td> <td class="widetext" valign="top" align="left">Echlin Ignition</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="padded2" style="white-space: nowrap;" align="right">List Price Your Cost Unit </td><td class="padded2"> : : : </td><td class="padded2" style="white-space: nowrap;" align="right">16.47 10.59 Each </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Qty Available: 1.00 <table> <tbody><tr> <td>Qty <input name="QtyTextBox" maxlength="6" value="" id="ECHVT6187_0000999999" size="2" type="text"> </td> <td> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td class="wideback padded2" width="8"> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="5"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
LOL, I'm still using the '41 Chevy "Deluxe" heater I put in '48 Pontiac on 12v, after almost 10 years. Sorta loud, but it'll melt the polish right off your shoes. Brian
________________________________________________- X2.....You will only need low speed, high will spin the fan like a jet engine and probably kill the fan motor. Mine lasted for years.
Do you still have the 6V headlights you took out and replaced with 12V? Do you want cheap? A headlight is just a resistor that lights up. Two filaments to choose from, wire them in parallel, series, or use them individually for low and high fan speed. Of course it would look like hell having a headlight hanging under the dash, and you'd get a lot of crap from everyone that saw it, including me. You could point it at your feet and have a little extra "radiant" heat.
Saw this today if you're still looking. Search under fan controls at http://www.autorewire.com/ They say they have a 1 ohm resistor specifically designed for this application.
Find a small motorcycle or ATV radiator fan - they move a lot of air and are 12V. Check out this link when I upgraded/modernized my heater: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345518
I’ve got heat/defrost as of today!! I’d go with NAPA, take Tman up on his offer and get his catalog. I found a 12 volt replacement # on another forum for my 6 volt ’54 F100, my local NAPA had it in stock, for $26. Shaft diameter, mounting holes, motor diameter, all was a fit. Motor was single speed, and reversible so I matched the rotation of the old one. (fan will move some air in the wrong rotation, moves loads more in the correct rotation.) I doubt I will want to slow it down, as original squirrel cage is small and I am north of Chicago. If so, I will get resistor pack from junkyard and put inside duct like later model factory. Thanks, Tman, I didn't need your catalog, but your post got me to thinking
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