I'm installing this 12 to 6 volt reducer to reduce voltage for all gauges. Any experienced guys out there used this particular reducer before? I'm not sure where to hook the 12v power into and which connector supplies the 6 volt for all gauges? As you can see there are three total terminals. Xwestracer or Tom? Sent from my iPhone using TJJ
You are going to need a wiring diagram to figure it out. I've never used a "reducer" like that but I believe it is a "runtz". If it is, there will be one terminal for the 12V feed, another terminal that goes to the body for a ground and the 3rd terminal will feed the the 6 V gauges where the factory 6V feed connected. You will need the diagram to figure out which original wire is the gauge 6V feed and which original wire goes from the gauge to the sending unit. The wiring diagram should show the wire color codes for you to tell which wire is which. If you can post the wiring diagram we should be able to help you figure it out. It's not rocket science. I know 40 Fords used a volt meter so I'm guessing your Merc does too. I know the Ford voltmeter can be altered to work on 12Vs but I have no idea how to do it. I don't think that your runtz will be part of the voltmeter circuit. I've always been an ammeter guy so I never wired or converted a voltmeter. Maybe one of the 40 Ford guys can help you there? I know it was discussed here on the HAMB. The fuel gauge will get a wire from the 6v terminal on the runtz and any other gauges that use a sending unit will get it's 6Vs feed from that terminal. Check with the supplier to see if you need one of theses for each gauge or if multiple gauges can be supplied from just one unit. I think you can but check with the supplier. I recently used a runtz on a an old SW 6V gas gauge and it works great but mine was much smaller. It too had 3 terminals but it came with instructions as to which wire went where. I only had one 6V gauge to convert. We never had these things back in the 60s.
I'm guessing that the single terminal is where you put the 12v power, and the double one is where you get the regulated "6v" from. On the gages, what all do you have? gas, and temperature, right? another guess is that the bar connecting those two gages on the right in the picture is where you remove the existing wire to connect to the regulator, and attach the output of the regulator to this point on the gages. But this is all guesswork, I need more info, like which gages are which....and a clear picture of the regulator or it's part number might help. btw this regulator is a thermal type, it's not like the modern electronic voltage regulators.