Using an 8 volt battery

[jedmu0940]

I have seen many 6 volt cars at shows with 8 volt batteries and was wondering what besides the battery, do you have to do?
I would like to convert my Red 55 Speedster unless it gets To involved.
My 55 L/L Speedster is already converted to 12 volts.
Jack

1955 SPEEDSTER LEMON/LIME
1955 SPEEDSTER RED & WHITE
1964 R2 GT HAWK (SID)

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n376/jedmuspeedster/dscf3061sized.jpg

http://s337.photobucket.com/albums/n376/jedmuspeedster/th_A3-1.jpg

http://s337.photobucket.com/albums/n376/jedmuspeedster/th_5f_12.jpg

[Tom Bredehoft]

The only real difference is that the generator, or rather the regulator has to be tweaked to output slightly in excess of 8 volts. Light bulbs are brighter and don't last quite as long.

Best solution is to assure yourself that all wiring connections between the battery and the starter are excellent and that the starter is in like new condition.

My 53 Commander cranks well on a six volt battery.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 573 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[Carl Purdy]

The voltage regulator has to put out 9 volts.


7G-Q1 49 2R12 10G-F5 56B-D4 56B-F2

[studegary]

Stay with six volts and just correct what ails in the system (wire size, connections, starter condition, etc.).

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Green 53]

I was in the battery business for 20 years. 8v batteries were a pain. So often the regulator would not be set high enough to keep it charged and the customer would come back with the famous statement "This battery won't hold a charge" If you have the proper cables 6v should start it fine. I did a bit of overkill and made 1/O or 2/0 cables to transfer the current.
Denny L

[Deaf Mute]

I agree with Gary & Denny... Fix your bad (usually ground) connections, make sure you have the correct battery cables and enjoy the Stude. I had an 8 V battery in an old Ford pickup of mine & every time the old flathead got wound up a bit at night, I lost at least one headlight. I quit driving it at night; and finally got it sold.

duane miller

[Roscomacaw]

98% of the time, 6V starting issues are due to wrong-sized cables. It only takes ONE undersized cable to be the bottleneck in the start circuit![V] Of the 2% left, one will be either a bad end on a cable or a dirty/corroded end-of-cable connection point. The remaining percent will be something wrong with the starter.
Don't forget (as some do) that while there's the two "battery cables", there's also the heavy cable from the starter solenoid to the starter (on vehicles where the solenoid is remotely mounted). It's the third member of the starter feed cables and it has to be adequate in size as well.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[64V-K7]

...To add to what Mr Biggs said, the post on the starter that the cable is bolted to, can become oil soaked which, I believe can bleed off some of the amperage..... and many of the 6 volt starters have lubrication caps at the end plates and require a drop or two of oil now and again..




Bob Johnstone

https://www.studebaker-info.org

64 GT Hawk
55 President State Sedan
70 Avanti (R3)