Electrical: Is there any reason to reduce voltage to the headlights from 6 to 4 volts?

[Ted Preston]

I just discovered why my headlights are so dim. When I bought the car, I wrote it down to weak 6 volt electrics, but tonight I learned the truth: a previous owner installed a voltage reducer on the firewall. The headlight power runs through this reducer, dropping the voltage from 6 to a bit under four volts.

This makes no sense to me, and it explains why my headlights have been so dim (and almost useless). I just bypassed the reducer temporarily and drove into town, and my headlights are actually useful now.

Can anyone think of a reason that this voltage drop is necessary? The headlights are marked as 6 volts, and they look fantastic now. I'm hoping you'll all tell me the previous owner was an idiot, and I can do away with this voltage reducer. The headlight power is the only wire that used it.

[63 R2 Hawk]

Is it possible the car had been converted to 12 volts at one time, then changed back but the reducer was overlooked?? Good news is, your headlights will last forever if you keep the dropping resistor.......

[41 Frank]

I can think of no reason to have a voltage reducer in a 6 volt system, however it is possible the car once had an 8 volt battery in it to get it to start easier.

[Bud]

I agree with 41 Frank, I would bet the car had an 8 volt battery installed at one time to speed up the starter motor. Operating a 6 volt bulb on 4 volts makes no sense, but operating a 6 volt bulb on 8 volts will shorten the life of the bulb. Bud

[DEEPNHOCK]

While the odds on this car having halogen 6v bulbs is miniscule...
Halogen bulbs will fail early under low volt situations....
Just an FYI....

[Ted Preston]

Thanks for the input, folks. The possibility of a past eight-volt battery makes sense as I've heard about that method of improving the starting. I guess I'll leave that reducer attached to the firewall in case I ever decide to go that route. For now, the car starts well enough with six volts. It sure is nice having useable headlights!

[RadioRoy]

The best thing to do is take that reducer off the firewall and throw it away. All that stuff is junk.