Battery and Relay

[brian hood]

Hey,

Has anyone relocted their battery? I made a box and bolted it onto my left fender. Are their any pit falls I should be aware of? Also, will a 12v Ford type starter relay work on 6v applications? Since it is a switching device and not load consuming, will the voltage make a difference? Finally, a 6v positive ground means run the positive cable to ground right?

Brian

[Reg Evans]

Yup....Positive to the engine or transmission. Can't answer the other questions.

What are you working on ?

[Merle Coggins]

Brian,

I've found 6 volt starter solenoids for Ford tractors at my local Farm & Fleet store. If you have a similar outlet near you it may be worth a try. Tractor Supply, etc. Or Napa may even have a listing for such things.

6 volts may not be enough juice to give the coil enough strength to pull the contacts together on a 12 volt coil.

[grey beard]

Hey Merle,

What kinda' juice y'all got up there in norhtern Wisconsin? If memory serves, y'all got cranberry juice. Mebby it'll be strong enouhg to pull those contacts together, what?

My very poor memory also says that you are correct about six volt relays being diffeent from the twelve volt variety - got bigger posts for those heavier battery cables, too.

My B1B had the battery hanging from the left front inner fender when i got it. Moved that heavy thing right back where it belongs - couldn't even SEE the distributor with it out there under the hood. Course, the brain surgeon who did this mod got the battery too high - hit the hood when it closed - and you guessed it - broke the hood latch linkage next to the handle inside the hood. THEN this selfsame surgeon drilled both fenders and hood for those old spring-loaded hoot clamps like we all remember on model A's, etc.

For my money, on Pilothouse trucks, keep the battery where it was meant to be. That area around the steering box-master cylinder-clutch pedal area is already way too crowded already for my liking. Why, us short, chubby guys can't even SEE the master cylinder, let alone reach down and service it. JMHO

[MBF]

GB I agree. I don't think the inner fenders were designed to support the weight of a battery sitting on them. Seems like the older I get, the harder it is to get to stuff under the hood. Mike

[carl b51]

Brian Ive tried the 12 volt solenoid and found 6 volts isn,t enough to pull it in every time and hold it . Try one off a Ford 8-N tractor . Carl