8 volt battery

[kevinanderson]

has anyone on this forum used an 8 volt battery in their dodges. does it help starting?

[grey beard]

To get a six volt generator to keep an eight volt battery charged takes a lot of fiddling with the voltage regulator settings. If you have a sound group II six vclt battery with the proper size cables - and your connections are all good, tight and clean, you will never need an eight volt battery - even in cold winter weather. JMHO

[MBF]

I used an 8 volt in my 36 Plymouth for about 6 mos. The voltage reg has to be adjusted to compensate for the additional voltage requirements for the 8v batt. It does aid in starting, and makes the lights brighter, but I ended up converting both the Plymouth and my '52 PH 1 ton to 12V. I like the convenience of buying 12 volt bulbs, the 6 or 8 volt batteries weren't lasting longer than a year before they pooped out.

[flathead]

When I bought my truck last month, it had a n 8-volt in it. I thought the guy was smoking crack, because he said that's what it came with. When I asked him how to charge it, he said just use a 6-volt charger. Well needless to say, I went and bought a 6-volt battery & it works just fine.

[greg g]

Would you put a band aid on a broken arm??? Do you have a size 10 foot and wear a size 13 shoe? Do you eat soup with a fork???

The best thing to do with a 6 V system is to either restore it to its properly engineered working or switch it over to twelve volt. How do you fix something by introducing a mismatched item then adjusting the system around it???

If you want the 6V system to operate properly, assure you have adequately sized 6 volt cables and wires and good clean and tight grounds. If needed add a ground strap from the firewall to the engine or frame. Then go through your lamp grounds, and connections. Make sure you coil is wired to the proper terminals for positive ground operation, ( negative from ign pos to dizzy) and you shouldn't need a band aid.

[Don Coatney]

If you want an 8 volt system buy an 8 volt battery, an 8 volt alternator, and 8 volt bulbs if you can find them.

[Young Ed]

Don is that a Caddy V8?

[Don Coatney]

Don is that a Caddy V8?

Yes it is a caddy. This car was at a show a couple years back and I spotted the 8 volt battery and 8 volt alternator.

[randroid]

Gents,

I've run an 8v battery in my '48 P-15 with considerable success and not fiddling with the generator or regulator. It may not have had the total voltage it could but started the engine noticeably faster than a 6v. The down side to it was I had to carry a spare headlamp because the added voltage made the fillament more brittle, and it was the killing of the headlights that finally prompted me to return to 6v.

-Randy

[kevinanderson]

Uh Greg, everything is tight, clean,grounded,replaced rebuilt or new. I just don't like the slow crank or the hassel of a 12v converstion. it has never failed me and doubt it will. just saw an article awhile back in Cars and Parts and was wondering about the success.

It was 18 degrees here a week ago. the plymouth started on the the 3rd revolution. no ,my shoes fit and i dont need a band-aid. thank-you everyone for your input. think i will stick with the 6