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| | | | Joined: May 2014 Posts: 3 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: May 2014 Posts: 3 | A couple months ago I bought a 1950 1/2 ton. When I bought it I asked the guy if it had any 12v conversion and he said that it had a 12v starter. I assumed that it was converted. After I got it home it has issues starting, if it doesnt start right off then the battery drains. But with a jump it runs like a champ. After looking I noticed that it had a 6v battery. Looking further it actually has 2 batteries, they put in an additional battery tray in behind the original one. It has a 12v battery with a solenoid that connects the 2 batteries together. There is also a starter button in addition to the starter pedal. Is this common? Can I just convert it to 12v easily? How do I know what has been converted to 12v already? | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 |
It is not common.
Does it have 6v or 12v bulbs (head lamps are the easiest to check on this).
If it is 6v (with a 12v power "enhancement" to a 6v starter), you can get a good 6v battery (like an Optima), get proper 6v battery cables (0 or 00 gauge), and clean all cable/ground connections, and get it to reliably start as a 6v system.
If there is a metal ID plate on the body of the starter, what color is the plate (6v is black and 12v is red)?
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,384 | I have seen a setup like that before, a work around for starting old snow plow trucks.
The whole truck should be stock 6V and the second battery is connected when you push the extra starter button. Like attaching a jumper battery but you don't have to connect the cables.
The problem is that you have to connect a charger to the second battery once and a while because it isn't charged by the truck.
The starting procedure is: key on, stomp starter and then push the button while the starter is down for the boost.
A real asset in the middle of a blizzard. | | | | | Joined: May 2014 Posts: 3 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: May 2014 Posts: 3 | It appears to have 6v lights and a 6v starter, it also has a very large battery cables.
It sounds like it is a backup battery like was mentioned. Do I just hookup the backup 12v battery to a charger? | | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,384 | yes, but check the water first. There is a good chance it hasn't been checked or charged for a while.
If you're lucky it will hold a charge, but there is a chance it will be dead from neglect.
The truck should start normally on it's original system. Find out why the 6V is running down.
Last edited by Jim Sears; 06/12/2014 2:27 PM.
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