The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 6 Volt To 12 Volt Converter??????

Would like to add a 6 volt to 12 volt converter to my truck to run a 12 volt tape deck does anyone recommend a low cost one and where to buy it Ebay or some place else???? Thanks for your help!!! 1-262-392-2989 or [email protected]

Marv

You might find one at Wally world (Walmart)

A number of the suppliers have what you want but, they are not low cost. Some of the electronics suppliers might have a standard product for they. I would search Digi Key if I were looking.

You need one of these Voltage Booster #NGVB-HC for a 6 volt negative ground truck.

Important Note:
If you have the modern type 12v radios/CD/cassette, 25-30 watts watts per channel.
This type of radios/CD/cassette goes into a stand-by mode, when 12v is applied to the accessory wire.

So that the battery does not drain dead.
You have to put in a micro switch relay/memory maintenance module or a toggle switch

If you have the older type 12v radios/CD/cassette, 6-10 watts per channel.
They don't have a stand-by mode, there is no need for a micro switch relay/memory maintenance module.

You should read this POST...Install Tips 12 volt CD/Radio in a 6 volt vehicle
The Post describes the info in more detail and has wiring diagrams.

A low-cost alternative to all the electronics would be a dedicated (small) 12V battery to power the sound system, with an onboard charger/battery maintainer that plugs in while the truck is parked. A battery the size of the one used on my Honda Gold Wing, or even one for a lawn tractor will fit under the seat, and power a sound system without a mega-watt booster for several days without recharging.
Jerry

The least expensive one I found I bought on ebay. It was about $60 and I use it to power my GPS when on tour with the VCCA. The guy will make you what ever you want if you contact him. This is the one I bought.

Thanks to all for your input!!!!

Marv.

Nothing fancy Marvin, just something for to listen to some tunes
and a tach to monitor the motor.
Original 6v system in a ’50, 3604.
Custom Auto Sound 6v-12v voltage booster.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/139692811/large
12v Sony FM/AM CD player.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/154431004/large
12v Sun Pro Super Tach II
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/158556446/large

$59.95 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Voltage-Booster-6-8v-to-12v/dp/B004P9IS3I
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,
Since there is no accessory position on a 1950 Chevrolet trucks ignition switch.
How do you have the accessory wire, wired on the 12v Sony FM/AM CD player.
Because 12 volts remained applied to the accessory wire after switching off the ignition switch, some people were having dead battery issues,

Do you have it:
Wired like Diagram 1
Or
Wired like Diagram 2
Or none of the above.

Higher wattage Radio/CD players normally do not fully shut down by turning off the Radio/CD players main on,off switch.
12 volts also has to be removed from the accessory wire to fully shut it down.

If you have 12 volts applied to the accessory wire at all times and your having no dead battery issues.
A. The Sony Radio/CD player accessory wire may function differently.
B. You start the truck daily.
C. You have a really good battery.

Thanks,

Since this is not a daily driver for me I wasn't really
concerned with the importance of having a clock or keeping
a handful of presets, I simply have a toggle switch to
switch the power off to the cube.
In the inclement weather I don't drive her and in the summer a
week may go by when I'm to busy to go anywhere. When I do
take her out for a spin while I'm warming up the engine I
just take half a minute and set the 5 pre-sets. When I park
her like at a cruise night or show or where ever I might be
returning in a couple of hours, I push the off button on the
radio and leave the cube on. The draw of the radio in the off
mode is minuscule and it holds the pre-sets and the tach
doesn't seem to draw much either. Never had a problem and
I've even left it that way over night by accident, no problem
starting the next day with my stock 6v electrical system.
It all depends on how fancy you want to get.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Since I'm not pulling a lot of amps just running my GPS I just wired the step-up to the switched side of my ignition switch. With the key off no juice.

I just whipped up this schematic and put on my photobucket.

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o636/bztguy/6Vto12V.png

Interesting Idea.
How big of a small battery would you use?

According to a couple guys that sometimes repair these higher wattage head units.
When 12v is applied to the accessory wire, the head units CD player, pre-amplifier and power amplifier circuits are turned on (standby mode).
The radio station presets and clock time are maintained by the YELLOW main power wire.

Its like the accessory wire is really connected internally to a voltage sensing relay that when 12v is applied is tying
the YELLOW wire to the CD player, pre-amplifier and power amplifier circuits.
The YELLOW main power wire is hardwired into the microprocessors that maintain clock time and radio station presets. (Unswitched)

The accessory wire has nothing to do with maintaining clock time and radio station presets.
I guess you could put the relay contact on the accessory wire, rather than the main power wire.

As I mentioned early in this thread, a 12V motorcycle battery would be plenty adequate for several days' running even without the voltage doubler. Just plugging in a battery maintainer when the vehicle is parked would keep it charged well enough to dispense with any sort of sophisticated electronics. It's the cheapest, simplest way to address the need for 12 volts in a 6V vehicle, but some of our bunch aren't happy unless they're throwing boatloads of dollars at a problem.

Back in the late 1960's I had a friend who drove a 6V Volkswagen Beetle with an 8-track tape deck in it. He powered it with a small 12V battery, and charged the battery about once a month. He used that tape deck a lot, and those things had motors, solenoids, and some pretty powerful amplifier channels. They used several times the current a modern sound system does, unless somebody's trying to power a truck bed full of subwoofers and playing rap music that will bend street lamp posts!
Jerry

The yellow wire (memory, clock, etc) is wired to the constant unswitched 12v from the battery. The Red wire (accessory) is wired through the relay contact and is only under power when the ignition is on. No different than if in a truck with an accessory lead off of the ignition switch. The relay is acting as your ignition accessory lead for the radio. As far as battery size.... I would think something like a small motorcycle battery or a sealed lead acid battery similar to what is used in UPS's would suffice like a 12v 15AH. The Amp Hour rating on a battery means thats how long it can provide current (in hours) when a constant 1 amp draw is applied to it before it is drained. It's just a standard of measure for battery ratings. The current draw for the yellow lead is very small, somewhere in the low milliamp range. Without knowing the exact current draw, which you could measure to find out, and how long you leave the truck sitting at times will all factor in. I see you are my neighbor to the north. If you leave it set all winter in the cold, it may or may not be dead come spring, hard to know. During the rest of the year with occassional driving it would hold a charge just fine. In my schematic the voltage booster is off and not adding to the battery draw down when the truck isn't running. The only draw on the battery at that time is the miniscule amount the radio needs for memory functions. The sealed lead acid battery like what's used in a UPS would work well if you were to put it under the seat of the truck. They can be had at places like batteriesplus for $20-$30 give or take. I hope this helps!

Voltage Booster #NGVB-HC
It can supply,
3.5 amps with the engine off.
5.0 amps with the engine running at a fast idle.
10 milliamps current draw with no load.

Most, AM/FM CD/CASSETTE PLAYERS
Power source - 10.8v to 15.1v allowable
Maximun current consumption - 10 amps
To maintain radio station presets & clock time - 20 milliamps

Maybe a smaller rechargeable 12v battery would work?
Like a D size flashlight battery. If they make them that small.

I haven't seen a 12v battery that small that would be rechargable or have much current capacity.

There are 12V 5AH sealed lead acid batteries on ebay for around $15 shipping included. About the size of the palm of your hand.

small motorcycle battery would work

Bill

A small motorcycle battery will work but will be pricier. Also need to make sure it's installed where it can vent and have the drain tube ran out somewhere.