The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 12 volt 6 volt confusion.

Hello Gents,

Just working on tracing the electrical from end to end. The truck seems to have been somewhat misunderstood. It's a 6 volt system, I believe. The original generator's still in her. The previous owner did all the electrical work, I think, but didn't switch it over to 12. I got my park lights and headlights working. Switched to the right bulb and they're good.

But I'm having trouble with the signal lights. Under the dash, there's a 12 volt flasher solenoid, and I'm wondering if it would work with a 6 volt system or not. I'm unable to find a problem with the system, thus far, except that darn flasher unit. I don't know if it's enough to stop the signal lights or not. Any expertise/advice would be welcome.

Bill

A 12V flasher will not work on 6 volts- - - -not enough current flow through the bimetal strip to heat it up and make it disconnect. The signal lights are probably coming on steady front and rear and not flashing, right? You'll need to find a 6V flasher to make the system work properly.

Note: most 6V flashers have a "P" terminal (pilot) which was intended to illuminate a single light on the dash that reminds the driver the flasher is operating. If you have an older pickup, it probably does not have arrows built into the dash cluster to show right and left turns.
Jerry

Thank you, Jerry.

I'm not getting anything at all, at the moment. I get my park lights, but no signal. I guess what you're suggesting is that it's a deeper problem, first.

Bill

Is your turn signal switch built into the steering column, or is it an add-on that clamps to the column? "Signal-Stat" made two add on units, one with 5 wires and another with 7. The 5-wire unit was designed to be used with separate light assemblies front and rear for turn signals. The 7-wire ones have a discriminator circuit that allow the same rear bulbs to be used as brake lights and turn signals. Later model trucks that came factory-equipped with turn signals also used 2-filament bulbs front and rear to combine park, brake, and turn lights in one bulb housing, both front and rear.
Jerry

Most likely, this is a 1953 3100 truck with an original 6v electrical system, and an add-on turn signal switch/system.

The original 6v front parking/driving lamp bulbs would have been single filament, but these can be easily converted to dual-filament bulbs - for parking/driving and turn-signals.

The original single rear-lamp housing would have had a dual-filament bulb (for brake light and marker/tail light); and, a matching rear-lamp housing/unit/bracket for the other side is readily available.

Also, as extraneous information, 6v dual-filament LED bulbs (for pos and neg ground) are now readily available.
If all bulbs are LED, an LED flasher-unit would most likely be needed.

Hi all.

Yes. It's an add on system, clamped to the steering column. It's a Signal-Stat 900. I looked up the details on the signal flasher, and it's for a 12v system, too. I don't know how that might affect this whole problem.

My truck didn't have signal lights originally. Now, at least all the original lights are working. I have headlights (high and low beam), taillights, and brake lights. The new bulbs I've put in are 6 volt and have two filaments, so I think I'm okay there.

Thank you for all your help.

Bill

Bill,
If there are only two wires going to your flasher then pull the flasher out and put a jumper on the two wires where the flasher was. This will tell you if the flasher is the problem or not if everything else is ok then when you move the arm on your turn signal switch then the front and back light for the direction you are turning will come on and stay on. They obviously won't flash because you don't have a flasher. Then try the other side and the same thing should happen. If this test works then you need a new 6V flasher. My flasher has 3 tabs but there are only two wires that physically connect to the flasher. If yours has 3 wires at the flasher then don't try this test because I don't remember what the third wire is for on a 3 wire flasher.
Good luck,
Les

The third wire just goes to a indicator light that flashes with the signals. I had to take my switch apart and clean up all contacts and moving parts, resolder new wires in, and now it works like brand new. Also had to clean the sockets the bulbs seat into on almost all the lights.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll give them a try and see what happens.

Bill