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| | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 1,624 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2005 Posts: 1,624 | A car buddy is trying to get an old friends ‘56 truck up and running as the friend is headed for the “big roundup” soon. It has a 6 volt negative ground system. In his stash of parts is this three lug battery. Has six fill caps in all so must be some kind of six molt battery. Anyone know of what application it might be for and/or how it was hooked up. It is Ford scripted and dry (no acid added). Thanks
Six volt guy living in a twelve volt world
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,801 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,801 | 56 models came out with a 12V negative ground system. It sounds like you've got an old 6/12 battery, one that used a Ford-style starter solenoid in a series/parallel arrangement to start on 12, and run and charge on 6 volts. The last of the 6V systems was the 55 1st. series, at least if it's a Chevy. 56 Fords had a 12V positive ground system, the one and only year for that one. In 57, the whole automotive industry standardized electrical systems at 12V negative ground. Freightliner trucks and a few other commercial vehicles kept using positive ground systems through the mid-1960's.
Jerry
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| | | | | Joined: Dec 2015 Posts: 2,063 Big Bolt Forum Moderator | | Big Bolt Forum Moderator Joined: Dec 2015 Posts: 2,063 | 6 fill caps would mean 12v battery, one cap per cell, each cell is 2v. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | The three 'lugs' might be the lead bars hooking the cells together. With 6 caps Mike says, 12 volts.
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 1,438 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 1,438 | If you take a voltage reading it will probably show 6v from the center lug. I've never seen a 3 post battery, but have heard of putting in a screw in the center to run the rest of a car when converting to 12v.
Dennis
40 Chevy 1/2 ton
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 1,624 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2005 Posts: 1,624 | Found it. “Anitque Auto Batteries” under accessories. It is indeed a 12 volt battery with a 6 volt tap. Requires a 12 volt charging system. Used to run a 12 volt system with 6 volt accessories. Sound familiar to you guys needing to run 6 volt heater fans, gas gauges, etc.
As stated before, this battery is dry so no voltage readings could be taken. Thanks for the help.
Six volt guy living in a twelve volt world
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