The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Can a 12volt converter handle....

a 12v radio, 12v turnsignals, and possibly 12v tail lights? I know, a bunch of people are asking "why not change to 12v) but even though I could do that, the only thing I would need to do to hook up the radio, turn signals, and tail lights would be to wire it to the box shaped 12v converter. It's just setting there, unused, sending power to speakers that may or may not be dead, making a high pitched noise. Both options I can do, and if the little 4x3(guessing on the size) box can't handle that output when it is put to the test, then I will just have to go the full-12v way. But if I do that, I will have to buy the voltage reducers and other needed stuff, when all that I need to do is right in front of me, I can just get some wire and hook the stuff up.

It will operate a solid state radio but that's about it. You don't need it for the turn signals & lights, just use 6 volt bulbs.

Tabdoo16 has promised me a 12volt radio once he changes out his, and it is solid state, I'm guessing? Don't know much about electronics, but thought I heard something of solid state being switched to a long time ago. I don't think I can use the flasher that I got, I may be wrong though, it only has two prongs and the old 6v had 3, but one of the wires coming out of the flasher was cut so I don't know. I also have those 12 volt tail/stop lights and they won't be on all of the time, so could they still be used on the converter?

The 3rd prong was to the indicator. 2 prong will plug into the same socket and work. All the bulbs can be left 6 volt. Why switch bulbs?

Either way I need bulbs, but it seems to me that I should leave the turn signals 6 volts. The reason to even think about it is that the original bulbs were not burnt, but were rusted in the sockets and had to be dug out. The sockets are fine. The bulbs are trashed. All I need to do is get some bulbs and a flasher and hopefully I will have turn signals. If not, then there is a ground problem. So, my question now is: Can I use the stop/tail lights along with the radio using the 12 volt converter? There are already bulbs in them and only need wired up.

Run the radio all by itself off the converter. 6 volt bulbs can still be bought. Sockets don't care if they are 6 or 12 volt. you probably only have a few sizes the small single contact in , the large double contact for stop and tail and possibly a large single contact for the dome light. Put in a 6 volt flasher and keep it simple.

Ok, will do. Don't be mad at me! Could the speakers be wired in with the radio or will I have to figure out some way to keep them both connected to the radio and still have power?

The speakers are powered through the radio. They don't & can't have power from the battery.

Ok.

Instead of running around in circles trying to figure out what I am going to do and running into a brick wall(knocking myself unconscious), I am going to leave it all 6 volts for right now, but when I can drive the truck, I will convert it to 12v, because of the dependability that the tired 6 volt components don't have right now, but would if they were rebuilt, and then after I don't have to drive the truck everyday, I can still put the 6 volt components back in if I choose to do so.

Don't forget about your fuel gauge and sender. It a very low current system so your converter should handle it no problem.

Well J.D.
Just my 2 pennies,
but Im sure you as any other young man will want in short order after gettin on the road a decent stereo!, we all been there ..when you find,swap,gather,or just plain go out an buy stuff to make tunes ..you will need a 12volt system.
I would suggest ya lean towards switchin over to a 12volt now so ya got that done when you hit the road.
Ya know the ladies like a kick arse' tune system...and WELL ...yaknwo what happens after that....just tryin to get ya prepped in the right direction.
Tim

Are you sure that THAT is in the right direction???? Yep, I will probably be switching over in the next few weeks, after I get brakes and can drive it(I CAN actually drive around here on the back roads, there are times when I have to do so, I drive tractors and just about everything else). I have to test those brakes, ya know... I probably won't even get out of first gear, just go up the road a little, stop, and then turn around and come back.