The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Heater switch

Guys, I have two questions about this old heater switch: 1.- Is this a 6 or 12 volt? 2.- Does anybody know where I could find a replacement?
Thanks in advance. Old switch

The switch doesn't care how many volts. It's the current that's important. Most likely it won't make any difference since basically a switch is a switch is a switch. Part two you might post in the parts wanted forum.

Thanks, Tiny: The reason I was asking whether it was a 6 or 12 volt is that some vendors carry heather blower switches (though those are different from mine) and they are sold as either 6 or 12 volts. That had me wondering...

What is your switch out of?

It does not look like switches use in 47-55 Advance-Design trucks.
No one make reproduction switches that look like original 47-55 switches.

I found it under the seat of our 1953 Chevrolet pickup, which we bought a few months ago. The pickup has a recirculator heater. I tested the motor using a voltage reducer (just in case) but it did not work. So now I am not sure whether to buy a 6 or 12 volt motor to use with this switch. By the way, this switch has "Heater" written on the knob. I think I have seen similar switches under the dash of some of the AD pickups on these forums.
Thanks.

looks like the switches used for the pre-47 ["art deco"] deluxe heater, which were 6V .... and by the looks of it, you'd be further ahead to get a new switch to go with whatever new motor you get, depending on if you're staying with 6 volts or switching to 12

Bill

Squeeze:This just in: a friend of mine just called me to let me know that he has a heater switch just like this one and that it's in great shape. Though he does not know if it's a 6 or 12 volt (he found it at their local junkyard on the dash of a 1954 Chevy pickup with no heater in it)
With the weather starting to get colder I need to start working on getting the heater in running condition :-)
By the way, I asked him to test it (using a voltage reducer) and he says it works, the light on the tester' little bulb gets dimmer as he toggles the switch. So it looks like one half of my problem is solved.

a 54 would be 6 volt, but likely it'd work OK on 12V if that's what you're going with, if the resistor coil burns out on 12V, it's easy to replace

Bill

My only 2cents about heater switches, not that you asked.... Is that the repop "variable" ones the vendors carry, suck. I drive my truck all year, everyday, and those darn things melt after about a month.

I'm a happy boy now though, and have an old original switch, much, much better.

I appreciate your responses, y'all. I think I will be purchasing a 12 volt blower motor. I just did't want to install a voltage reducer if there was no need for it (I am already going to have to use one for the gas gauge as soon as I have the time to install the new face decals)

Charlie3 -

I replaced the 6v heater motor in my '54 3100 with a 12v motor from a '60 Impala. If you can find a similar motor, it may make the switch a little easier. The motor case is about 1/8" smaller diameter, but a new heater-firewall gasket for your '53 will fit tightly around it. It looks pretty much original. The mounting studs are about 1/16"+ closer together and will require a little filing on the heater case.

Finished installation

6v Left, 12v Impala Center (before sandblasting and painting), 12v AdvanceAuto Right

Some 'Bolters have removed the guts from their 6v motor cases and inserted a new 12v motor inside to keep the original look of the motor on the firewall side. The 12v aftermarket motor is smaller than the 6v case. Others have just bolted on the aftermarket motor as-is.

Thanks, Lonnie:
Great pictures!
Looks like Napa has the 12 volt motor I need...

What you have there is the innards of the old switch. There's a plastic shell that goes over it and the ivory knob pokes through. If you find the outside shell you may have something worthwhile to fix. The resistor on the back controls the lower fan speed. This is probably a 6v switch. The resistor would need to be changed for 12v.
Dave Evans

Charlie3 -

If you decide take the innerds out of your 6v blower motor and insert a 12v motor AND IF the 6v motor still works, I betch a Stovebolter would like to trade his non-working motor for your working motor. Shame to gut a motor that works.

Otherwise, an aftermarket 12v motor from NAPA is a near bolt-in operation. It may not look "right" from the firewall side.

Here is a link that includes inserting a 12v inside a 6v housing.

Gus (DADS50) has some good pics in this post. Click on the arrows to advance the photos.