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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum

Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt

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ram4wd

09-20-2007 07:41:27

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Good Morning,
I need to replace the battery in my 1948 Farmall Super A. The man at Tractor Supply Co. suggested an 8 volt battery for better starting. my question is would it burn out the lights and would the generator and regulator be affected with an 8 volt battery? thank you for your help
Bob W.

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Pete in Holland, MI

09-20-2007 12:45:03

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

6 volt systems are fine as they are. Most start to give reduced service when contacts between the battery cables (positive, negative, starter wires) get dirty, or a trip to the local Autozone replaced a battery wire with something too small in gauge, as those places are only geared up for 12 volt systems. Make sure to replace all 3 wires with at least "0" sized wires. Yup, they are big. If yours are in the 4-6 gauge range, that's part of your problem.

Remember, if you halve the voltage, the amperage will need to double to do the same amount of work. Using wires with corroded ends, or too small of gauge, chokes the flow of current.

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randy hall

09-20-2007 12:21:56

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

nothing wrong with changing to an alternator and a twelve volt battery for economy to get rid of a slow charging generater and an expensive regular, but you would be easier on the starter drive and ring geer if you would have the starter rewound with twelve volt fields. i thought only john deere people were worried about keeping everything 100% original even if some other way would be better.

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NDS

09-20-2007 10:29:04

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

The only good reasons not to go to 12 volts and an altenator is it is not original and that is not how Granpa did it. A GOOD WELL DONE 12 volt system is more dependable than a generator system and if battery is not fully charged or connections are not squeaky clean tractor will still usually start. Have never heard antone make claim that 6 volt is better than 12 volt for starting. IH even converted 140s production to 12 volt before end of run.

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Steven f/AZ

09-20-2007 15:29:41

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to NDS, 09-20-2007 10:29:04

12 volt more dependable than 6-volt? In my experience I have had equal reliability, new vs. new. My H hasn"t been touched in 5 years now - and I didn"t do anything to the original generator or regulator to start with. I"ve only had to boost it once, when the switch was left on. Had a 4 year old battery in it until this summer as well - that battery is in a different tractor now and working fine.

I"ll keep my 6-volt that I have no money in other than a battery vs. an expensive 12 volt conversion.

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NDS

09-20-2007 15:43:21

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to Steven f/AZ, 09-20-2007 15:29:41

Steven you are entitled to your opinion but I came along when generators were the only option and believe me generators and voltage regulators were hard to keep going. We probaly ran more hours in a week sometimes than you will run your H in a year. We often used 2 drivers and tried to run 24 hours a day in spring but original 6 volt generators would not keep lights bright enough to see and you usually we had to quit about 4 AM on moonless nights you would have to strike a match to see lights by then.

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Steven f/AZ

09-20-2007 15:51:15

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to NDS, 09-20-2007 15:43:21

Oh, yes, as far as lighting goes I"m sure I would have more trouble if I was using the lights. They don"t show much of anything no matter how you set them!

But in my (limited) experience I haven"t had much trouble with my old 6-volt Farmalls.

And we usually end up replacing an alternator on something every year... luckily we have several tractors and the combine that take the same one! Of course those are used at night and in much worse conditions than my old Farmalls...

end rambling.

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John T

09-20-2007 10:14:28

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

Also, if you start messin with that oddball NON factory cobbled up system in addition to oddball batteries, the points (if a coil ignition) will burn up quicker and likewise, the lights unless ballasted. Much bigger n way harder to crank John Deere A's n Farmall M's etc could be started with 6 volts so fer sue that Lil A can. I also like 00 Gauge Battery n Starter n Ground cables on 6 volt systems to lessen potential cable voltage drop.

John T

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Steven f/AZ

09-20-2007 08:29:30

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

A 6-volt battery is perfectly capable of starting tractors as large as (perhaps larger than) a Super W-9 which is a 350 cubic inch engine. Your Super A is 113 cubic inches - 6 volts should spin it over plenty fast.

Get good battery cables that are 0/1 gauge, clean all the connections, maybe have the starter checked out (new brushes maybe?), and it should start just fine.

Long live 6 volts!

1256 for sale!

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BOBM25

09-20-2007 08:50:36

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to Steven f/AZ, 09-20-2007 08:29:30

Yep, long live 6 volt is right. In my opinion the only thing worse than a 12v conversion is an 8v battery in a 6v system. There is nothing wrong with a 6v system. These old tractors were designed to use a 6v systems and they work good when everything is up to snuff.

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ram4wd

09-20-2007 09:20:14

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to BOBM25, 09-20-2007 08:50:36

Thanks again for all the comments. I heartly agree. Just wondered if there was something I was missing. 6 Volts it is! Bob

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Bob M

09-20-2007 08:01:26

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

I agree with Bob below. Installing an 8 volt battery is only a "band aid" fix for other underlying electrical problems. Better to spend the extra cost of the 8 volt battery to get the electrical system into 1st class condition.

Also.... With the 8 volt battery you will find it more difficult to keep it charged - especially if your tractor is used lightly/infrequently. And if you use the lights it will shorten their life (they will burn brighter however!)

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Bob

09-20-2007 07:47:04

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to ram4wd, 09-20-2007 07:41:27

That little tractor will start just fine on 6-Volts, IF the starter, generator, and battery are good, AND all the electrical connections are "clean, bright and tight".

Installing an 8-Volt battery without setting up the charging system REALLY doesn't do much good, as all you will have is a partially-charged 8-Volt battery.

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ram4wd

09-20-2007 07:53:34

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Re: Super A 6 vollt or 8 volt in reply to Bob, 09-20-2007 07:47:04

good point, thank you

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