6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

[Ted K.]

I just put a 8 volt Group 1 battery(made for tractors) in my 54 to get a faster spin on the start up. Definately an improvement and I like it.
Question, the battery gague on the dash now reads discharge most all of the time. On idle the needle is just slightly left of center. Turn on the headlights and the needle is half way into the discharge/left side.
It seems to make sense since the voltage regulator must believe the battery is fully or overcharged, but maybe not. Help...
Ted

[Kenny C.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

I dont know for certain but I think you may be able to tweek the voltage regulator to basically over charge to bring the charge rate up but I dont think that it will be very healthy for the lighting and and gages and everything else that is calibrated to operate on 6 volts. If starting is the issue I think you would be better off to keep the 6 volt battery and get a better starter built. And even before that make sure that the electric system especially the grounds are good.

[Jim L.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

There is no question that an 8 Volt battery will spin the starter on your '54 faster than a 6V battery can. Heck, I once jump started my '54 from a 12V battery; sucker started right up!

However, as you've already noted, using an 8 Volt battery has side effects.... like incomplete charging from the 6V generator/regulator.

If the starter, positive and negative cables, and battery are all in good condition, the engine will turn over enthusiastically on 6 Volts. In other words, there is no compelling reason to use anything else.

Jim

[Russ U.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

There is no question that an 8 Volt battery will spin the starter on your '54 faster than a 6V battery can. Heck, I once jump started my '54 from a 12V battery; sucker started right up!

However, as you've already noted, using an 8 Volt battery has side effects.... like incomplete charging from the 6V generator/regulator.

If the starter, positive and negative cables, and battery are all in good condition, the engine will turn over enthusiastically on 6 Volts. In other words, there is no compelling reason to use anything else.

Jim

Adding to the woes of the 8v system...

Charles Seigfried, who restores old Wonderbars, told me that an 8v battery will degrade a Wonderbar pretty quickly.

My 6 volt battery starts up my 53 pretty quickly - the car starts after about 3 seconds every time when it is stone cold. Jim is right - you should focus on the electrical side of your setup. The repro houses sell the wrong positive battery cable - too thin. I think we had a thread on this point a few months ago.

Russ

[Dennis O.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

I don't have a 6 volt Corvette, but I do have an all original 1951 Ford that still has 6 volts. I had some starting problems (mainly because the only 6 volt batteries available are the smaller Group ones), but solved them by installing a 6 volt Optima battery. I don't know about GM availability, but there are kits that allow you to put the Optima in the original Ford case and use a top cover that you pour tar onto that looks pretty darn original. I agree with the others that an 8 volt battery is just a "band aid" solution, and one should really get to the root of the problem. Back in my college days, we could usually afford nothing but 6 volt cars (Oldsmobiles, Dodges, etc.) and they generally started during a Minnesota winter.

[Dale S.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

I think the key is in the large diameter battery cable. I used to start a 1950 Olds with a 6 volt battery in the trunk. I used a heavy duty copper welding cable from trunk to starter. It started even with a supercharger on the motor. Dale

[Brad H.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

do just what you did with 8 volt and readjust your regulator to the 8 volt, if judging put 6 volt back in but leave reg alone, after judging put 8 back in, mine works graet this way, Brad.

[Troy P.]

Re: 6 volt battery vs 8 volt for 1954

I agree with the thinking that 6 volts is fine. Just need the correct battery cables.

The commonly available repo positive cable (which looks carved up) is about 4 AWG. The originals cables were 2 AWG. I make a correct repo that is 1 AWG and it looks and works great.