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changing 6v to 12v
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aps



Joined: 15 Mar 2013
Posts: 37
Location: aberdeenshire

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:30 pm    Post subject: changing 6v to 12v Reply with quote

help needed please ,ive been advised to change the electrics in a vw camper from 6v to 12v ,so what do i need to change,, and is it of any benefit to change at all ,wayne
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's straight forward to complete, but IMHO only worth the effort if you are planning to do much night driving.


Dave
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ka



Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 600
Location: Orkney.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can understand the logic behind the last comment, but there are some excellent 6v halogen headlight bulbs out there.
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ka wrote:
I can understand the logic behind the last comment, but there are some excellent 6v halogen headlight bulbs out there.


True, but to get any significant improvement they tend to be a higher wattage than original spec bulbs, so can push the dynamo and original wiring to the limit ...or beyond.

Dave
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Peter_L



Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Posts: 2680
Location: New Brunswick. Canada.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The difference in current, Amps, required for (example) 55 Watt bulb on a 6V or 12V system.

Watts / Voltage = Amps

55 W / 6 V = 9.2 Amps

55 W / 12 V = 4.6 Amps (Half the current of 55 Watts at 6 Volt)

Extend that for all the bulbs, fan, radio or whatever and the numbers really add up.

To really see the difference that voltage makes, take for example a 55 Watt bulb on a 240V domestic supply.

55 / 240 = .23 Not quite a 1/4 of 1 Amp.

.... above assumes that the bulbs are appropriate for the voltage, i.e 6volt 12 volt or 240 volt rated bulbs.

Post Script.

Having moved from the UK to Canada, I now live with high amps required for electrical items because of the 110V system. Arghhhh !!!
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The problem is Peter most people don't do your calculation;

I do a bit with Morris 8's , the standard dynamo is good for about 85W, 90, at a push.....owners upgrade to 35W headlamps, so we now have 70W of headlamps, at least 16W of side and tail; 86W of lighting before we have even considered the demand of the ignition, wiper motor, horn, trafficator's Shocked

Oh and did you expect to charge the battery as well Wink

Dave
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Bitumen Boy



Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1733
Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As for the lights, don't forget that LED technology seems to be coming on in leaps and bounds. It's quite possible that really good 6v headlights - that draw relatively little current - will soon be available, if indeed they aren't already available. However, there are some advantages in changing a 6v vehicle to 12v. Firstly, if you want to charge phones or whatever on the move, then all the off the shelf chargers are for 12v electrical systems. Granted there are probably workarounds to charge such things off a 6v system, but in most cases it's probably going to be easier to do do the 12v conversion! Secondly, batteries. 12v batteries are widely available in a variety of sizes and configurations, and, provided that you're not too fussed about the look of the thing, competition between factors generally means that you can get a good deal within a reasonable distance of home. 6v batteries, on the other hand, are specialist kit these days - you'll be waiting in for a delivery and paying a good bit of money for the privilige, neither the delivery costs or the batteries themselves are going to be exactly cheap. Thirdly, there's jump starting. Given a 12v system you can be jump started if necessary by (or indeed return the favour to) virtually any car on your street or in the supermarket carpark. With 6v, however, you'll be struggling, and in the abscence of a handy slope or willing volunteers to push could easily end up having to phone for assistance, and probably hang around for a good while to boot. If originality is your thing then by all means stick with 6v, but if you want to actually use it then I'd plump for 12v every time.
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petermeachem



Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Posts: 358
Location: Chichester Sussex

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can get 6v led headlamp bulbs. I'm having them, being able to put headlamps on that chuck out some light without flattening the battery is a huge advantage.
My Austin Seven was jump started by a London taxi once. Cranked very quickly! I imagine it was 12v. Everything survived
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
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Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd be interested if you can post a link to 6v led headlamps,

I have seen " bright" 6v LEDs , that would be good for sidle lamps, but a headlamp has to focus the light to throw it. I'd imagine any new led headlamp would have to come with its own reflector and lens?

Dave
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Rick
Site Admin


Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ukdave2002 wrote:
I'd be interested if you can post a link to 6v led headlamps,

I have seen " bright" 6v LEDs , that would be good for sidle lamps, but a headlamp has to focus the light to throw it. I'd imagine any new led headlamp would have to come with its own reflector and lens?

Dave


LED bulbs have been a talking point in VSCC circles of late. A friend tried them in his vintage motor but didn't much like them for night use, mainly due to the light pattern.

RJ
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
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Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rick wrote:
ukdave2002 wrote:
I'd be interested if you can post a link to 6v led headlamps,

I have seen " bright" 6v LEDs , that would be good for sidle lamps, but a headlamp has to focus the light to throw it. I'd imagine any new led headlamp would have to come with its own reflector and lens?

Dave


LED bulbs have been a talking point in VSCC circles of late. A friend tried them in his vintage motor but didn't much like them for night use, mainly due to the light pattern.

RJ


I can imagine that; LEDs can be easily substituted for filament bulbs in rear , side and indicators......however I don't believe a straight forward bulb only swap for an led in a headlamp would be effective, as the bulb, reflector and lens are effectively "tuned" . I suspect modern led complete headlamp units are available, but probably wouldn't look right in an old crock!

Dave
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petermeachem



Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Posts: 358
Location: Chichester Sussex

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/whats-new.php
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

petermeachem wrote:
http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/whats-new.php


That will be interesting to follow how they get on, and refreshing to hear a firm be honest about the challenge. If they can resolve the light throw issue, then their headlamp offer would be great.

Having done a bit of experimenting with LEDs myself I couldn't see how it could be done without changing bot the lens and reflector, but it would be great if it could Smile

Dave
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petermeachem



Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Posts: 358
Location: Chichester Sussex

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you scroll down and look at the pictures? They look pretty good to me. Driving an Austin Seven in the dark and actually be able to see where you are going would be novel.
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

petermeachem wrote:
Did you scroll down and look at the pictures? They look pretty good to me. Driving an Austin Seven in the dark and actually be able to see where you are going would be novel.


Yep, but as they acknowledge its quite easy to make a bright led lamp, which is a huge advantage in its self; to be seen...but it much more difficult to get a beam pattern that illuminates both kerb and distance when simply swapping a filament bulb for an led/s.

My modern only has LED's in the headlamps and its a better system than the previous modern that had HD lamps, but it has clusters of leds that move about on stalks ; had to chuckle what I looked at it; its a mechanical dipping system, just like my 75 year old Morris 8 Wink

Dave
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