Battery

[shawn_and_his_kaiser]

I have a newer battery, 6V...is there a specific cranking amps I need? Sometimes I wonder if I have the correct one.

[joefrazer]

KF used a 6V group 1 battery. This style typically has around 575 cold cranking amps. Poor connections and incorrect cable sizes are usually the culprits when hard starting occurs.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

Remember,
Positive Ground System. You Must Have a Positive Breaded Ground Wire.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

There are a couple of companies still making the Type 1 case (aka Group 1 case) 6 volt battery with a CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) of 600 amps or thereabouts (575 falls into the therebouts).  Because of the current draw of the starter, the cables and tightness on the battery is critical.  Everything must be tight and clean (no tarnish, corrosion, etc).  Cables should be a 1 AWG type wire.  Cables may be available at tractor supply stores or tractor dealerships offering items for 1940's-1950's vintage tractors using the Type 1 case 6 volt.

Lastly. remember positive ground; ground strap connection goes positive, and the other insullated cable goes to negative.  You will fry instruments, distributor parts, etc and starter will turn backwards if reversed. 

[darrin145]

I just replaced batteries in 11 of our cars...for the 6 volt units , I used Predator Roadhawk  brand, part #902. 675 CCA. They also make a smaller battery, #901MF with 640CCA. Most older gauges will work fine if the ground is switched, the ammeter will read backwards, the plugs will still fire but with less intensity, a radio might fry and the starter being a series motor cannot turn backwards and will work fine...

[Corsairdeluxe]

Who carries that brand?

[Fid]

If the battery is connected negative ground, likely no damage will be caused for quite awhile.  The generator and regulator may eventually be damaged due to polarization. The starter will not spin backwards.   The only way the radio would "fry" is if the original type vibrator was replaced with a solid state unit and all that would happen is the solid state vibrator would be damaged.

[darrin145]

Thanks Fid, for confirmation on the starter motor!    Jim - the batteries I mentioned are made by East Penn Manufacturing, the same company that makes batteries for DEKA, NAPA , Die Hard etc. The only difference is the seller's label and price. An 'old' friend of mine owns Battery World here in Syracuse, NY and uses the Predator Roadhawk label. Napa will charge $100 for the same unit I buy for $60 at my buddy's place and I have a son in law that is manager of one of the local NAPA stores!

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Johnson Controls, Inc. is one of 3 companies that actually build some or all of the batteries they offer in the USA; certain sizes come from Mexico, Saudi Arabia, or other parts of the globe (JCI marks them with a small sticker to identify country of origin outside America).  Exide is another and the Duracell people may be the third.  JCI makes them for Sears under the Die Hard label and for NAPA, and for Other companies that market them with their own name on them.

I have found that the best source for the 6 volt is Tractor Supply, Incorporated.  While they are not that prevelent where Barbara & I live, TSI batteries are sold as they are farm oriented and various type of farm equipment still running after many years have this voltage. 

Batteries+Bulbs stores in many areas have at least a couple on the shelf or can get product within 24 hours. 

Be sure that you check the date code on the battery to see if it is "fresh"  I have seen a 6 volt in one store recently (August 2018) with a date code of June 2017 for manufacture.  As some of these 6 volt types only come with a 1-year warranty, this would be no warranty even before you got it out of the store.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

What's Fun is when You Pick Out Your 6 Volt Battery a Manager will come Up & do a (Disclaimer) , Do You know that's a 6 Volt Battery ?   

I want to always ask if 1/2 Price when only 6 Volts...

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

Not bad. $ 50 at some places with Core.

If You pay more than That is usually the Name. $ 100 Plus if someone has Original looking Battery that come out with the Vehicle 。

[kaiservagabond]

If u'll just go on line  u'll find where EXIDE batteries r sold.  I have a dealer in my town & get mine from him. Group 1 & don't have a starting problem either.