Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Improved 6 volt Lighting

« on: August 21, 2013, 05:38:22 AM »

I realise that a lot of people convert their Kaisers and Frazers to 12 volt. But there are many who try to keep the car true to the original and leave the electrics at 6 volt.

On my '54 Manhattan, I've found that the only real drawback to this is the fact that the sealed beam headlamps are slightly better than a large candle for night time driving. (My OWN age may have more to do with this than the Manhattan's.)

I did a lot of digging around on the internet and found a supplier of conversion headlamps - using the H4 Halogen bulb - in 6 volt. Better still, he doesn't charge an arm and a leg for them either.

I hope helpful links are OK here. The site is called Classic Garage. Home page is at www.classicgarage.com.

Direct link to the headlamps I bought is: http://www.classicgarage.com/ne7roh4hecul.html

This is a 7" Round Headlamp with a curved lens that is reasonably close to the original sealed beams. They charge $22 each WITH the 6 volt bulb for it.

Replacement 6V H4 bulbs are here: http://www.classicgarage.com/h460clearhal.html and they charge $10 each for them.

Both the headlamps AND the bulbs are half the price - or less - than I've found anywhere else.

They also have H1, H2 and H3 Halogen bulbs available for Fog or Driving led light. Also quite cheap. http://www.classicgarage.com/6vbulbs.html

Now, there IS a downside. Please read.

The original 6006 Sealed Beam lamp is rated at 50/40 watts. The new H4 Halogen is rated at 60/55 watts. If you replace the sealed beams with these new units, you will be running an extra 20 watts on the low beams and 30 on the high beams. This is an extra 3 amps and 5 amps respectively. The current ALL passes through your headlight switch. Keep an eye on the headlight switch and make sure it isn't getting too warm with the new bulbs.

If you can find some 6 volt headlamp relays, another idea is to put relays on the front bulkhead where the radiator is. Use the headlight switch to trigger the relays, and use the relays to feed power to the headlights. Feed the supply side of the relays with a very heavy wire back to the starter solinoid. You'll drop the current through the headlight switch (and the dimmer switch) to less than an amp and both should last forever. You'll also get a bit more voltage to the headlights and get even more light out of them.

The difference - for me - is like night and day. Where the old sealed beams were not all that bright and distinctly "yellowish", the new halogen units are very white, and at least twice as bright as the sealed beams were.

BTW: I picked up some NOS 6 volt headlight relays on eBay for about $12 each. A very good price and, they look like they belong on the car. (Because they are from that era.)

Hope this is helpful to some of you.

Yes wonderful idea indeed.. Thread is old bit it serves great information.. I am fortunate to find the post