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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 36 Ford Alternator & Halogen Bulbs

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Discussion Topic: 36 Ford Alternator & Halogen Bulbs

36fordor

01-12-2015 @ 3:06 PM

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Have nice 1936 6 volt Fordor & am looking at:

(1)Quick Start High Output Alternators (http://alternatorparts.com/10si-all-in-one) &

(2) Rodtique Ford Car & Pickup Truck Headlight Conversion Kit 6 Volt Halogen Bulb (item #280835811536 on eBay).

Quick Start says "Our 6 volt 10Si alternators work perfect on those old Fords, but if you are switching to halogen lights, consider upgrading to the 8 or 12 volt model."

Don't want to convert to 12 volt. Would appreciate any comments on switching to Alternator, 6 volt or 8 volt, halogen bulbs, considerations, pro/con, etc.

Thanks.

This message was edited by 36fordor on 1-12-15 @ 3:07 PM

ken ct.

01-12-2015 @ 4:22 PM

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Stay away from 8V systems. ken ct.

len47merc

01-12-2015 @ 5:12 PM

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Taking license from what I've learned from others here, as well as personal experience, unless you want to add additional accessories to your car, a properly grounded and operating 6V system will produce/produces more than adequate lighting for nighttime driving, and as well produces more than adequate power for starting through all temp ranges. Lots of info on this subject if you search through this forum but in the end it most likely will boil down to whether you wish to add accessories and whether you have ensured your current charging system is operating efficiently and is properly grounded. If you wish to add significant accessories then a 12V conversion may make sense. If not, and you have not ensured your charging system is operating optimally, then before you make a 12V conversion make sure this is the case and determine if the results are satisfactory to you.

Personal experience shows after running the gambit on my 6V system the headlights produce better light than my neighbor's converted '54.

Have to defer to others on the 8V.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 1-12-15 @ 5:24 PM

TomO

01-13-2015 @ 8:48 AM

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The halogen lights that you asked about, each draw about 10 amps on high and 9 amps on low. Your generator may not be able to handle this, and I would be concerned with the wiring. You need 14 gauge wire in good condition to carry that load.

If you decide to install that kit, consider using relays to deliver the power to the bulbs and the light switch to power the relays.

Another consideration with the halogen bulbs is that they should be aimed properly, I see many aftermarket lights that are either aimed for looking for airplanes or directly into oncoming traffic driver's eyes.

An 8 volt system will cause the bulbs to burn out faster.

Your 6 volt system can be made adequate by checking to see that the voltage drop to the bulbs is not more than 0.2 volts and by having your lens clean and reflectors clean of all tarnish. Do not use an abrasive silver polish on the reflectors. You should also check the aiming of the lights.

Aim the high beam so that with the car parked on a level surface,at 25Ft from a wall,the center of the high beam is 30.5" from the floor level and the center line of the left beam is aligned with the center line of the headlight. the center line of the right beam should be 24" from the center line of the left beam.

Tom

This message was edited by TomO on 1-14-15 @ 8:41 AM

supereal

01-19-2015 @ 12:44 PM

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Halogen headlamps will consume most of a stock generator's output. I installed them in my '47 and found them no more, or less, bright than the original sealed beams. I converted to an alternator with some improvement until I made a smaller pulley for the alternator to increase the speed of the unit. Only after building and installing a relay board to feed the lamps directly from the battery did I get the brightness i wanted. Very soon, LED headlamps will be available. They are already used in big trucks. Their current draw is a fraction of the halogens. I'd wait. As my friend TomO said, adjusting the lights can be a problem. My halogens came from Drake, and are sh*lls with halogen bulbs adapted. Neither was properly centered, causing the beams to be far from required. The headlight buckets had to be modified to get them focused.

trjford8

01-20-2015 @ 8:30 AM

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I would not waste money on halogen headlamp bulbs. Re-silver your reflectors and put in some bulbs with a higher candlepower. Make sure all you grounds are tight and clean and maybe add a ground wire or two, especially from the headlamp bucket. I've never found halogens to be the answer. LEDs are much better and use way less power.

Drbrown

01-20-2015 @ 10:05 PM

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If you haven't already, you may wish to consider the color output of your selection. I don't know if the new LED's are/will be color-improved-corrected-adjusted. They're generally very white/stark/concentrated.

Although my '47 uses standard sealed beam lamps, the for-what-its-worth of my personal experience: Use 10 SI 3-wire w/sensor wire properly connected plus double relays (high & low circuits) plus over-sized feeder wires = great results. (I also added a relay in my fog light circuit)

This message was edited by Drbrown on 1-20-15 @ 10:06 PM

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