okay...I have a 6 volt 48 truck with ground problems (nothing new eh?). The wiring harness I purchased is perfect but in some spots I have rewired with a 12 or 14 gauge meant for a 12 volt system. Since my truck is positive grounded...woud that installed wiring meant for a 12 volt system be the cause of my problem? Thanks

 

What gauge wire is it.

Unless you need a larger gauge wire for some special reason current flows through any wire.Even water.
I can't see a difference for 6v over 12v unless it's a resistance problem.



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The load on the system determines the amperage that must flow thru the wire. A 32W tail light bulb will require twice as many amps in a 6V system that it requires in a 12V system. It all works on Ohm's Law: V=AxR or Volts = Amps times Resistance. Power is expressed in Watts like a light bulb and Volts times Amps = Watts or VxA=W. On a 6V system you have to use heavier wires in order to keep the voltage drop in the wire down so that you have enough voltage left over to do some job that you want it to do. The same job that requires a 12 AWG wire on a 12V system will require a 10 or even 8 AWG wire on a 6V system. Any bad ground will require twice as much voltage to overcome it. There just is not much margin in a 6V system. This is part of the reason 6V/7V systems were replaced by 12V/14V systems and 12V battery 14V systems are now being replaced by 36V batteries in 42V systems. It takes a few volts over the battery voltage to keep the battery charged.

The wiring must be heavier and connections better in 6V sytems.

If you use the same wire size as a 12V system takes in a 6V system you are in trouble.



Note- For all of you purists out there these aren't the right symbols but they work better for simplicity.