Horns: You can (and would want to) "re-tune" your horns for 12v. Pop off the domed cover, you'll see a screw that adjusts the tone. These are basically vibrators, that make-and-break, and moving the screw in or out changes the rate and therefore the tone. Unless you plan on leaning on the horn for minutes at a time, they'll last forever after adjusted to the proper tone. It will sound like a Fiat if you just use it as-is on 12v.

As for the wipers, are you sure this isn't on a 53-55 wiper? The 51-52 optional electric wipers are virtually impossible to modify. They work so poorly on 6v I wouldn't even try to run them at 2x the speed on 12v.

 

Good Tip on the Horns Ross. Let me add a dash more.

When I went out and looked for those, I found some, brought them home and hooked them up to find they didn't work. I got taken again!

Then, I got one that kinda worked and found out that the points that you adjust (to raise or lower the frequency and thus the musical note it emits) have a very small adjustment range - maybe one full screw turn will vary the tone by as much as three musical notes. But out side of that one turn the horn will not work at all. I went back and hooked up all the "broken" ones, and sure enough every one worked fine. So now I have four horns on the truck and four in the spare parts box. I cut the trumpets down on two of them (based on measurements I took of the "keyboard quad set of musical horns you see at the parts swap meets from time to time) and they work great. My horns sound like a train (or better, a ship!)

So, if you guys have gone out and bought these things, or yours don't seem to be working on the 12 volts, there is an adjustment procedure and spec in the Shop Manual. The procedure works, the spec doesn't because you are now at 12 volts and the points gap needs to be different.

If you have the old 6V trumpets and they don't work, try turning the adjustment screw one or two full turns either way and they might just come to life - I'll bet ya jump!

They are LOUD and mine shot out this brown rust fog the first time - it was really cool!

For tuning I grabbed the kid two houses down who is learning to play the Xylophone for the Jr High band. I made him bring it down and together we tuned my four horns to a perfect G sharp cord! I made him keep hitting each note while I adjusted it to the right tone. I gave him $10 for his efforts and sent him home - I'll bet the poor kid had trouble hearing for the rest of the night!

I never had any luck with the wipers either. But on one post I replied to I posted a picture of my switch and no one had ever seen one like it before. I wonder if with 6V electric wipers we aren't getting into dealer installed options - maybe?

 

The Parking switch is built in to the motor. Using a 12V motor in place of the 6V motor is an exact match. When you test the wipers outside of the truck, there is no load on the arms, so the speed of the arms and motor will coast through the arc that operates the parking switch. The only difference in the motors provided with the stock wiper system is (They are American Bosch Motors) the output stud, which on the 12V motor is larger. The 6V output arm could be filed to fit, but I found it easier to grind off the rivet that attaches the pin which the wiper arms attach to, remove the pin, then braze it to the 12V arm. The arms are in the same exact area (clockwise it is about 7 o'clock) and the entire thing works great. Saves you 140 dollars for the conversion stuff as long as you have a 6V electric setup and you can find a good 12V motor. Since the '56 motor mounts outside on the firewall, they are frequently removed and are available. Entire 6V electric systems also seem to be easily available.

The wiper switch is a very simple affair. It has a lead for the battery (ignition or ACC) and a high speed lead, a low speed lead, and a parking lead. There is no ground lead on it. Low speed is both high and low speed wires energized. Park is on when the switch is turned off. The 6V switch is the same as the 12V switch, but the contacts are probably bigger, since the amp draw on 6V is twice what the draw on 12V is. No reason not to use a 6V switch.

The 12V motor is a bit bigger and has a bit more HP than the 6V motor. The wipers on a slant cab don't oppose each other like a '56. They both park to the passenger side. The pivots are also closer together. I suppose the engineering on the power required for the slant cab wipers was less. The pins and bushings on the arms are also smaller than the
'56.

We used to convert our 50 Oldsmobile Street Rods to 12V and we never changed the starter motor. Never burnt them out, either. If you ever tried to crank a 10:1 Olds Motor that was close to 400 cubic inches on 6V, you knew the starter motor wouldn't last too long, as it drew many amps and hardly turned over. Putting it on 12V, started the engine very quickly, and had to be way easier on the motor.....

As far as horns, I have always "tuned" them so you have a good sound, but I still would just take a couple off a '56 to start with because I have so many around. I have also just used really compact horns off of whatever in the wrecking yard. The stock horns have the long horn section and must be used on a restoration, but when you want the space where the stock horns go for something else, the little horns (tuned of course) will mount low and sound about the same. Also, horns are stamped H and L for the tone that they were set for.

The heater motors on the OEM heaters in Slant Cabs and the '56 are identical. The heater is the same. So I just use a '56 heater motor, and a '56 switch. Third party heaters might be a problem finding a motor, and I remember the old South Wind Gasoline heaters. A Volta-drop will work for the heater, but to drop 6V, it uses as many amps as the heater. I live where my heater might be on constantly, so I much prefer to use a 6V tap for any 6V stuff. A Volta-drop is a wirewound resistor, and it gets hot, which is why it is in a porcelain holder. Down in SoCal or Arizona, you don't need a heater much, so it is not as important as it is here. Tapping the battery at 6V is a very smart thing to do if you want to run a lot of 6V accessories. You do not waste any power and everything is fed exactly 6V.

Regards,

Alan

 

I think we may be talking apples (F-100s) and Oranges (F1s) here Alan. The 51 and 52 wiper motor at 6V had the gearing cases built into the motor case, and for those two years there was no 12 volt motor that was made or could be exchanged for the 6 volt. You have to get a replacement UNIT that is compatible with the stock wiper arms. here's a pic:



And the switch utilized a set of points that worked in conjuction with the excentric inside the motor to park the wipers. If the points will work in a 12 volt application, then I don't see why it wouldn't work on a 12 volt system - theoretically. But why not use the switch made for the wiper motor you are going to have to change to - on a 48-52 anyway - seems like the smarter thing to do than try to jerry rig (not an insinuation) an old switch to a new motor - to each there own I guess . Heres a picture.



I'm not sure about the 53-56s and intercompatability - Original Poster was asking about F1 conversion.

The Fresh Aire Heater offered as the Premium Heater by Ford in the 48-50 models, was both physically and electrically configured differently that the 51/52 Heaters. The 48-50 heaters had the motor mounted outside the cab in the upper back of the passenger side front fender. It used a rheostatic switch that offered variable speed and can not be used on a 12 volt system (and operate properly). The 51 and 52 used a pull/slide type switch that offered two speeds - early difference between digital and analogue.

The 51 and 52 Magic Air heater used a smaller compact motor as it was now mounted in the heater casing in the cab. There is no 12 volt replacemnt motor that physical configuration, and RPM range, available. So unfortunately, if you want to use your Magic Air Heater in a 48-50, you will have to remotor it with a 12 volt motor and switch - both of which are available. If you want to use your 51/52 Magic Air heater with a 12 volt system, you have to use the vol-ta-drop, or as you suggested, tap the battery for a 6V post.

 

[quote=Julies Cool F1;7428167]I think we may be talking apples (F-100s) and Oranges (F1s) here Alan. The 51 and 52 wiper motor at 6V had the gearing cases built into the motor case, and for those two years there was no 12 volt motor that was made or could be exchanged for the 6 volt. You have to get a replacement UNIT that is compatible with the stock wiper arms.

You're right, My remarks did not extend to the F-1. They were only for the Slant Cabs (53-55) and the '56 F-100s.

Regards,

Alan

 

[quote=alanco;7429688]The other thing too Alan that I have found - especially in the 51/52, is I've found at least three different types of switches on the 51 Electric wipers (which were an option). One has points like I pictured and the other two don't. I think that has a lot ot do with the amount of options that were DEALER installed.

I don't know if this is true with the "Effies" - a lot of variations on some of those switches. I think Ford did alot of cleaning up starting with the 53 models. You are a lot more up to speed on those than I am.

 

Julie, since I'm a new member, it won't allow me to PM you yet. Can you post the MS power point wiring diagrams again in this thread? or PM me, and I'll respond?
Thanks.

 

"Julie" isnt around anymore.
I might have some of his/her wiring diagrams on my old computer I'll have to boot it up to see.

 

Not to mention there were some errors in some of "her" diagrams...

 

"Julie" won't answer your questions. But we have plenty of very knowledgeable men here that will help you. As for me, I say keep her 6 volt unless you are adding a lot of accessories.

But, welcome to FTE the best Ford Truck Forum on the world wide Web! Show us pictures of your truck please.

 

I'd be glad to show pix of my 'project'- is there a different thread I should respond to? It's a 1952 F3 3/4 ton.

 

Hi,
If you just go to the first forum page and near the top there is a box that says new thread click that then type your title..... "my 52 F3" or something like that.

Then in message box post your pictures and description if you want....
To post pictures there is an icon at the top of the message box that looks like mountain in a yellow box. Click on that then download from your.... phone, laptop, iPad whatever..... preview your post if happy hit submit reply and your set.... we can all see

Hope that helps.... I just went thru this learning curve... takes a bit but the input you will receive when you share is second to none...
Zac

 

Same wattage to turn..double the voltage..why would current draw also double? You'd halve the current if doubling the voltage to achieve the same wattage. The cables on a 12V setup are flowing half the current, so they don't need to be bigger than original. Might as well just run 0/1 throughout for a power system though.


Also I was just in Poway last weekend.


EDIT: Sorry if this was already addressed but I didn't see it in my quick browse.


My 12V conversion was swap point to ignitor, 12V coil, 12V one wire alternator, 12V bulbs, and high current step down module to handle all the 6V draws that I didn't feel like replacing. A big resistor is a lame way to cut voltage especially when a proper voltage reg or step down module is cheaply available.

 

On my '49, which was already converted to 12 volt when I bought it, has the 6 volt blower motor mounted in passenger fender well. I was able to put in line a 12 volt marine bilge blower with a simple toggle on-off. Works as well as it should and no one but me knows by looking it isn't what its supposed to be.

The 6 volt drop down to the instruments was accomplished with the part used on Ford instruments up through the early 70's, sorry I looked for a link and couldn't find the correct one.