Anyone know the difference between 6 & 12 volt generators? It is my understanding that even a 6V generator is capable of putting out more than 13 volts however, it's the voltage regulator that prevents this from happening . If this is so why can't a 12V voltage regulator be used in conjunction with a 6V generator to maintain & operate a 12V system? I ask this because I know of an old farmer who did this to an old Ford tractor and claims it works.

 

i haven't worked on a generater/electric motor myself since high school, and the full physics of it escapes me just now. But i do recall some algorythms and general info that leads me to say that the wire gauge, number of wrappings on each of the armeratures on the generator, speed of rotation, and strength of the magnetic field would all be taken into account... in other words, i don't think i know.

 

You can do that, but it reduces output to about 25 amps @12v for the reasons Links stated

 

Generally the reason is because what you are really concerned with is the demand, or Wattage required by each peripheral. At 6 volts, it requires double the amount of amps (amount) of electricity to run an equal number of Watts on a 12 volt system.

That amperage is what drives the requirement for larger wiring. So basically, the generator effectivity is cut in half when you use a 6 volt generator with a 12 volt regulator because the regulator dictates VOLTAGE output, AND does that by sensing AMPERAGE (and other things) - not wattage.

I know what I'm thinking but it's hard to explain. The demand from the electrical items on you truck is wattage that is supplied by a given amperage- which is produced by the generator. The regulator supplies that amperage, but it does it by putting out the right amperage at a given voltage. So the way the trucks are set up, there isn't a common bond between wattage and voltage, rather wattage and amperage. When you throw in a different voltage regulator, it trips that common bond because the 12 volt system has added resistance. IOW the regulator lies to the generator.

Confused? I don't know how to explain it - VOODOO - just trust me, don't do it. If you convert to 12 volt, use a 12 volt generator and regulator - or better yet, install a 12 volt one wire alternator.

 

OK I guess I can see how it may work on a tractor that would only run for 1 - 2 hours at a time using no accessories such as headlights, radio, heater motor etc. In a truck with these items especially one that is driven frequently or on longer drives it may over work the generator. Somewhere I thought I read that the windings in a 6V generator were larger than a 12V. I guess in this case its not the size but the number of windings.

 

A generator will continue to produce up to it's rated limit with increases in RPM. The way the standard 35 amp 6 volt generator was converted to 60 amp output was simply to put a smaller pulley on it - turn it faster.

Kind of OBE about the volume of the magnetic field it produces and electrons it collects (windings variables).

Where you run into problems with your scenario - unlike the tractor, is on that February evening driving from Syracuse to Buffalo....Heater is on, lights are on - possibly electric wipers are on - all needing wattage and drawing big amps for a longer period of time. The regulator only delivers half the amps because it thinks its limiting those amps for 12 volts - or twice the power.

Crap, there's still no way to describe this without being confusing!