Hi folks.

I have a 1948 Desoto with a 6 volts positive ground charging system. I am considering converting it to 12 volts. I would love to have all of the pros and cons, including costs, whether or not a conversion will lower or raise the value of the car. Thanks.

I have no idea of what the costs would be; but if you’re going to do this all electrical will need to be converted not just the charging system and battery. As in lighting, gauges (if they’re electric) anything that is now running on 6 volts positive ground. The starter motor for example; will need to be rewound for 12 volts, negative ground.
Too a true collector; this would also lower the value of the vehicle; not being original.
Yes it would be nice having a 12 volt system; you'd be able to add on some better accessories; but the car likely isn’t your daily driver; enjoy the nostalgia.
On a side note and I have no idea if this is even available; but have you checked into some form of inverter that will change up the 6 volts to 12; so you could run accessories? With today’s electronics you’d think there would be something out there? It would mean running dedicated power & grounds to the accessories and the accessories would need to be insulated from the vehicle’s grounds. But it all could be easily removed; bring the vehicle back to original.


Dan.

Canadian "EH"






(This post was edited by DanD on Sep 14, 2009, 8:55 AM)

To add:

I think it would lower the value of the car and would use one of those jumper boxes for 12v toys as needed.

The starter will be an issue with pos ground. The drive will need to be changed if you can find one?? The motor itself may tolerate the increase as they were pretty tough back when. I jump a 6v, pos ground any time needed - just all lighting must stay OFF!

As Dan said - every light bulb would have to be changed or they would blow day one! If a fancy edition this could have lighting all over it - ash trays, trunk, glove box and more. The cig lighters have to go too if you even want them as plugs for the hole. If someone pushes in a 6v lighter by accident it may blow fuse (hope) or get dangerously hot too quick. The little coils are double gauge vs ones for 12v.

There's more to it than meets the eye and I suggest leaving it alone and enjoy it for what it is, the way it is,

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

Isn't there a way to simply drop the voltage?

The idea was to go up not down? There's more stuff available for 12v than 6v now so folks consider changing them,

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

I know. The idea was to go up to 12v for the modern toys. No problem. You wrote that there would be problems with old 6v stuff if you did that. I thought, in those cases, all you need to do is to simply drop the voltage to 6v where you need.

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No everything will have to run on 12v




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida

I don't think so.

Heck, if you want you can take a 12v alternator, and pulleys needed off a junkyard car, and have both 12v and 6v systems on the same car.

Agreed you could go nuts and have two systems. I have 110 house ac current too - no problem with inverters. There 10 million other things to consider so as said - leave it alone would be my choice,

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

The "sages" have spoken. The car will remain original. :-) Thanks everyone for the quick response. Special thanks to Tom. I've posted a few times prior to this and your answers have been on the money.

Hey sport - thanks for the compliment! I own a 1948 pos ground thing (tractor) and all these years chose to leave it alone.

The polarity makes for a headache that Tylenol can't handle - trust me!

Be well and enjoy the car. If amps aren't pleasing there's ways to deal with that for starting,

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston