rons49 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I have a 6volt car. Can a constant voltage regulator from a 12 v car used for gauges operating on 5volts(temp&fuel) be used? That is, does the ignition voltage matter if the voltage line is less than the appliance ( regulator) is designed for? or a switch 12 to 5v would be OK if used with 6v? Would the net result still be 5v? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 You weren't exactly clear on what you are hoping to achieve so I'll presume you are contemplating a 6V to 12V conversion. With that said, there is a heck of a lot more to take into consideration than just the dash instruments. Rather than try to cover all of those things which have been beaten to death so to speak for the last 55 years I suggest you read from the below link.Converting From a 6 to 12 Volt Electrical SystemJim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 9, 2011 Author Share Posted January 9, 2011 I'm sorry ,Jim, if I wish to replace a defective constant voltage regulator on my 53 Hudson(6volt-pos ground) can I use one from a newer,lets say, a 1960 Ford, which is 12 volt-neg. My thought is, that is does not matter if the battery voltage is 12 or 6 volts as long as the reg ultimately drops the voltage to the necessary 5 volts( for gauge operation). Futhermore, a company in Kansas sells solid state instrument voltage regulators and they claim it will drop battery volts to the 5 volt needed, from either 12 or 6 volt cars. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 There are 6 volt voltage regulators readily available. The quickest one that I know is to go to a NAPA store or buy one that will probably work from a Ford 8N tractor which is 6 volt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Larry, I,m refering to the instrument cluster voltage regulator behind the dash that operate the fuel and temp gauge at 5 volts. Will it matter if I use a IVR made for a 12 volt car on a 6 volt car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Albert Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 you can also make you own regulator for the guages, go to an electronics shop and get an LM7905 for + ground or a LM7805 for neg ground,, and you als need 2 .1mF capactors to mount at the regulator from the input to ground and another from the output to ground,, the electronics shop will have the pin out for the regulator and you can use the original screw to mount it to the back of the cluster,, the parts would be less than $5 and it solid state.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 Thanks.I take it that the capacators need to be soldered somehow since I don't know what a LM 7905 looks like. Does this object create 5 volts to the gauges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 I have come to the belief that IVRs sold for 12 volt cars will work fine in a 6v car, but is there a problem with polarity? The 67-68 Ford IVR looks like a good fit, but how will a 12vneg IVR work with a 6vpos battery(IGN)? and, is there a problem with solid state vs mechanical IVRs with that combo? Albert, I read a thread from 2006 re, a guy with a 54 Packard. I have some good " build your own instructions" for a solid state but they are for specific cars with 12v neg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph P. Indusi Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 A voltage regulator of the solid state type used for instruments will work to go from 12 volts to 5 and will very probably work to go from 6 to 5 volts. However, the correct polarity must be observed for this to function.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph P. Indusi Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 The description from another reply about building your own regulator from Radio Shack parts is worth a try. You can mount this on a piece of perforated circuit board and arrange it for correct polarity. If the regulation is not critical, you can simply solder two 1 amp diodes in series and connect the positive 6 volts to the unbanded side of the first diode and the gauge to the banded side of the second diode. Each diode will drop the voltage by about .7 volts, so you will get a total drop of about 1.4 or 1.5 volts. Since most of the time with the engine running above idle you will actually have about 7 volts you will get about 5.5 volts at the gauge or instrument. This just might be good enough for your instrument. Good luck.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph P. Indusi Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I think that 1910 Anon is correct. I have not looked at the specs for a 7805 regulator for some time and it appears that there will be a drop in output below 7.5 volts. Perhaps the Zener type approach might work better. I don't think the current draw is much on these circuits.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yea, it seems that the solid state idea bombs out when the main system is pos ground. Curious, though, if a mechanical IVR, made for 12 volt would handle a 6volt input and a 5volt output. ??? would the contacts be too starved for voltage to close and open consistantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyardjeff Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I used a IVR from a 70s Ford truck on my 55 sunliner when I changed to 12 volts,just put it in line to the gauges and make sure its grounded. I did not have to switch the wires around on the gauges to make them work correctly which suprised me since it was originally positve ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Thanks everyone, Does any one know if the ir4 sold by Napa is mechanical or solid state? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Did you use the original -6v IVR in your 55 Ford after the conversion to 12volt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyardjeff Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 No IVR came on the car,56s did not either and had 12 volt gauges but I think in 57 ford went to 6 volt gauges with a IVR. Any IVR for a 12 volt will do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Silverghost Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 (edited) What about just using a big wire wound ceramic resistor to drop the voltage to the gauges in question only ? Sometimes simple is better ! Possibly an ignition style ballast resistor as used to drop coil voltage ? These gauges do not draw very much current ?The resistor should not get very hot because of this very low current draw of the gauges. I doubt that the resistor heat would be very much of an issue ? What does everyone think about this simple idea ? This would be similar to the heater fan motor system used for various blower fan speeds over many decades ? Edited January 13, 2011 by Silverghost (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 (edited) What about just using a big wire wound ceramic resistor to drop the voltage to the gauges in question only ? Possibly an ignition style ballast resistor as used to drop coil voltage ? These gauges do not draw very much current ? I doubt that the resistor heat would be very much of an issue ? What does everyone think about this simple idea ? This would be similar to the heater fan motor system used for various blower fan speeds over many decades ?Simply won't work, not to mention would create a potential fire hazard. There is a reason why ignition ballast and heater fan speed regulating resistors are not under the dash and are under the hood, it's called fire!The basic and operative words with "Constant voltage Regulator" are "constant voltage" and "regulator." Regulates the voltage going to the instruments so as to be constant so their respective coils are not over or under excited and incapable of providing a consistently accurate indication of fuel and/or output of a generator or alternator, which also reflects battery charging when required.With due respect to the need for operative instruments, this is one of those situations where patience is required. Sooner or later a "Constant voltage regulator" appropriate for the vehicle will show up somewhere. May only require a bit of diligent searching. There is someone somewhere who has the part and it's only a matter of being patient and doing a batch of digging.Not patient or unwilling to dig then this link will likely help.http://www.kansasselectproducts.com/servlet/the-10/ivr-5v-instrument-voltage/DetailThe same product is also for sale on ebay by a number of vendors.Jim Edited January 13, 2011 by Jim_Edwards (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Thanks for all your input. Jim, that's what I thought about the resistor, but I am glad some one could explain it better than I could. I agree, RE. hoping an appropriate IVR shows up. Even the Hudson guys(HET) are silent on a modern match. Sounds like a potential market to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph P. Indusi Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 The shunt zener and resistor should suffice as long as the current draw from the instruments is small. Experimenting with nominal resistor values should lead to something suitable.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 The shunt zener and resistor should suffice as long as the current draw from the instruments is small. Experimenting with nominal resistor values should lead to something suitable.JoeHow many car enthusiasts here, including the person making the original post, do you think have the knowledge and easy access to the electronic components you keep mentioning to experiment with such a circuit? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 Contacted Echlin ( division of Genuine Parts),and a few on line suppliers. I can not use a solid state with a positive ground, unless of course it is custom wired for that system. I need a original bi-metal regulator, that is not polarity sensitive. Input voltage is not important. 6volt will just react( open the points) a bit slower than 12v. Gauges react too slowly to notice movement. Any way that's what a few folks say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Evaner Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 (edited) hey! every onenice posting.....i Hve been read all the comments.. I really got a good and value able information that will help me in different way...................thanks Edited January 22, 2011 by Evaner (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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