greenie 214 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Let me throw another can of gas on the fire. I bought my ‘46 gmc pickup in 1997. When it needed a battery, the fellow at my local battery warehouse convinced me to try their 8-volt battery. The truck has no radio and is rarely (never!) driven at night, NTL- it has never blown a bulb. He instructed me to adjust the voltage regulator to 10 volts and that keeps the battery happy. As it sits for months I keep an 8-volt Battery tender on it. The Battery Warehouse batteries have averaged 7-9 years of life. Many will remember Sol who used to be a vendor at Carlisle and Hershey, selling Battery Tenders and Paint remover. I asked him early on about an 8-volt unit and he told me they were no longer available; but he would “prod” the manufacturer about making another run. Several months later, at Hershey, he handed me my new tender. It’s over 20 years old now and has never been unplugged for more than a day. We could get along fine with a 6-volt battery, all the cables and such were new when I bought the truck- but the 8-volt spins the starter better and gets the truck going faster. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
supercub 50 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Interesting, I've never heard of an 8v battery before. Link to post Share on other sites
Pfeil 737 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 3 hours ago, supercub said: Interesting, I've never heard of an 8v battery before. Wondering if you've ever heard of a six / twelve battery? Link to post Share on other sites
supercub 50 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 Yeah right Link to post Share on other sites
Fossil 567 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 On 2/25/2021 at 6:39 AM, greenie said: When it needed a battery, the fellow at my local battery warehouse convinced me to try their 8-volt battery. This was and still is a common practice on old tractors with 6v systems. Makes starting them in the winter much easier. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Pfeil 737 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 6 hours ago, supercub said: Yeah right A friend of mine had a six/twelve on his hard cranking 40 Ford. solenoid mounted on top, it supplies 12V to the starter, and the six volt part of the battery to the rest of the car. 6 & 12 volt combination battery | The H.A.M.B. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Frank DuVal 1,171 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) 16 hours ago, supercub said: Yeah right Yes, Right! It is was a real product, a 12 volt battery with a (or two) solenoid to parallel three cells with the other three cells for running/charging and series connecting 6 cells for starting. Pfeil has a link. Real answer is not buying a 6/12 volt battery or an 8 volt battery, but just fix the car. they started fine in all sorts of weather when they were new!👍 Edited February 27 by Frank DuVal (see edit history) 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
supercub 50 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 I agree, they must have worked fine back in the day. I had a 6V bike that started just fine, after sorting out the wiring issues, the headlight gave a good brilliance and it started easily, worked just as good as a 12V. Link to post Share on other sites
Bhigdog 3,152 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 There is nothing in the lead acid battery ITSELF that could or will explode. A product of the charging process is hydrogen and oxygen (an explosive mixture) that can remain in the battery for some time. Disconnecting the jumper can cause a spark that ignites the gas mixture in the battery. It happened to me during a 12V to 12V jump. Quite the surprise. Using a 12V or 6V battery as the jumper battery does not mean a thing. The ignition source, the spark, is the only thing that matters........Bob 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
padgett 2,448 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 BTW I remember that early hydramatics (at least pre-fire) did have a rear pump and could be push started. Do not know when it was dropped. Link to post Share on other sites
Pfeil 737 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) 2 hours ago, padgett said: BTW I remember that early hydramatics (at least pre-fire) did have a rear pump and could be push started. Do not know when it was dropped. Yes, a front and rear pump. Was dropped when Controlled Coupling Hydramatic came out in 1956 in Cadillac, Pontiac StarChief and Olds 98. Except that 1956 Pontiac 870 & 860 and Olds 88 used the old Hydro , and in 57 they all switched to the new trans. Also Roto can't be pushed started either. Edited February 28 by Pfeil (see edit history) Link to post Share on other sites
supercub 50 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 My Hudson FSM for the hydramatic says that it can be push started at 20mph. I think the battery explosion is from the cell separators giving out from the induced 12v, that would short out the cells. Link to post Share on other sites
Pfeil 737 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) 1 hour ago, supercub said: My Hudson FSM for the hydramatic says that it can be push started at 20mph. I think the battery explosion is from the cell separators giving out from the induced 12v, that would short out the cells. That's because you're Hudson has a first generation G.M. Hydramatic which has a front and rear pump. Edited February 28 by Pfeil (see edit history) Link to post Share on other sites
padgett 2,448 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 BTW both 6v and 8v batteries are common for golf carts. Sam's has both. Even has a 6v AGM. Link to post Share on other sites
54vicky 81 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 On 2/27/2021 at 9:06 PM, Pfeil said: Yes, a front and rear pump. Was dropped when Controlled Coupling Hydramatic came out in 1956 in Cadillac, Pontiac StarChief and Olds 98. Except that 1956 Pontiac 870 & 860 and Olds 88 used the old Hydro , and in 57 they all switched to the new trans. Also Roto can't be pushed started either. my 57 eldorado with 365 would start with a 30 mph then pusher back off worked many times over the years. Link to post Share on other sites
Pfeil 737 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 2 hours ago, 54vicky said: The drivetrain on a 57 Eldorado has a 315 HydraMatic which is called a Controlled Coupling HydraMatic. There is NO rear pump in this transmission. No rear pump means you cannot pressurize the transmission to turn the engine over at ANY speed. Perhaps someone put a dual range slant pan HydraMatic in there which in that case would be possible to start by pushing. Look in your 1957 El Dorado owners manual, it will tell you what I've just said. Link to post Share on other sites
54vicky 81 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 I never took the time to read it just got pushed when needed.I guess owning it for years it was easier than reading what I could not do.try owning one rather than reading I suppose next you will say I would not be able to put a 58 385 in it WRONG Link to post Share on other sites
Pfeil 737 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 7 minutes ago, 54vicky said: I never took the time to read it just got pushed when needed.I guess owning it for years it was easier than reading what I could not do.try owning one rather than reading I suppose next you will say I would not be able to put a 58 385 in it WRONG Still a 365 in 1958, besides Cadillac never made a 385😉 Link to post Share on other sites
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