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Copyright 1996-2004 Dan Wentz
12 Volt Electrical |
quick liNksmaintenanceSpecifications modificationsF-Series historyCanadian Ford & Mercury Trucks Early F-Series in Film & Television Online ToolscommunityMy 1950 f1 |
12 Volt Electrical SystemAuthor's note: Before tinkering with your electrical system be sure you understand the principles of electricity. Hayne's publishes a manual which may be very helpful. The electrical system on your stock truck is 6volts and positive ground. Modern cars use a 12 volt negative ground system. Obviously the truck runs just fine on 6 volts, but if you want to add modern accessories (like a radio) you can't do it on 6 volts. Additionally, 6 volt lights tend to be a little dim. If you want to keep your truck factory stock you're stuck, but if you want a little better performance you can convert to 12 volts. You can even do it so that it looks stock. Here's what you need: A 12 volt battery. Let me set aside some myths: The 6v starter will work (better) on 12 volts. Your heater motor will still work (for a while). Your gauges can be made to work. Click here to see how. Your windshield wipers will still work (they run on vacuum, not electricity). You will not need to change any of your wiring (assuming it's in good shape). Did I miss anything? The process is really simple and should take under an hour. Replace all your light bulbs--simple direct replacement I did this swap back in 1994 (the same day as OJ Simpson's infamous Bronco chase, coincidentally). It cost about $200 ($50 for alternator, $50 for bracket, $40 for battery, 10 for belt pulley, about $50 for bulbs and misc crap). Right away I noticed that my engine started up much faster and seemed to run better. My headlights were much brighter. Here's the neat part--I didn't expect this but my gas mileage improved from 9 mpg to 11 mpg. |
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Copyright 1996-2004 Dan Wentz |