12 volt conversion, with battery ignition

[jeffgreef]

I just discovered that my 1950 Super A does not have a magneto- battery ignition was an option offered by Int. at this time.

Still haven't figured out what I need to do to do a proper 12 volt conversion- appreciate it if someone can give me a rundown on the basics. I'll probably do a rewire too.

Photo shows the dist. and coil, and a mystery box wrapped in tape coming off the coil. What is that little box?

A 6 volt alternator was connected to the unit some time ago.

thanks for your time. I hope all these questions I'm asking are instructive for other Super A owners.

Edit- also- what is that little screw on the distributor mount, 2 inches below the center of the coil? Is this a lube point?

 

[BobG_in_VA]

The "flat head" screw is for lubing the came gear shaft/dist. shaft..you take out the screw and replace it with a same thread grease zerk.. (its a large fitting)..you only need to put a few pumps on a grease gun in it per year..you don't want to over do it.. BobG in VA

 

[Looking4new]

The little black box looks like it might be a circuit breaker.
When you rewire it, shorten the #3 plug wire so it isn't crossing the #4 wire. (the two wires crossed and touching could set you up with a 'cross fire' situation.

Are you positive that is a 6 volt alternator?

 

[DJ54]

I'd say that is still a 12V alternator. I'd guess the box on the alternator, is an external voltage regulator.

The mystery box wired to the coil I'd have to guess is a inline resistor, reducing voltage to 6V.

As I mentioned before, if the starter seems lazy, and the system is charging as it should, I'd have to guess it's either the battery is getting weak, or too small of cables. I know you want to convert to 12V, and if the reason is because of slow cranking, then so be it. But, everything I have that came with 6V still is. And with the system charging, good battery, and proper cables, the 6V system will spin any of them over, like you are jumping it with a 12V battery. Everyone has their reasons, and am not here to say which is better. I just know what works for me. Just sayin'...

The plug you see is to lube the distributor drive. Remove the plug, and install a 1/8" npt grease zerk. Give it several pumps until grease comes out of the relief hole. This is out of an OEM IH OP manual for my IH 240 Utility, w/ C-123 engine. So it's gospel.

I scanned the pages of the lube chart, and directions page. Look for #19 on the page that shows lube points, then on the other, look for #19. If you will notice, all other lube points go by running hours. Note #19 says periodic. I'd say a minimum of 1,000 hours, maybe even longer.

You mentioned someone learning something from your post. I think I did today, as on both the Super C's, and the 240, none of them have ever had this done to them as far as I know. Dad bought the 240 in '71, the one Super C in '75, and I bought mine in approx. '89. And I'm pretty sure all of them have ran over several thousand hours since we've owned them.

Guess you're never too old to learn about something...

Click on the pictures below to get them to full size. If you click to print, they should come out to a full size print. Might be worth printing off, and put in a note book binder, if you happen to get some manuals for it.

 

[Qapla]

We used to have an old Ford 9N that was 6V. Keep in mind that it did not have lights so we did not have to worry about that.

When we converted it we did this:

Put in a 12V battery
Had the generator (it did not have an alternator) rewired to be 12V
Installed a 12V voltage regulator (on this tractor it was external not in the generator/alternator)

That was about it - at first.

In time, we had to replace the resistor (that big spring looking part mounted on a large piece of ceramic)

We never did have to replace the coil - or the starter (the starter spun really fast which made the tractor start right up)

 

[PILOON]

You can keep the starter and coil.
Generally U use a dropping resistor* on the coil for running but also run a 12 volt wire to the switched side of the starter to the coil for a hotter start (like Chrysler did years ago).
Then a 1 wire GM alternator charges the 12 volt battery and naturally any light need changing to 12 volts.
Easy conversion and many have been done like that.

* needed otherwise coil will overheat and fail.