Battery and wiring questions

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Battery and wiring questions
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Patrick Mulrooney, Webster, NY on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 05:43 pm:

Hi everyone,
I have searched for an answer to the battery question but have come up "slightly" empty and hope someone is using the same setup. I have a 1916 Touring with no starter. She does not run well on mag (yet) so I am resigned to use a 12v battery. I would like to use a smaller footprint batter so I can keep it in a box on the running board. I believe I can maintain the charge with a trickle charger but am concerned about what type of battery to use. From the posts I have seen so far, it appears a deep cycle battery is the way to go?

Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Patrick Mulrooney, Webster, NY on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 05:45 pm:

Oh, I forgot to ask which gage wire I should use from the battery to the switch.

Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Willie K Cordes on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 06:26 pm:

I use a fairly small battery that I believe is sold for motorcycles. I fits under the front seat on my 1912 touring. I usually start the car on "Bat" and switch to "Mag" after it starts. (Hand crank) I also use the battery for headlights and tail light if I get caught after dark on the road. (charge it before a tour)
Running on the battery only for ignition does not need a heavy wire. 12 or 14 AWG would cover that easily.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 06:51 pm:

Patrick,

If you are just looking for the wire size – you can skip this post – I didn’t try to answer that on as others will know that off the top of their head.

Some other thoughts:

Nice looking 1916 touring. If you have a chance please take a look at the posting “Home for the Holidays” at: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/40322.html It discusses where to look for body numbers, body letters, etc. I am trying to capture more information about those so one day we can look at some body parts and have a much better chance of dating them within a three or four months.

Have you already checked the common problems that can cause the magneto output to be weak or appear weak? If not, I would suggest checking those as you may find you do not need. Under question 68 of the 1921 owner’s manual at: http://www.mtfca.com/books/21manual.htm it says: “The magneto is often blamed when the trouble is a weak current caused by waste or other foreign matter accumulating under the contact spring, which is held in place by the binding post on top of the transmission cover. Remove the three screws which hold the binding post in place, remove binding post and spring and replace after foreign substance has been removed.” That is a normal occurrence every so many years for folks that are/were using cotton linings.

And have you checked the magneto out put with an analog voltage meter using John Regan’s recommended method? See: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/183126.html which has a good discussion and illustration of that method. It also has a link to the nifty reproduction of the St Louis Electric Works Magneto Tester. If I already had all the old cars fixed up, I would purchase one of those testers –but in the mean time John’s recommended method produces good results at a much lower cost.

If the magneto is not putting out the proper voltage – then recharging the magneto in the car might be an option you would want to consider. The 1921 Ford owner’s manual basically says “don’t do that.” But the 1911 Ford owners manual describes one method for recharging the magneto in the car. Please see: http://www.mtfca.com/books/1911Inst.htm and scroll way down to the section: RECHARGING MAGNETS WITHOUT THE USE OF THE MAGNET CHARGER. Note there are several ways it could be done – but do NOT use part of one method and part of another method. That can cause some undesirable results.

One of my goals is to get better organized. But I’m 90% sure that John Regan advised a Model C Ford owner that a six volt batter would be fine for the ignition as long as the RPMs were kept within the normal range and you were not racing the car etc.. Hopefully John will comment on his recommendation for a T battery (he probably already has?).

Again great looking 1916!

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Menzies on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 06:55 pm:

I use a pair of 6 volt dry cells and they fit nicely behind the seat. When used for starting then switching to mag the dry cells will last for years with no maintenance. Some areas refer to the batteries as fence batteries. If the mag is strong it should start without a battery check with Ron the coil man.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kirk Peterson on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 07:04 pm:

I have used this one before with success.
Installed again in my coupe til fix mag.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSB3/CB9B/N0058.oap?ck=Search_motorcycl e+-+atv+-+pwc+batteries_-1_2751&keyword=motorcycle+-+atv+-+pwc+batteries


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kirk Peterson on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 07:15 pm:

Oh yes,
After I fixed the mag in my touring. I now use the battery to run GPS, hair dryer and charge my wife's smart phone.
IGNORE 6v ground location.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Wednesday, June 04, 2014 - 09:38 pm:

I have mine under the back seat in my '13 touring, and in the tool compartment on my'13 roadster, but I recently saw an installation on the left splash shield, right up against the firewall, which is a much shorter distance. I use a battery that is slightly larger that a stock T coil, and is 12v, with great results.


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