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6 volt battery cable

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by gibson-d@sbcglobal.net, Nov 30, 2013.

  1. What guage cable do 6V Jeeps use? Is 2ga big enough? 0ga? Thanks, David
     
  2. Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    1/0 sems to be it, my gut reaction (with absolutely nothing to back it up) is that #2 is a bit on the skinny side for 6 volts .

    http://custombatterycables.com/application/Willys.htm

    Thicker is always better up to the point where it becomes too rigid to work with. I'd suggest using welding cable- good strong insulation & very flexible.

    H.

    H
     
  3. Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    If it were mine I would go #00 and never worry about it again. Do it to both battery cables. The negative should mount as close or onto the starter as possible.
     
  4. Thanks guy's, this is for a '41 Packard, 6V pos gnd. To the welding store we go.
     
  5. Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Yep I agree. I use old but good welding cable if I have it. Disregard my negative cable statement. ;) Old Packard. My grandpa had one of those. It had a straight 8 engine that looked as long as a train.
     
  6. PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    "It had a straight 8 engine that looked as long as a train."

    So did my '51 Pontiac. Smooooth motor. Had a "straight" 6v battery too, cells were built end-to end, long-wise
     
  7. Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Rhode Island wiring has cloth covered wire especially for Packards if you're after "correct". Can't link to it directly but scroll down on the left side of the page to "supplies" and battery cable is #5 on the list.

    Strangely e'nuff it's 1/0 :rofl:

    H.
     
  8. Yes it's a straight 8 and long. Hoping heavier battery cables will make turn over faster. May parallel 2 6V batteries to get more amps. Thanks for your help.
     
  9. Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    On six volt systems clean connections are essential- any amount of corrosion at all will impact starting performance far more than a 12 volt system-

    Six volt systems require twice as much current to the starter (nominally speaking for a given power required to spin the engine over at x rpm to start) so a bad connection (of a given resistance) will cause twice as much voltage drop to the starter than on a 12 volts system. Twice the voltage drop to the starter is a greater % power drop to the starter- i.e a 1.2 volt drop across a bad connection at 12 volts (a 10% reduction in voltage available to the starter) becomes a 2.4 volt drop to to the six volt unit- a 20% reduction in voltage. In real world terms you end up with less voltage, & as a result of the extra resistance, less current to the starter as well so actual power available to spin the engine in this example will be reduced by more than 20% (power put out by the starter equals voltage at the sarter times current through the starter).

    If your battery, starter & cables are in good shape & connections are clean then it should turn over like it's just off the showroom floor.

    H.