Plymouth Owners Club

Hello any body have a 6 volt + generator for sale or where I can get one or do they make a alternator that looks like a old style generator thank you Jim Clark

Jim     it seems nobody has one ,or does'nt want to part with it i do but living in NZ the cost of sending it would be prohibitave, unless your car is going to be a show car why not fit an altenator i did to my 37 , if you don't open the hood who's going to know , plus there is no limit to the accessorys you can fit, i'm also sure i have seen a posting some where about the altenator looking like the original gen , try the AACA site .

Not inexpensive, but is this what you are looking for?

http://www.gener-nator.com

Hi:
Just wanted to add my 2 cents about the alternator.. I've had a number of 30's Fords and when I got my '36, I shelved the generator and installed a 1 wire  6v. Alternator which I had left over available from any of the model A parts suppliers. You can get the 20 or 30 amp variety depending on your electrical load, etc.  The only change was to elongate the belt tensioning bracket and modifying the stock generator bracket with an extended bolt set up. The original generator can be reinstalled any time. I didn't even need to change the fan belt because the pulley alignments were good.
So far I have not had any changes to or issues with  lights, gauges, etc. due to an internal regulator in the modern GM alternator, and the battery doesn't boil over, etc.

In 1935 Plymouth switched to Auto-Lite, but I think this will still be possible: I installed an electronic regulator inside my original 1933 Plymouth's Delco-Remy generator. My write up is here: http://www.ply33.com/Repair/voltreg

As long as you are not increasing the load on the system so you can live with the original designed output of the generator this gives you the original look but makes the electrical system behave much like that of a modern car. Only real difference is that generators don't put out much power at low RPM so you will discharge a little when running the lights at idle.

The 6 volt system worked and works quite well 'except' for one item and that's the cut-out. The cut-out's constant cutting in and?out at low rpm is a nuisance. And if you do a lot of slow driving in a city/town you can run down the battery. It was the one curse of the system. But 12 volt generators suffered from the malady as well because generators had to be switched off the line at low rpm otherwise the battery would see the generator as a path to ground and start to discharge through it.
Transistorized alternators don't have the problem because one of the first parts they hook on the line is a blocking diode(s) which prevents this.The easiest solution to the generator cut-out problem is to rip out the relay and replace it with a 50 amp. silicon diode. Then the MOMENT there is more voltage available coming from the generator than appearing across the battery terminals, current flows from the generator into the car's system. And NO current from the battery can ever flow backwards through the generator and discharge the precious charge accumulated in the battery. Works like a charm and it's very easy for a novice to do. This goes for both the simple cut-out only sysyem and the 3 relay 'voltage regulator' system.
And cut-outs had a nasty habit of having their relay points stick. If this happens when the car is shut down the battery will discharge through the generator and when you return to start the car after several hours of this,the car's battery is dead. Or at least low enough it won't turn over the engine for a start. Also a struck cut-out relay has been known to start a wiring fire. (ALL old cars with original wiring looms should have a battery disconnect switch on them.)
Many car owners forget the 6 volt system was used for more than 30 years and WWII was fought with 6 volts. In trouble shooting them I find owners replace all sorts of 'upper' parts but forget the current has to return to the battery through 'bottom end',the car's engine/transmission and frame. I maintain that all these old vehicles now need a couple of braided 'grounding straps' jumping the engine mountings and transmission mountings. Of course, it has been said to death on this site that putting modern 12 volt system 'thin' battery cables on a 6 volt system will just simply kill it. If you can not find thick older 6 volt battery cables, then put TWO in parallel on each post, to the frame and to the starter, 4 cables in all. You'll have to jerry rig them but that's the only way you can return a 6 volt system to it's original low resistance. Only with this much copper can you get the 6 volts from the battery posts to the starter without a significant voltage drop. Also don't forget you're in double jeopardy with thin 12 volt cables. Not only does the starter turn over slow because it's only seeing maybe 4 volts BUT the COIL is only seeing this low voltage as well and the SPARK suffers. All this makes for very hard starting and everybody wrongly cursing the 6 volt system. If the system is put back the way it was originally, the only thing that really needs a stick of dynamite put under it is the cut-out. And now we're back where I started.(Is that pun?)? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

understand this is about a generator--but you sure can start better with a 6volt/12volt starter system--start on 12v and run on 6 volt !!!! you can hear the difference but noone can see the difference.
similiar to installing a gear reduction starter--really spins

The 2/0 heavy gauge copper cable and copper crimped- on end clips to handle the 6v load were available at our local ACE hardware, although it used to be an independent operation with extensive inventory prior to becoming an ACE affiliate. Other electrical supply stores should have the cable.  As already described, there are a number of options to locate the cut off switch between the starter and battery. . Our car has one installed (close) in front of the (drivers) seat in the floor pan to avoid having to open the hood. All that is barely visible above the floor mat is the rotary knob handle.

Hi guys I found out what was wrong it was the regulator I polarized it and the amp meter stated working it went to + side of zero shows like it ok thanks to all Jim Clark

Jim-

Congratulations on your troubleshooting success. I know it's always very satisfying for me when I'm able to make a successful repair.

Regards,
Pat O'Connor

Speaking of cut off switches. --------which Plymouths got into.? Not to derail things here, but I am very interested in the subject--------

What is a good cut off switch to buy and where??

I bought one from JC Whitney maybe 30 years ago that worked pretty well and cost all of $5 back then.? It was sort of like a coppper knife switch. I thought the copper could have been thicker.-------I would have paid $10 for thicker copper in the knife.? But it was all I could get and it did work pretty well.? ?After about 10 years it just kind of broke apart.---looked like it overheated over time.

I really do need a very good heavy duty cut off switch now since 90% of my wiring is the old original? fabric wiring from 1939.? Only patched where absolutely needed with modern wire and in just a few places.?

It does worry me some when I hook up a new 6 volt battery to that very old wiring on a car that has been sitting idle for 18 years------that I may have a short or two or three.

So want to be able to disconnect like-----very quickly.? If I smell smoke.

Suggestions?

39 coupe-

Read the posts under the heading "charging a 6v" below. There's info about cutoff switches in them.

Regards,
Pat O'Connor

Thanks 36 PLY for showing me that.  Printed it out. 

I wondered how good those little turn type switches were for the greater amperage load on a 6 volt system.  Not very I guess.  Will probably buy one just for test purposes when I hook up a new battery to that mostly 70 year old fabric wiring in my car. 

And then switch to a heavier duty type system as recommended later on when the car is hopefully a driver again.

Hi 1938p6!
I have a 30 amp alternator that I put on my 1936 P2 driver about 3 years ago. It was on the car for only a short time, and then I replaced it with a 60amp one to handle some power needs I had in mind. The unit is in its original box in my workshop.

If you're still looking for something like this, let me know at <>.

Hi Mike how much would you want for it and the shipping to N.J. 07065 zip thank you Jim Clark