12V advantage over 6??

Maybe it was posted, but I didn't see it.
What is the advantage of having a 12V system for a 2N? Is it mainly for starting? My dad has two 2N's and both start fine with 6V. He likes to "pep up" the batteries with a little Epsom salts once in a while, and it must work with one battery being 14 years old

Cant answer your question as im a neebie, but How does your Dad "pep up" his battery with Epsom salt
Thanks

I have a 1950 side mount that is 12 volt and a 1949 front mount that is 6 volt. Both run and start great. 12 volts will make starting easier but a 6 volt will start just as well if tractor is in good shape. 12 volt systems help starting if compression is low and tractor is tired. The only real advantage I have found with 12 volts is better lights and the ability to use modern add on devices like a winch or spraying equipment. There are many ways to convert to 12 volts. If you are considering doing this and are not real good with electrical circuits I would suggest getting a kit from nnalert. Doing it from scratch is not that difficult but if you are not sure of what you are doing it is easy to mess up.

He plops in a teaspoon(+ -) about every other year or so . When ever the battery starts getting sluggish.

You'd be basically adding metal salts back into the system to promote conductivity in the fluid

In your Dad's case, the quick response would be why fix something that isn't broke? His 2N's run fine on 6v, so why bother?

From my experience, I've only found two reasons to convert an N to 12v: If you need to run 12v equipment (sprayers, pumps, lights, etc) or your N has poor compression (like less than 90 lbs) and you do not want to rebuild it, then a 12v conversion makes sense. Otherwise, you will likely be trading one set of problems for another. If an N is hard to start in cold weather (or any weather) find out why & fix it! These tractors have low compression, low HP engines and will start just fine on 6v as your Dad's experience shows. There is nothing inherently 'wrong' w/ a 12v conversion. The problem is that there are about 6 different ways to convert the tractor to 12v, all of them work, and an infinite number of ways to do it wrong. If you have a basic understanding of tractor mechanics, you can buy a quality kit & do it correctly. Or, you can buy an alternator & fabricate brackets if you are skilled at that sort of stuff. Of course, if you have a basic understanding of tractor mechanics, you could just as easily fix the problem that you are trying to cure with the 12v conversion. Most problems we read about w/ 12v conversions are as a result of folks getting in over their heads trying to fabricate a conversion, using inferior kits or using kits w/ directions written in Chinese, or buying tractors w/ "Bubba" conversions and now the new owner is stuck with trying to figure it out. All four of my N's are 6v & they all four start the first time, every time, no matter what the weather. You will find that to be the case with folks who live in a lot of places much colder than VA.

Lots of folks around here have 12v conversions & are perfectly happy w/ them because the conversions were done correctly. 12v is also more forgiving of poor grounds/weak cables, etc than 6v, so keeping everything "clean, bright & tight" in the system is not as critical.
50 Tips

Advantage? As Bruce said.. running 12v stuff.. or if you need more wattage of lamps than your 6v system can handle.. or.. if you need a fast starter ( 6v starter on 12v ) cuz your engine is tired.. or you need a 'jumper' friendly vehicle so everything is on the same battery type / charge system.. etc.

soundguy

I've seen the "Bubba" conversions that have made me feel sorry for the tractor. Alternators installed on angle iron with sheet metal cut to adapt for a bigger pulley or belt. The only tractors we use at night anymore have 12V, and we've adapted Halogen lamps to them (gettin blinder as we get older!) Dad adapted 12V Batteries, generator, condensor, coil and lights to his IH "H" because it's getting too much of a pain finding 8V batteries. Both his N's start in about 3-4 turns, and run great. (one he even painted green & yellow 54 years ago, and the only bare place is where my butt polished the left fender ridin with dad years ago)
Just wondered what the hoopla was about with 12V

Both his N's start in about 3-4 turns, and run great. (one he even painted green & yellow 54 years ago,

Click to expand...

Ouch, Oh, you know how to hurt a brother don't you? :lol:
We need to see a pic of that. I figure it's been done but just never saw one.

That would be 2. 12/6=2

:lol: :lol: :lol: :twisted:

I've thought about getting a picture of the green and yellow N and stick it on here, but thought I might catch flack from the JD diehards if I titled it Prototype of JD "New Generation" lone!