6v to 12v on a Traction

[Tim WalkerParticipant]

I have a 53 Normale. I didn’t want to change it to 12v, so I bought a new 6v battery, £150, and a new electronic regulator, £125. Now, the regulator has fried- it’s 15 months old- and the battery is on its last legs.

So, I’m over to the dark (Slough?) side. I’ve a NOS genuine 2cv alternator, and a new 12v battery which goes in the 6v slot. The starter motor, I can deal with.

Does anyone have a French or English car that they have converted to an alternator, and how did you do it, particularly the belt? And what about the coil, do I need a new one or can I avoid it…

Tim

[ChrisParticipant]

Hi Tim,

Apologies I missed this so I hope you’ve sorted everything out by now. Anyway, I fitted a Lucas 17ACR which includes a regulator. I had to find a pulley for the wide belt. Can’t for the life of me remember where I got it but this one might do:

https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/electrical-general/alternator-pulley-wide.aspx?gad_source=1&gbraid=0aaaaac40jiekket2s2zqqlfpuiqoigz6g&gclid=cjwkcajwko21bhapeiwawfaqci9-iupzsvnrjl9gicp3rgfjm6uwwonldgcx5eysi4ornzgbtjlvahocsgiqavd_bwe

The alternator runs slower than it would normally, so I had to wire 2 warning lights in parallel to get it to charge at low revs. Even so the warning lights come on at idle. A smaller pulley on the alternator would help.

As you can see from the picture I bent a bracket from some flat steel which I will maybe get around to painting. 

Just off to the left of the photo you might spot a 12V to 6V solid state converter which feeds the wiper motor, fuel gauge and clock. That’s energised from a relay off the ignition switch.

Chris

[Author]

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