Has anyone found a reliable 6volt battery? My year old Harley battery is suddenly dead and instead of just replacing it, I'm trying to find a better solution. I searched this forum and didn't really find any good options, so I figured I'd pose the question again.
Has anyone tried to use a 12V battery and step the voltage down to 6V? Does anyone know how many amps are drawn, in a 6 volt system? Besides voltage and current what are the other specs on a battery?
K

 

Your battery should be lasting more than a year or 2 .When I had my autowrecking business I used to bring dead unchargable batteries back to life by putting 2 tablespoons of an Alum/Epsom salts mixture into each cell of 12v batterys.then charge them onlow ( lowest position on battery charger say 2-4 amps).Most of them that weren't wrecked inside because of plates shifting on impact of an accident ,came back to life ..Instead of going on about the batterys being sulphated and so on ,I'm sending you a web page you may want to check out ..
BTW a week or so ago my Mom told me I had some old motorcycle parts in her garage from the 70's .A 6 volt bike battery was among the goodies Idiscovered .I filled it with distilled water and left it at that ,( didn't dump anything out ) I think as soon as I send this post I'm going out to the garage and slow charge it ..I'm sure it will be fine in a few days ,after all it's only 30 years old .I can't remember if I bought it new or used back then ,probably used ,anyway It will be fun to see what happens ..

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~pcaffel...nence_Tips.pdf

 

Good Luck I have the same problem. I used to run interstate battery that lasted 3-4 year but now they quit making the a few years back. I bought a excide from harley that lasted a year and the same from V-twin that lasted a year. I had this problem previosly till i ran a interstate but now its back to the same old crap. I maintain a battery tender on it all the time and they still don't last but I want to maintain the 6v volt and am stuck with the crap thats out there

 

Try these guys. http://www.antiquecyclesupply.com/

I dunno if they still have the same source, but the 2 I bought for my Pan and Servicar from them lasted maybe 5 years.

 

After posting that Ihad a 30 year old battery that I planed to use for a couple of years ,I put it on the charger ,that was 2 days ago ,yesterday it was up to 4 volts .I put the draw tester on it andregestered ,but didn't produce enough heat to feel ,ifany at all .Tonight it was around the same ,but the spark was stronger when I disconnected the draw tester ..I might have to desulfate it yet . so far all I did was to fill it with distilled water .I dont mind charging it for another week if I have to .Its slow charging and not going to hurt it .

 

As long as you don't mind the lights going bright and dim with engine speed, a 6 volt Harley ignition system in good condition will work on anything over 1.5 volts.

 

I`m using a Yuasa B38-6A in my 40 ULH, I shimmed it to size with rubber blocks. It`s actually made for BMW`s 1955 through 69. Bought from the Yuasa dealer for $47.50 Has 13 amp hour rating, most everthing else that "fits" is down in the single digits.

 

dump out the battery, rinse out and add fresh electrolyte and you can get another year or two out of the battery.

 

in my shop we use a kids 6 volt toy battery - its small and sealed never had one leak or blow up, in a battery store they are 20 bucks and i put 5000 miles on my 1948 Indian chief last season and it still holding a good charge today - jz

its what in my shop we have been using for years some last 2 and others have lasted 3 yearsand even more -

 

This guy picked up a close to stock 60s pan. Remember he was in Santa Cruz, CA. Wonder if he is still around (thread is 6 years old and counting).