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Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:25 am

Hai All,

I just buy oval, has been converted to 12 volts. Now I have 6 volts semaphore, I need help how can I install them.
have been searching how...but i don't have an answer that clear enough.

I found a converter from cip1.com. Is this converter will work? how It wired?
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ACC%2DC10%2D5754

Thank a lot

regards

Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:44 am

That "converter" from CIP1 is just a high power resistor. Each 6V electrical item you want run on 12V will require a resistor of a different value. Since they don't tell you the resistance of that resistor, one can only assume it works only on wiper motors.

Instead of getting that, go down to your local electrical supply store and buy a 1.0 ohm, 50 Watt power resistor. It will look exactly like the one in your CIP1 link. 1.0 ohms is the size that makes the semaphore see exactly 6V. Some guys like their semaphores to snap up quicker, so if that is you, get a 0.9 ohm 50 Watt resistor. That will give the semaphore a bit more voltage.

Whichever one you get, you must mount it onto some kind of heat sink.

Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:48 am

It looks like it should work, the wire that goes to your switch/lever on your column has a live input which is then sent to either side semaphore when you move it up or down. So I would think if you traced that wire and fitted the converter so only 6v is getting to the column switch all should be well - check the wiring diagram on this site for further information.

CS 101

Mon Dec 11, 2006 5:52 pm

If you want to run several 6V items off a single supply, a rather more robust solution is something like this :

http://www.powerstream.com/dc-1206-11.htm

Pete

Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:31 pm

I just want to convert on Semaphores only, all other stuff is already 12 Volts. So I'll go to the cheapest option.
I'l try to find the resistor in local store first, If can not find..then will ordering from cip1.com

Thank a lot guys

best regards from Indonesia

Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:37 pm

I run 12v through my semaphores with no problems, just switch to a 12v bulb

Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:34 pm

Is the Solenoid not get burn?
I just want to be carefull with that cause this is NOS 6 volts, and bigmoney too.

thanks
best regards

Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:01 am

bedjo78 wrote: Is the Solenoid not get burn?
I just want to be carefull with that cause this is NOS 6 volts, and bigmoney too.

thanks
best regards
Don't listen to Alan. If you pump 12V through a 6V semaphore, it will start to smoke after about 45 seconds.

Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:32 am

Check the voltage at the semi-4 post. My Zwitter has it's original wire harness, I get 9.3 volts at the semi wire and have run my semis on the 12v system with 12v bulbs since '94

Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:44 pm

bedjo78

I just want to thank you, you found what I need to reduce the voltage going to my wipers :D

Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:48 pm

DrDarby wrote: Check the voltage at the semi-4 post. My Zwitter has it's original wire harness, I get 9.3 volts at the semi wire and have run my semis on the 12v system with 12v bulbs since '94
Are you sure its a 12v system? Bruce says you can't do this, and Bruce knows all :roll:

Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:14 pm

Alan Willis wrote: DrDarby wrote: Check the voltage at the semi-4 post. My Zwitter has it's original wire harness, I get 9.3 volts at the semi wire and have run my semis on the 12v system with 12v bulbs since '94
Are you sure its a 12v system? Bruce says you can't do this, and Bruce knows all :roll:
Well aparantly you don't know squat about electricity, J a k u b.

In Darby's case he has plenty of poor electrical connections along the way from the battery to his semaphores, causing a significant voltage drop. Since a 6V electrical system in good order will put out just over 7V, Darby has only 2V more than the semaphore was designed for. Not enough to fry it. If he had a full 14V at the semaphore, he'd know how long it would take before they start to smoke.

If you think it's perfectly fine to pump double the voltage through your semaphores, why bother installing 12V headlights, just run 12V through your original 6V lights. Oh, that's right they will BURN OUT! Just like a $$$ NOS semaphore will.

Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:07 am

Yes my system is 12v and yes Bruce is correct. While most of my original harness has had terminals replaced / cleaned etc I left the turn signal circuit 100% alone. The only time I got smoke was after the first few times I used them and I attributed it to the oil I used to ease their old hinges etc. They haven't smoked in years now.

Wed Dec 13, 2006 2:16 pm

You might think that if you double the voltage in the semaphore, you will create double the heat in the windings. Not so. Follow along with some help from Georg Ohm.

V=IxR
A semaphore's resistance is 1 ohm. Apply 6V to it, you get 6Amps of current flowing through the winding because of this equation:
I = V/R = 6V/1ohm = 6A

The power in a cct is found using the following:
P=IxV, in our case, P = 6V x 6A = 36W.

Now hit it with 12V. The resistance is still 1 ohm. I = 12V/1ohm = 12A.

The new power being dissipated is now P = 12V x 12A = 144W.

By pumping 12V through your semaphores, you are creating 4 times the heat in the windings. It is no wonder they start to smoke in less than 1 min.

Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:05 pm

I find flaws in your calculation; if the draw on the semaphore is now 12A then how come the 8A fuse doesn't pop even when I have the brakes applied? True the solenoid will get hot if left on too long, but I havent had a problem yet. As for leaving the bulbs 6v in a 12v car; the FILAMENT can't handle it. Its the same as running 12v through a 6v starter;its been done for years with no problems.

Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:38 pm

I'm running a 12v system in one of my cars. Haven't burned a semaphore yet either. But at the same time, I don't have the semaphore lit up for more than 15-20 seconds at a time. I know it'll fry if I have it up for too long, so I'll aviod that problem all together.

Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:02 pm

Put in a six volt battery and run them seperately from the rest of the car. :wink:

Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:13 pm

A 12 volt battery is a group of six two volt cells. They are connected inside the case by lead bars between each cell. So a 12 volt battery is really six two volt batterys connected together in series.
Drill a small hole through the top of the case into the connecter bar between the third and forth cell, and connect a wire (with an eyelet) with a sheetmetal screw. Use an inline fuse holder, and run this wire to your six volt item. Ground the item to complete the circut.
I learned this from an engineer at a battery manufacturing plant 35 years ago.

Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:20 am

Alan Willis wrote: I find flaws in your calculation;
Do you know why it is called Ohm's Law, and not Ohm's Theroy? It is because it has been demonstrated over the last couple of hundred years that it is a Physical Law of Nature. Just like the Law of Gravity. No exceptions. You can't violate this law like you can the speed limit law on the freeway.

Alan Willis wrote:
if the draw on the semaphore is now 12A then how come the 8A fuse doesn't pop even when I have the brakes applied? .

Have you actually measured the current in your semaphore's cct? How do you know you don't have the same situation that Darby has?

How much current does it take to pop an 8A fuse? I'll give you a hint, it is NOT 8.00 amps. Some fuses will handle well over the rated limit for short periods of time, blowing if the continuous current stays on for a long time. Those are called slo-blow fuses. Then there are the types that will not take overcurrent for long times, called fast-blow fuses. What type do you have?

Here's a real world example of the overcurrent fuses can handle. In my garage, I have one single 15A cct. Since it is cold here, I run a small 1500W heater. I also have lights. One day last month I popped the breaker. After resetting it, I totaled up the load I was running.

1500W heater
3x100W lights
2x150W halogen lights
1x500W halogen light

This totals 2600W. At 120V, that makes the current draw equal to over 21Amps. How can that be if the breaker is only good for 15A???? It is because the breaker is good to more than it's rating.

Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:49 am

manxcraig wrote: A 12 volt battery is a group of six two volt cells. They are connected inside the case by lead bars between each cell. So a 12 volt battery is really six two volt batterys connected together in series.
Drill a small hole through the top of the case into the connecter bar between the third and forth cell, and connect a wire (with an eyelet) with a sheetmetal screw. Use an inline fuse holder, and run this wire to your six volt item. Ground the item to complete the circut.
I learned this from an engineer at a battery manufacturing plant 35 years ago.

:? Interesting concept but how many holes would you end up drilling before you found that bar......................and how long would a metal screw last with all that battery acid eating at it? Why not connect two six volt batteries and tap into the connection?