Re: Generic 6 volt question

Posted by HH56 On 2019/12/17 19:14:36

6v is a nominal value for convenience sake and most but not all 6v bulbs will safely work from 6-8v and some are even spec'd that way. It might be the mfg printing the 7 or 7.5v rating has some govt regulation to contend with or is just being a bit more truthful to fend off lawyers who seem to file class action suits against any mfg advertising a spec the least bit out of order.

A lead acid battery cell puts out 2.1v when charged so with 3 cells in series the 6v battery standing voltage is 6.3v. That number is immediately over the nominal 6v advertised value. For the battery to have a proper recharge from the generator the regulated generator output voltage needs to be on average 1 volt higher than the standing voltage so most 6v generators are regulated to about 7.4v. Any automotive 6v bulb will need to be able to handle that much and that is assuming the regulator is adjusted properly.