Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Would anyone like to comment on their favorite 6v batter? My old reliable NAPA Farm Equipment battery won't hold a charge any more. I'm looking first for power and reliability, not much about "period correctness."

Underhood, there isn't much of correctness, except I just bought a yet-to-be-installed NOS voltage regulator! So maybe my next correct purchase could be a battery. Maybe the battery failure is due to the old regulator?

Any thoughts, much appreciated.

For a real heavy duty Group 4 6-volt battery very capable for the Twelves and big prewar Eights and Super Eights with under-floorboard battery boxes the Delco 4HD6V and equivalent NAPA 7210 were supreme, gobs of CCA and life up to 6-7 years or even more. Both are commercial fleet batteries and I believe the NAPA may now be superceded by a Duracell Ultra 6-volt commercial battery. Just Google NAPA 7210 and see what's out there. These batteries may be too large for some under-hood installations, you'll have to check the dimensions or Group# you need.

I've also had just excellent results with the long thin (forget the Group#) 6-volt for the 1950 and earlier Clipper-bodies cars. I had at least one last nearly 6 years.

At the risk of stating the obvious, to get good battery life of course your charging system needs to be up to snuff, you need to check the electrolyte from time to time and add distilled water as needed. And if the car is going to be inactive for a substantial period, best to remove the battery and give it a periodic charge with a trickle charger or battery tender.

What I really like about 6-volt systems is that if you're perceptive you get plentiful clues about your battery reaching the end of it's life even as it still continues to start the car and function. My experience with 12-volt batteries is they seem to go from fully functional to dead as a doornail in as little as 1 or 2 starts - no warning.

For pre-war 8's I've had good luck with the following.

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55Packardguy:
Just out of curiosity, how much satisfaction have u had from any MODERN REPLACEMENT 6v parts such as or especialy bulbs and sealed beams????? Or do u have a good supply of OLD stock well known BRAND NAME 6v bulbs and regulators etc?????

I was using a 3EH-vhd from Interstate until I found it was leaking acid and eating my battery tray that I had just repaired. So I switch to a Red Top Optima battery and it works find for me. It does not have the CCA as the 3EH, but I believe it does match the stock battery.
Wes

might try tractor supply-they have a good supply of 6v batteries including the long thin ones. Their prices are also pretty good.

my 49 does have a rather new Exide 3EH wich fits pefectly

Looks like the choice for a '30 is between the Optima red-top and the NAPA 7210 replacement by Duracell. I understand the Optima is much more susceptible to damage by overcharging, and the only protection on my '30 is a simple cut-out. To deal with this issue, I guess some people adjust the generator for nighttime driving and run with the headlights on in the daytime to prevent overcharging.

Questions: How does one know if the battery is overcharging? Could this be a serious enough problem to dictate against the Optima, or can potential over-charging be reliably dealt with in some way through observation and generator/cut-out adjustment?

With a lead acid battery your indication of overcharging will be more frequent needs to add water to the electrolyte. I try to keep my charge rate for daytime driving to just a very few amps,I'll probably have to add water to the battery once a year, perhaps twice if an unusually high number of miles. For night driving I adjust the 3rd brush to give just a few amps over zero at road speed with the lights on.

The cutout has no role in charge rate so no adjustment there. If it really bothers you to adjust the 3rd brush a few times a year you can have your generator converted to a 2 brush configuration and then add a modern full voltage and amperage regulator such as became industry standard about 1937.

Thank you for this valuable info!