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Yes, that 20 amp is overkill. Made for those guys that have cars going bompa bompa you can hear half a mile away. They used to have a 10amp unit but that is obsolete--guess not enough boompa.

Only inverter I have seen that appears to be OK for motors is this onenewportwipers.com/optacc.php and somewhere I found a spec where the input was recommended to be fused for 5 amp but couldn't find it today so maybe marginal with a 4 amp draw. The wipers are only 3 amp.

As I understand it, the big issue with motors aside from the starting draw is brush noise. They put out a tremendous amount of garbage on the leads and if the inverter not designed to handle it, usually doesn't last too long. Don't know exactly what they do to control it but suspect capacitors and filters are built into the outputs. I imagine the clutch would have a tremendous transient voltage kick back when the field collapsed but might be interesting to throw a scope on one to see..If that was all to worry about then a diode across the coil should take care of it. Would also be nice to measure actual draw of a Sanden at 12v. Sometimes specs are worst case only for a brief instant and normal is a fraction. The A6 I would suspect would be higher though.

Here is some more ignorance that can be dispelled by actual math done by those with more knowledge.

The batteries main purpose is to start the car, correct? That is why the car will still run if you disconnect the battery. That means the generator puts out more than 6v. I'm guessing 8v when the car is more at speed? Wouldn't that run the AC? So you could wire directly from the generator to the AC to get the 7.5v you need. You probably would have an AC drop off when you are at a stop light, but worth the compromise. Or, can you adjust the voltage regulator for more output to achieve the same thing? I don't think the draw from the battery would leave you stuck anywhere, even after a couple of hours of driving. When you get home, stick it on the trickle charger to keep the battery fully charged.

Otherwise, could you swap the 6v generator with a 12v from a 55-56 Packard and use the combo battery?

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I am definitely not one with more knowledge or good at math, but here goes:

I believe i get like 7-7.5 v with my converted alternator when up to speed, so you're correct, if you had the sanden 7.5v version, it'd probably couple and work when up to speed if wired as it is into a 12v system.

I'm going to try the A6 because of looks and price, and i think i need more power to couple it, but that 5 amp up converter would probably work anyway, all i can do is test.

Either way this saves me from the expense of and trying to find a combo battery that is elongated like the factory one under my hood as we suggested in the other posts or using two batteries and using the up converter to charge the 12v battery while driving.



As long as your alternator was putting out more amps (correct?) than your system is drawing including the up converter's input, you'd be charging and no need to trickle charge. I would think that we wouldn't consider a solution complete if you were tied to charging at home, but i don't think that will be an issue most any way that we forge ahead.


Side issue, could we hook the inputs up on TWO of those 5 amp up converters and then hook them together on the other side before hitting the clutch...would it draw equally from both of them? Separate line feeds in and out, then combine the 12v they're both producing for a 12v source with more amp capacity? Or would it make 2 separate circuits and combine to 24 volts? Kind of rigged, but cheaper than the 375 version.


I also plan on going to this:

summitracing.com/parts/PWM-82106/

(75 amp alternator that is in generator looking case, 6v, pos ground) so that'd give me a but more power to work with, i believe i'm at around 50-55 amp capacity now.


EDIT: 12v generator with combo battery would keep 6v side charged too i'm assuming, that could be smooth because i'd get reliable 6v like the alternator does that my 6v generator wasn't and would guarantee compressor coupling. If the right battery was cheap, that would be a smooth way to go as long as you isolated the generator from the 6v electric in the car. Hook existing positive battery cable to 6v positive and generator battery lead to 12v side. Have to see if i can find that kind of battery to compare price.

EDIT EDIT: If you wanted to do the dual battery output setup (12v and 6 v) you could just use a 12v battery and hook the 12v alt or gen to the battery and use a converter from 12v down to 6v to run the rest of the car and use the 12v side for the AC. That seems like it would work also.

Why not run a small AUXILLARY 12v alternator from a GEo Metro or something like that. A small alt as a seperate 12v circuit wired to a small 12v motysickle battery ?? Now u can run all of the 12v accessories u want and keep the original 6v system in tact. The 12v alt could be used as the AC idler pulley.

IIRC my 86 Toyota compressor has a spike of about 22 amps when the clutch is initially kicked in for about 3 seconds and then settles back to about 3 to 5 amps. The book calls for a 20 amp fuse. I'm running a 25 amp fuse.

What ever u do try to keep it simple and composed of common ordinary run of the mill and ez to obtain parts.

QUESTION:
U indicate that u have a petronix e-ignition system installed on 6v. HOW much have u actually ran and tested this ignition system????

For that matter, why not just put a Geo Metro 3cyl engine in the trunk and run the a/c system off that?

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I have about 3000 miles around town and on road trips on the 6v positive ground ignition from pertronix. About 1000 of it with the alternator, the first couple thousand with the generator (idled ok but lights dim at idle, alternator smoothed idle slightly but lights, etc excellent. not pertronix fault, lights were dim since i got it and it showed i was getting like 2.5-3 volts at idle. likely a regulator issue).

They didn't make it for my 288 distributor (auto lite? don't recall) but did for the other one for the 327 (delco? or do i have it backwards) so i put a 327 distributor i got for $50 if i recall in and then put the pertronix in. New plugs, caps, wires while i was at it and it's been trouble free in all weather and RPMS.

As for simple and with obtainable parts, that's our aim in this thread. If you want fancy and every option and super cold, well, go to 12 v system and get all the goodies like condensor electric fan and better blower and integrated climate system etc.






Turbo...not a bad idea!!!! That way i can have it on loan to everyone in my car club with overheating small block chevies while i sit there cool as can be in my AC straight eight :)

Here's a wacky idea since we seem to be going that way again with extra motors in the trunk. Instead of the compressor, see if a small motorcycle alternator or generator could be run off a 6v motor to keep a motorcycle battery charged. Put the whole thing in your restored cooler in the trunk. Of course finding the proper 6v motor might be interesting in itself but there are some listed from Fasco that might work.

Sure, then you can enter your car in this contest. Or just convert it to 12V and be done with it.

Not my car but if the Goldberg prize is high enough, maybe should be considered. Seriously, Packard and many others used the motor generator setup quite successfully with radios in the 30's to get the high voltage needed. Just a bit of whimsy but it's not like never been done before.

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LOL! When you want to use AC you just push a button that pops a balloon that scares a chicken that a cat chases that generates static that gets combined with battery voltage that makes the clutch engage!!




As a side note to those wondering, i emailed a company that makes the batteries that are both 6v and 12v, they're based in hudson, OH. They say it's really two 6v batteries in a single case with a supplied parallel/series switch. It's supposed to be really just for 12v starting and switching back to 6v, and it specifically said i the quote that it's not for use with 12V accessories. Also, the price tag was between 2 and 3 hundred depending on size and shape of battery. Interesting info for those out there curious.



Most of these options defeat the idea of quick and dirty and simple (although designing systems on this thread with tons of converters and work arounds and work arounds for problems for the work arounds has been fun).




Here is my conclusion:
We have been tying up turbo's time so that speedster isn't getting done any sooner, so we gotta let him get back to work.

I'm feeling that if you're running a 6V system and refuse to convert, you have to run an AC system like it would have been ran before cycling or on/off clutches came into play.

Combine that with parts that are readily available and cheap and i think we're looking at a constant on compressor with some type of throttling device, and that points me to early-late sixties GM. (and 80's, but i hear the R4 compressor i have has a terrible reputation, and it wouldn't even look CLOSE to old fashioned)

When i mount the 327 on the stand i'll look at mounting an A6 compressor somewhere and driving it likely on the water pump with a pulley behind and tensioning it like an alternator with an adjustable arm (unless there's a reason i haven't thought of why i HAVE to have an idler, i'm sure there is and you guys will let me know)

From there it's about finding a condenser and evaporator and going with suction throttling of some sort (choose a type with a receiver/dryer OR using the VIR setup (looks too new under the hood but could be disguised or hidden).

From there i'd use a blower fan for the AC only and a duct into the cabin and be done with it. No mixing of climate control, etc.


I feel that this design meets my needs and goals, and is still old fashion and not TOO comfortable. If i wanted to go modern, i'd make a street rod out of it and convert suspension and motor and everything. This should still be somewhat "rustic" and look acceptable for the period, and still feel old fashioned and yet have something that many period cars don't have so it will stand out.


Alternatively, if anyone out there wants to try this, you can decide to get the 5amp step up converter and see if you can get it to hold your clutch closed. If so, you can have it setup so you only have the compressor on when the AC is on or use the VIR setup to cycle the clutch and do more fancy things that i'm not too interested in.


Once i get pictures and get started, i'll update everyone here and see if the system works, trouble run into, shortcomings, etc.

Thank you all for the input and help, and i'll be checking back for/with further discussion.