Lew Hartswick fired this volley in
:

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
I'm showing my age!!

Does anybody make a car battery that has external connectors (buss)
between cells. If I remember correctly all batteries use to have
this back in the '50's ±.

Here's my problem. I converted my 1948 Pontiac to 12 volts. All
bulbs have been changed along with the ignition coil and the
alternator. (6 volt starters LOVE 12 volts. Spin real fast!!)
However the standard solution to run the gauges is to install a giant
drop resistor. Seems to be an inefficient way to handle this.

On old batteries you simply drove a sheet metal screw into the lead
buss on top of the battery and tapped as many cells as you needed to
get a lower voltage. Can present day batteries be tapped somehow?
Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary


Use a large 6V Zener in series with the load. Depending on the
current use a good heatsink. Very easy.
...lew...


Even simpler, but it might need to be a VLZD to dissipate up to 25 watts!
Some of those old hot-wire gauges are pretty current-hungry.

LLoyd