In article xeyoj.2424$fg.157@trndny03,
"Ivan Vegvary" wrote:

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.

7806 - most will do an amp at 6 volts, some will do an amp and a half - just
12V, ground, 6V, a couple of capacitors.

You'll want a heat sink.

If you need to feed things that want more than that all together, the simplest
method that will work safely is to break them out into multiple 6V feeds that
will each work on 1.5 amp or less, as "paralleling" the outputs can be messy.
There are other ways to get more amps out (combining a regulator with a
transistor), but they are somewhat more complicated, and KISS rules.

54 cents for a 1.5 amp version he

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...zoIq32Jw%3d%3d

(Just a customer. Stick to mail on the shipping method...)

You could do it with a switching DC-DC converter, but that's more complicated.
KISS. Drilling a hole in the battery - not so KISS.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by