6v amber foglights... I want to use them.

[Tomakze]

I scored some great old beat up amber fog lights from the 40's-50's that are for a 6v system... I can find new bulbs for them pretty easily (5" amber) but have thus far only found them as 6v bulbs. I was thinking I might be able to run them in series, which would drop them down to 6v a piece, right? I just need to make sure I am not wrong on this one. Anything I might have missed?

[Logical1]

Exactly right, if the lamps (bulbs) are 6v run them in series on a 12v system and you will be fine. You should post up some pictures of them!

[DanielC]

If the lamps have two wires going to them, it may be possible to wire them in series. But if the lamps have only one wire, they use the lamp mounting for a ground.

 

Even if the lamps have two wires, you have to make sure one wire is not a ground.

[wayno]

You can use a voltage reducer for the lights if they are 1 wire, or two wire for that matter.

You just wire a voltage reducer off the heater motor power into a small fuseblock/box by itself, then just run your wires to the heavy duty switches that run the lights, a ground is a ground.

I used this same system to run my heater motor and fuel gauge in my 47 chevy truck, as it was 6 volt system truck with a 12 volt aftermarket wiring harness.

[banzai510(hainz)]

sell them to a old school VW guy.

Why risk burning soemthing up.This is why Datsun have fryed wire harnesses ans on the side of a house.

 

You need to run a Ballast resistor in series with the light. Or run the lights in series(daisey chain the center wires to each other)

[erichwaslike]

even if they are one wire, open the housing and the bulb will have a tab on the back that is "sprung" against the back of the housing. unscrew it and add a ground wire. i did it on my ge amber fogs i have. also car lights like these done care wat side is pos/neg on a 2 wire setup, current is current.

[datsunaholic]

One little issue of running 2 6V lights in series is that the current will be quite high. A 6V bulb of the same wattage will draw twice the current of a 12V bulb. It's a little less of an issue since you'd have 2 lights anyway (the total current will be the same) but you'll need to make use the wiring can handle it. Hooked up in series the entire system will pull the entire load. Using 55W 6V foglights (x2) in series will be a 10A load.

 

Now, if the ground side of the sockets are permamently connected to the housing, you'll have to isolate the entire unit from touching anything metal on the car.

[Tomakze]

They are two wire from the bulb, but do ground through the housing. I was planning on using a better ground regardless of what I do, so no biggy. I will just run a heavier gauge wire to one of the lights for +12v, continue it to the other light, and then send a ground to the frame (Not the light housing.) I will post pics once I put them on the car! I set one on the bumper just to see how it will look, and it looks AWESOME. I have always loved that look.

 

I can't find a wattage rating on them, but I imagine it isn't much. I'd guess they will pull 10-15amps at most. 14awg wiring should be enough, I think. I will fuse the wire either way, so we will see.

[Tomakze]

For anyone that might have been curious, or just for those that may want to attempt this in the future, I got them working. They are run in series, and I have them working with a relay. I fused the power wire for the lights, and even with them both running, a 5a fuse works just fine. The are decently bright, and look great. Check my build thread for photos and videos of them!