You'll probably get a lot of replies, because I suspect a lot of us (most
of us?) are running a single 12V battery, for the reasons you mention
(simpler, cheaper, easier to find). It has nothing to do with the
alternator! You just find a 12V battery that is small enough to fit in
the well (easily found--I suggest getting one with the built-in handle)
and rearrange the battery cables appropriately. This means you put the
battery in the well that has the direct POS (+) cable from the front of
the car, and buy (or re-use, switching it from the other well) a ground
cable that goes from the battery NEG (-) post to the frame. Remove the
surplus cable (which connected the two wells), and there you are. Make
sure you also rig some kind of battery hold-down -- the stock kind
probably will no longer fit, and you don't want the battery posts
shorting to the metal cover when you go over a bump!
However, don't expect this to solve your battery drain problem. I'll let
the electrical engineers dish out the advice on that one. Good luck...
>Hi all! I just bought my first British, a 71 MGB Roadster, does not run, and
>am about to embark on a wonderful adventure in weekend mechanics! First
>problem, PO says it used to drain the batteries (something about headlights,
>maybe) every 2 or 3 days. Then it sat for about 18 months, so the batteries
>are flat dead. First question for you all, is there a way or procedure for
>installing a single 12v battery instead of the twin 6's? I know this may be
>blasphemous, but I am pretty broke, and I have a feeling a single common
>battery would be cheaper. I also can't do much other engine or electrical
>work until I get power in the vehicle. PO said she thought it was easy to
>do,
>but required a different alternator. Any hints or tips are greatly
>appreciated!
>-Greg, 71B
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB
runs great, looks scabrous
mountain View CA
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