converting 6 volt feeders to 12 volt

[TAMU84]

Does anyone have any experience converting 6 volt feeder units to 12 volt units?
We have eight of the Academy 600 pound feeders on our company deer lease. Four of these were the original black feeders and they had larger boxes on them and I converted them from 6 volt to 12 volt units. These boxes were large enough to hold a 12 volt battery and larger motor. We have 4 more that are the newer green ones. These have the small box that is too small for a 12 volt battery. I thing I can drill out the top and install a 12 volt motor and then lay down in the bottom two 6 volt batteries and run them in a series. This will then be 12 volts but I think when you run in a series, the volts doubles but the amps doesn't. My goal is to be able to put eliminators on the feeders. We've got the biggest varmint guard you can put on the feeders but some of those dang coons can still reach the spinner plate.
Would these two 6 volt batteries run the motor and eliminator?
I can't just install a larger 12 volt box due to the way they were made.

[trailboss]

We had a few 6V feeders when we first started BAO. They jammed up too easily if the corn wasn't real clean. Put 12V batteries on them and solved the problem. More power - no more clogging. Never burned up a motor. They don't generally spin long enough to get hot. They lasted several years.

Trailboss

[sharpstick35]

I=v/r
the mAh capacity won't change running 2 6VDC batteries in series from the individual 6 volt ones. the motor will however try to draw more current than they can produce,and wouldn't 2 6 volts take up the same amount of space as a standard 12.

[TAMU84]

two 6 volt batteries are smaller than a 12 volt battery. You can also lay them down flat, with terminals facing out and it should be enough room to get a 12 volt motor in it.

[mikerosa]

You couldn’t get me to run 6 volt again if you gave them to me for free !

12 volt is the only easy to go.

I’d switch out the whole bottom including upgrading to a 12 volt blower motor and then enclose it however it needs to be done. Big difference in performance and even distribution of corn.


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[Shane]

I have a feeder that was 12v (had wires for two 6v batteries). I had to replace the timer, and I ordered a 6v timer by mistake. Was in a hurry, so I put that one on it and have been running just 1 6v battery at a time. Sucks. The motor is still the old 12v motor. It just doesn't spin as fast as it did with 12v power.

To connect two 6v batteries in series and make it 12v to the motor, I just need to connect a + post on one battery to the - on the other battery, and then connect the other posts on each battery to the timer. Right?

[Dale Moser]

Just hook up 12V to it. It'll likely last a long time before you hurt the 6V motor, if ever. It will sling the crap outta the corn too. If it burns up then replace it...

[RascalArms]

Just hook up 12V to it. It'll likely last a long time before you hurt the 6V motor, if ever. It will sling the crap outta the corn too. If it burns up then replace it...

I'm with Dale. I can't see it hurting the 6v motor at all....at least if you keep the run time below 8-10 seconds.

[TAMU84]

I don't think you can run an eliminator with the 6 volt motor so probably need to switch it out to a 12 volt motor. If it wasn't for that I would go ahead and keep the 6 volt motor in it until it burns up.

[mastercraftka]

I'm with Dale. I can't see it hurting the 6v motor at all....at least if you keep the run time below 8-10 seconds.

We put a 6 volt motor on road feeder once because that was all we had it burned up pretty fast. but like others said in a regular feeder it will last pretty long I still think it will fry it eventually.

[texan4ut]

Here is what I did. I had the same problem with the old feeders 6 volt small box. I builky new control boxes with ammo boxes. 12 volt motor, battery, the Timer, and eliminator. Solar panel on the end. Got one installed the other one when I get to the lease.

[bigbad243]

Yes, I believe that the 2 6volts in a series will be enough to run the eliminator on a 12v motor.

[AgBass01]

Here is what I did. I had the same problem with the old feeders 6 volt small box. I builky new control boxes with ammo boxes. 12 volt motor, battery, the Timer, and eliminator. Solar panel on the end. Got one installed the other one when I get to the lease.

Love this setup.

[BolilloLoco]

5AH 12volt batteries are smaller than the 9AH. This might be an option. I have used them in the past. Order from Amazon.

[refugioco]

I just finished doing mine, I will judge my success mid August on my first check. I ended up trying a 12 volt control unit from ASF, sold at the Katy Bucees for 69 dollars and added an eliminator plate for 36 at Luling Bucees. It is a galvanized box hanging on the 2 brackets. I was able to bend the brackets in to match the bolt holes in the box and drilled the ASF brackets to match. Hung some barbed wire around the legs to maybe deter larger hogs (we do not have a real problem anyway). It throws pretty good now, The varmint guard is not being used. I will judge durability mid August.