Bacon slicer on 12 volts

[Dave Mann]

Has anybody any experience of bacon slicer starters on 12 volts? All my experience is of the later direct drive Lucas starters. A friend has just tried his bacon slicer on 12 volts and it's thrown all the solder from the commutator connections and failed.

[Ivor Hawkins]

I made that same mistake many years ago, jump starting a friend’s RK from a 12 volt battery, it completely buggered the starter...he used the handle after that...

[Chris Garner]

I've use 12 volts on several of my cars fitted with bacon slicer starters and fortunately have not experienced Dave & Ivor's problems. 
With the vicious " throw " 12 volts generates, I do worry about how well the starter is secured to the c/c and so ensure the threads in the c/c are good and the starter fully bolted down. I have seen c/c fractured as a consequence.

[RupertW]

Is there such a device or way or wiring things so that the voltage to the starter motor is stepped down to 6V? Or even somewhere inbetween such as 9V?

[Charles P]

12v does get through brushes, and as Chris says, loose mounting bolts will be punished. However, many people use 12v on both types of starter with impunity (I have) but it may find a weakness that has previously been hidden.

[andrew34ruby]

Is there such a device or way or wiring things so that the voltage to the starter motor is stepped down to 6V? Or even somewhere inbetween such as 9V?

Anything is possible, but it would be difficult to make any sort of voltage reducer capable of the current flow (amps).

[Dave Mann]

Many thanks for the rapid responses. I suppose the voltage could be reduced using the resistor from a 6 volt battery tester, it would need careful mounting because it will get hot.

[Robert Leigh]

If you are using a 12v battery with exposed intercell connections you could wire the starter to use 6, 8, 10 or 12 volts by selection of number of cells in circuit. The unused cells would tend to lose electrolyte more than the others while charging.