Installing a 48>12v reducer and fuse block on a DS for and by a Dummy - Step by Step

nnmsgst

Hello,

Today I am starting to install a 48>12v reducer and fuse block which I purchase as a package from Scotty @ Carts Unlimited. Thanks to some others for their input (copied below), I've listed what was provided to me as a starting point. Let me know if you see anything wrong here, my questions are in BOLD

Start by flipping the Run-Tow switch to Tow.

Next find and label the cold side of the key switch. NOT SURE HOW TO DO THIS

Find and label the hot side of the USB switch.NOT SURE HOW TO DO THIS

Find and label the hot side of the light switch.NOT SURE HOW TO DO THIS

In the battery bay, disconnect the black cable from the rear battery on the driver's side (the one that seems to have duct tape on it).

Disconnect the red cable from the rear battery on the pass. side.

At this point I like to cover the batteries. I use an old yoga mat but before I stole the mat I used flattened cardboard boxes. I don't like having a 4th of July preview.

In the photo labeled "Behind the seat" you'll see a long, thin box mounted in the web of the driver's side frame rail that has a black wire with a loop in it. That's the 16v.to 12v. reducer. Follow the wires from it to their ends and disconnect. After you've installed the new reducer the old one will have no purpose so you can cut the wires off at the old reducer or coil them up and secure. Your call.

That's about all you can do before the kit comes except to think about locations for the components. I favor putting the reducer between the pass. side frame rail and the support for the back rest bracket. That location gives it plenty of air to keep it cool, keeps it out of the battery bay, is relatively dry and keeps the 48v. wires short. To mount in that location, I'd bend the end of a piece of aluminum flat bar (Home Depot) and use stainless steel self-tapping screws to screw the bent end to the vertical part of the back rest support and screw the other end to the vertical flat bar near the controller. Keep in mind that you will have to allow enough room for the bolts of the back rest that will come later.

I'd locate the fuse block and buss bar behind the dash because it will be feeding all the switches there anyway. With the fuse box in that location, only 3 wires will be routed from the reducer to the fuse box. Keep in mind that the fuse box has to be serviceable when the cowl is in place.

There should be a single cable (no extra wires) on the pack negative battery post, and that cable must pass through the OBC.

All other wires, charger or accessories connect to the other end of the pack negative cable on Controller B-.

The OBC establishes the baseline for the battery pack during the first few charging cycles (using a different algorithm), and stores that information in volatile memory (the kind that needs power to be preserved).

When you use the cart or any accessory, the current must flow from the battery trough the OBC where it measures that energy.

The OBC then uses that information during the next charging cycle to replenish the energy that was used (plus 10% to compensate for FLA inefficiency).

The process of resetting the OBC, as I mentioned on your other thread, simply involves disconnecting the pack negative cable so the OBC does not have any power to maintain that volatile memory where it keeps the amount of energy stored in the pack.

Once that happens, the OBC no longer knows how much energy is stored in the pack and it starts a new baseline analysis.

If You drain current directly from any batteries in the pack, the OBC will not work correctly.

I personally don't like those reducers without a trigger wire, they are not designed to be switched ON/OFF on the 48v side as it puts a lot of stress on the filter capacitors used.




I've received everything now, and will begin to move forward. My main questions:

1. My understanding is to NOT tie the reducer into the pack negative, right? Rather to tie into the controller in some fashion?
2. My 2 output wires must go to the fuse block, but then do I wire everything individually INTO that fuse block?
3. The reducer is switched with the key
4. Should I replace all the wiring behind my dash and start fresh? There area a cople wires that are just cut and go nowhere.
5. Is 14 gauge the right wire to use?

BEHIND DASH



FRONT OF DASH



BEHIND BATTERY PACK

BGW

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nnmsgst

Thanks to all for the help. Today I installed a 48v reducer and ifs switched to my accessories

Quick question.... is 14ga. wire stout enough to run my main power out from the reducer to the fuse block? Same question for the main negative running to the bus bar.

Thanks

Sergio

The 48v side of your 30 amp Reducer will carry no more than about 10 amps, so that can use 14 gauge wire.

The 12v side of the reducer will need to handle 30 amps, so You need 10 gauge wire.

The 48v trigger wire has very little current so 18 gauge or larger is fine. I would use 16 gauge just for physical strength.

This should be the wiring diagram for Your cart:

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/attac...cor_wiring.jpg

Reducer Connections:

Reducer trigger wire (yellow wire):

16 gauge wire to where Blue wire is connected at key switch

Reducer +48v input (red wire):

14 gauge wire to pack positive battery post, ideally this wire would have a 15-20 amp fuse installed near the battery post.

Reducer +12v output (green wire):

10 gauge wire to post on fuse block.

Reducer Negative input/output (black wire):

10 gauge wire to negative buss bar.

Negative connection to cart:

14 gauge wire from negative buss bar to Controller B- or to negative accessory block off controller B-.

Keep in mind that fuses are intended to protect the wiring from catching fire in case of a short, so they need to be chosen according to the wire gauge used.

This is a good chart to use when selecting the proper wire gauge:

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/attac...on_chartlg.jpg

nnmsgst

Thanks again for all the help. I'm chekcing with Scotty about the wire gauge to the main negative and main positive (because I already hooked it up). If I need to swap those 2, no big deal.

Take a look at where I mounted the reducer and fuse block - please share any input. That reducer is mounted essentially where the original 16>12v one was.

Thanks

48>12v Reducer




Fuse Block and Bus Bar

crash test dummy

i just use 16 g and never had a problem

Sergio

16 gauge wire is not acceptable for the connection between Converter and fuse box.

You have a 12v @ 30 amp Converter, if You ever use all of its potential, there will be 30 amps flowing on the green wire from Converter to fuse box.

There will be less current on the black wire from Converter to buss-bar (the current on the 48v loop will offset the current on the 12v loop through the black wire), but you should use 10 gauge.

The gauge of the wire used on the existing Converter connector was engineered to carry the required current only for that very short distance.

If you are going to extend it You should use the appropriate gauge wire to avoid excessive voltage drop and heat on the wire.


Also, on your pack positive battery post, the main cable lug should go first in direct contact with the battery post lead base.

The next wire should be from your charger receptacle positive socket.

The last wire should be the positive for you Converter.

nnmsgst

Thanks. None of this was called out in the instructions. Im happy to change it, but now have the blade connectors crimped on, and they snap into the plastic wiring receptacle that was provided. That means that I need specific non insulated new blade connectors, which I cannot find in any local auto store. I've emailed Scotty as well, but this is disappointing.

tag50

If you're dealing with one wire change, I'd cut that wire from the Molex connecter and splice with a separate insulated connecter. Some guys have cut off the Molex connecter completely.


.

dundeebarnbuggy

Up here molex connectors on any vehicle are hated with a passion, and are usually cut off and replaced with Weatherpac or other sealed connector.

nnmsgst

Thanks... like this? I'm only connecting a total of 4 wires to 4 matching wires.

https://www.amazon.com/Delphi-Packar.../dp/B004DVM7RG