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Old 07-22-2011, 08:37 AM   #1
ramblin-wreck
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Default real quick voltage reducer question!

I'll be purchasing a light kit for my 07 Precedent this weekend. I had originally planned on using the stock setup (battery 4) for the lights and then adding a seperate battery for the stereo only when I add it. however after reading various posts about lights going dim (or out completely) with this setup I'm leaning towards installing a voltage reducer at the same time I add the lights. Will a 20amp handle both the lights and a stereo (nothing wild, probably just two 5.25" speakers) at the same time? Also I'd like to install a relay to turn the reducer on/off with the key switch in order to prevent battery drain. Can anyone reccomend a good one that is easy to install? I know the whole voltage reducer topic has been beaten to death but I haven't been able to find a definitive answer to my question.
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Old 07-22-2011, 10:04 AM   #2
SaltLifeCC
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

Are you getting the OEM style light kit that plugs into the factory wiring? If you are, it's fairly easy to tap into the hot and ground from the same source using the wiring behind the dash. Then, it's fairly easy to reroute the wiring in the battery bay to a separate battery without having to run all new wires all the way to the dash. I installed my light kit first and everything was plug and play with the kit I got. Then I added my stereo and wired it into the existing wiring behind the dash that is powering my lights. It's probably one of my posts you read about the radio dying and the lights going dim and then out. That's why I added an extra battery. Just did it this week. With the help of a forum member, I was able to just run the + and - wires from my new battery to the controller area inside the battery bay and wire them directly to the wires that run + and - to the wiring behind the dash and to the light kit. It was easy. However, if I had a battery gauge installed, which I do not, I would have lost that unless I ran new wires to it. Wasn't an issue for me.

If you go with a reducer, I would think 20 amps should be "ample", haha. But I'm no expert. But definitely put a switch or relay on it. I saw someone post here recently, that if you get the reducer CC sells, you don't need a switch. Good luck.
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Old 07-22-2011, 10:06 AM   #3
OLD MEC
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

I personally would go with a seperate battery. I use one of my handicap scooter batterys UB12350 ( NOTE NOT FOR WINCHES ). This gives me more than the amount needed to run my sterio, front and rear lighting, turn signals and brake lights, 2 flood lights, horn, etc. Note I do use LED in all lighting now.
I find that when using seperate battery and routing wiring as far as possible from motor and controls that I have next to no static when running. I use my back up 48 volt solenoid hooked to key switch to turn system on and off. I mounted my battery approx 7"X5.5"X7" battery, threw it originally in my glove box ( sealed battery can be mounted in any position ) and later added it over the top of my front suspension. I use a 6 load fuse board to split circuits and use a marine rated dash power 20 amp outlet ( not standard 8-10 amp units ) to charge the battery twice a month in my case.
NOTE if you go the reducer be sure and have a way to turn it off when not needed as I had neighbor loose his new EZGO by reducer shorting out during night. Insurance would not cover replacement costs because reducer was added to cart after manufacture????
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Old 07-22-2011, 01:28 PM   #4
ramblin-wreck
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

Thanks for the help guys! I am going with the OEM style kit from one of this sites sponsors. I may go the seperate battery route since it seems they may actually be cheaper than a voltage reducer. I just wonder how long it would stay charged running a stereo and lights at the same time.
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Old 07-23-2011, 09:28 AM   #5
OLD MEC
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

The sterio will draw very few amp ( mine is about 2 amps ) even with a fair size amplifier, but your lights are usually 55 watts ( about 5 amps each ) each for head lights and tail lights only ( no stop or turn lights ) about 1-2 amps. With my LED's ( TOTAL ) headlights and tail lights is about 3-4 amps.
As I said before when in heavy use I only charge mine about 2 times a month.
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Old 07-23-2011, 11:33 AM   #6
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

Going with a dedicated battery is a good idea. If you wire it to #4 battery with a switch you can charge with the pack also if it does die at night you can flip the sw and have lights off the pack
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Old 07-24-2011, 01:53 PM   #7
ramblin-wreck
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

Quote:
Originally Posted by gaminde View Post
Going with a dedicated battery is a good idea. If you wire it to #4 battery with a switch you can charge with the pack also if it does die at night you can flip the sw and have lights off the pack
I'm real interested in this idea. I hate to sound like an idiot but can you explain how to wire the switch in so that the charger would also charger the aux. battery? My thought was that it's a 48v charger and I would be asking it to charge 60v which might throw off the OBC.
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Old 07-24-2011, 04:37 PM   #8
OLD MEC
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

Gaminde is talking about is a series-parrallel ( extra same voltage battery wired with both postives connected together and both negatives connected together ) wiring which some have used. Wiring in series ( positive to negative ) with pack will add extra battery voltage to pack making 60 volts.
It works but I feel that it makes the OBC-charger not do as good a job of evening the whole pack and extra battery? Thats my opinion for what its worth???? Most people have auto 12 volt chargers around to maintain extra battery anyway.
NOTE with my type of battery shown above never charge more than 2-6 amps as sealed batterys can build up pressure and could damage or even possibly blow?
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Old 07-24-2011, 09:08 PM   #9
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

I'm not as versed in this stuff as MEC but I kind of worried about the same thing as far as screwing around with the OBC and such trying to charge up an extra 12 volts.

I just got back from a weekend at the campground (need to get a few days of work in while the family stays there). The extra battery is the ticket. My son cruised the cart from 6pm until after 11pm last night and I don't think he stopped very much. When he brought the cart back, we still had enough juice to run the lights and radio and cruise down to see some campers playing some guitar tunes. Last trip, with the lights and radio wired to battery 4, he would have been without the radio after about an hour and the lights would have been next to go. I plugged the cart in last night and put the separate battery on its own charger (went and got one that pushes a bit more juice than my tender) and it was all charged back up by the time we went outside this morning.

Oh, and as far as your question about how long it will stay charged, it depends on the type of battery you get and how much load you put on it. Get a tiny battery that doesn't have much of an amp hour rating, and it won't last as long as one that is bigger with a higher amp hour rating. Scooter batteries seem to work well for some around here but I don't know how they are rated. I imagine they have some longevity built into them given what they are made for. I had plenty of room so I got a deep cycle marine battery with 105 amp rating.
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Old 07-25-2011, 08:41 AM   #10
OLD MEC
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Default Re: real quick voltage reducer question!

The UB12350 from handicap scooter supply sites usually are 40-45 amp hour rated at 20 amps I have seen after market battery rated as low as 25-30 amp hour rated at 20 amps, all are built for heavy draw service in its normal form. My scooter with my butt weights 456 lbs and draws about 10-15 amps on flat solid ground and goes clear up to 40 amps starting. I travel 8 blocks round trip to post office 6 days a week and to the wood shop and rock shop 4 days a week ( 6 blocks ). That along with trips from truck to doctors offices make me recharge my scooter ONCE a WEEK ( down to 12.10-12.20 ), but my golf cart only requires 2 times a month on same battery at 12.10-12.20, but this was before I switched to LED but I stll charge 2 times a month by habit more than needs?
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