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Old 03-08-2014, 06:56 PM   #1
jaymz
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Default '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

I picked up a '98 Villager (T9815) last week for darn near free. It's been sitting for years, but appears to be bone stock and 99% unmolested. Before I get too far involved with this thing, I wanted to make sure that there aren't any major issues. So here's my question: Why the heck won't this make it up a hill? I'd guess elevation climbs maybe 40'-50' in about 100 yds. Batteries are new and fully charged, BUT - they are 12v batteries wired up for the 48v that this cart is. I have a total of 6 batteries installed, 2 on the left, two in the middle, and two on the right. The left & right side pairs are connected in parallell, then in series to the remaining two in the center. I'm by no means an electrical genius, but this setup (I think), should work as well as a 6-8v setup for the short term testing that I'm doing. It seems fine on fairly flat ground (about 12mph). I don't think it's a battery issue, but correct me if I'm wrong. If not the batteries, what's the next most likely culprit? I'm suspecting F/R contacts worn/dirty, but I'm not sure if that would do it. I've seen a few threads here with the same issue I'm having, but nobody seems to fix the problem, or post about it if they do.

Second question is not a big deal for now, but what the heck, I'll toss it out there. The voltage reducer doesn't seem to be working correctly. It only seems to be reducing by about 2v. If I'm understanding correctly, fuse block gets connected to the full 48v, and the reducer drops it to 12v (or so) on the ground side. Is mine just bad, or I'm I wiring something wrong? Sorry for the long post, just trying to get the details in.
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Old 03-08-2014, 08:10 PM   #2
jjance
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

Your not using automotive batteries for your short term testing are you?
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Old 03-08-2014, 08:55 PM   #3
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

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Originally Posted by jjance View Post
Your not using automotive batteries for your short term testing are you?
Nope. Deep cycle. NAPA p/n 8240.
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Old 03-08-2014, 09:08 PM   #4
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

Ok 12mph sounds slow for flat land. Can you push the cart with one hand on flat level paved (like in drive way)land. Brakes or something else might be dragging.
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Old 03-08-2014, 09:22 PM   #5
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

NAPA p/n 8240 is not a golf cart battery. Therefore your results may vary.
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Old 03-08-2014, 10:06 PM   #6
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

Post a picture of your wiring. Something of good enough quality that we can make out the wiring.

Put a voltmeter across your pack. Tell us the voltage when still, and again when going up that hill.

Any chance that voltage reducer is a 16v to 12v reducer, that you're hooking up to full pack voltage? And what is this "ground" you speak of? Don't hook your reducer to the cart frame, it needs to go to a battery terminal.

Your pack wiring, if correct (like no battery in backwards or something), should work for your testing. But it won't charge correctly. So I wouldn't use this long-term.
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Old 03-09-2014, 12:27 AM   #7
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

Quote:
Originally Posted by jjance View Post
Ok 12mph sounds slow for flat land. Can you push the cart with one hand on flat level paved (like in drive way)land. Brakes or something else might be dragging.
I can push it no problem. I know for certain it is an electrical issue. Brakes are ok, no flat tires, bad bearings, etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by delagem View Post
Post a picture of your wiring. Something of good enough quality that we can make out the wiring.

Put a voltmeter across your pack. Tell us the voltage when still, and again when going up that hill.

Any chance that voltage reducer is a 16v to 12v reducer, that you're hooking up to full pack voltage? And what is this "ground" you speak of? Don't hook your reducer to the cart frame, it needs to go to a battery terminal.

Your pack wiring, if correct (like no battery in backwards or something), should work for your testing. But it won't charge correctly. So I wouldn't use this long-term.
I'll post pics when I can, but aside from not knowing exactly where to connect my fuse block feed, it matches the diagram. The voltage reducer connects to the bussbar riveted to the frame near the left side battery. The other end connects to the controller. It has factory 1/4" spade connectors on the bussbar end. I'm sure it never connected directly to the battery. I have not removed it from the cart to verify what it is. It looks like a factory part, so I'm assuming (dangerous) it's an original part.

I'm sure pack wiring is correct for everything that uses 48v. That's my main concern for now. Not really worried about charging at this point. I don't have a charger for it yet. I'm just using a couple of 24v chargers and splitting the pack in half when I need to charge.
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Old 03-09-2014, 05:52 AM   #8
Stevegrmich
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

. . Villagers utilized a negative terminal block from factory . . . the lead should be running to the negative connection on the controller via the voltage limiter . . . if you look closer, you will probably find another negative terminal block near the passenger side dash area . . . the lighting system should have it's positive feed coming from the second battery in the pack, via a fuse block, because it is a 16-12v limiter . . . however, you do not have 8v batteries so there is no place to obtain 16v to feed the limiter . . . you have a few options . . .

1. . . connect your light switch positive feed (it comes from a fuse block that gets it's power from pack) to a 12v source in your pack and remove limiter from system but remember to connect negative terminal block to appropriate ground point (battery or controller) . . .

2. . . remove factory limiter (as it is probably useless with your battery configuration) and install a 48-12v reducer in it's place . . .

3. . . install the proper 6-8v battery configuration and utilize the factory 16-12v limiter . . .

. . . as for the 8240 batteries, they are a cranking battery, not a battery designed for golf carts . . .
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Old 03-09-2014, 11:08 AM   #9
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

That NAPA battery is described on some websites as "excellent for starting and moderate deep cycle use" - nowhere near the kind of battery suitable for a golf cart's demand for power. If I understand his wiring description correctly - the two middle batteries are the weakest link- they are not being "helped" in parallel - so the current demand called upon to go up a hill is basically being pulled from them (their power will collapse first). The 48v setup described is fine for testing low loads and general cart operation - but its way too anemic to provide the amperage reserve for a hill climbing test.

There might be something else wrong with the cart - but until sufficent current is made available - we'll never really know.
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Old 03-09-2014, 06:23 PM   #10
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Default Re: '98 CC Villager slows to a stop on hills

Looks like I need to get some 8v batteries and go from there. Thanks for the responses. I'll update as soon as I can get my hands on the correct batteries.
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