Adding battery to make 48v

timmyjane

I have almost new batteries in my 36v TXT. I am planning on ordering parts that will allow 48v soon. As my batteries are only a year old they wont be due for replacement any time soon. Whats the scoop on adding a 12v battery to get to 48v until its time to replace the entire bank? There is the nice spot under the drivers side. I don't want to add any 6v in the rear cargo area.

BGW

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Volt_Ampere

Do Not Do This unless you match the Amp Hour Rating of the existing batteries. Your 12V battery would have to have the same amp hour rating as your existing batteries or you will create a charging problem. The batteries charge in series and this only works well if the batteries are well matched in age and capacity.

timmyjane

Is it not possible to wire the 36v charger to the 6 already installed and charge the 12v separately?

rib33024

Relocate the controller, and put two 6v batteries under the seat, they will fit. A 12v with a 6v pack is not the way to go 48 volts. "No need to try and reinvent the wheel"

rib33024

And another cart. This one is a DCX






http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...atterys-2.html

timmyjane

Cool, thanks Rib. Those a great pics. Not trying to reinvent the wheel just ride around on the doughnut for a while. I was concerned about the FR lever. It appears that I can get a battery in with it there if the controller and solenoid are relocated.

For educational purposes whats the big deal in adding a 12v battery in line? Seems that two chargers could be piggy backed to charge. In the even of a long ride and the AH of the 12v were less wouldn't the 6v bank keep the 12 going? Considering that a cart should be charged at the end of every day I don't believe that frequent extreme discharge would really become an issue.

bronsonj

TJ, it isn't just the charge, it's also the discharge.

On a discharge, the 12v (having fewer Amp Hours than the 6v) will be taxed more than the 6v batteries in the pack leading to a very early death of the 12v battery.

OK, this isn't text book correct, but should convey the thought process:
If your 6v batteries have 200 Amp Hours available, say a normal run to the mall and back takes 45 Amp Hours. Now, if you add in your 12v battery, it may only have 100 Amp Hours available. so after your Mall trip (Assume it still takes 45 Amp Hours from each battery) the 6V batteries will have 155 Amp Hours left and the 12v will have 55 Amp Hours. At this point, your 12v is very low, at 55% State of Charge while your 6V batteries are at 76% state of charge.

Do that run once a week and a month or two later your 12v battery is shot, and that's assuming you already created a dual-charger solution for the charge cycle.

Electrical Engineers, don't beat me up too much... I know the math isn't right but the theory should be good.

Volt_Ampere

As I said before it does not work well. Yes your cart will run but the lower AH battery will take a beating. The others do not "Help" it. The lower AH battery will discharge faster and further and in the worst case It can even reverse charge! Yes you could use two chargers if they are isolated properly. This is a bad idea. If you want to move to 48V, you need to do it right.

yurtle

Even if you move the controller and solenoid, the shaft on a series FNR has to be shortened. I have pics, but got the idea from ScottyB.