can I put a powerwise charger plug on an older charger with the SB50 plug

judgemack

My powerwise charger board went bad, but I have a perfectly good marathon charger, both 36 volts. When I opened each end, the marathon charger only had a black and white wire, but the Powerwise had a black and white, but also a third wire. Can I put the newer, powerwise, end on the older marathon charger, or is the third wire essential for the charger to work?

BGW

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yurtle

If you're moving a three wire plug to a two wire charger, no problem.

To do the reverse would require a little more work, but also could be made to work.

judgemack

Thanks, yes I will be connecting the three wire plug to the two wire cable. I am guessing the third wire is just an extra ground or some safety shutoff feature for when the plug is in on the the TXT cart.

yurtle

The third wire goes to the control board inside the charger. Since it's the same voltage as the thicker wire (can't remember if it's positive or negative) it's totally unnecessary. DPI and at least some Lesters don't use the third wire.

coosa

I made the same change on a Lestronic II charger about a month ago and it works fine with the PDS cart. I still have the magnet sitting on my desk. I thought I might need it for something; no reason to put it in the plug when there are only 2 wires.

yurtle

Not true, though it is a source for much confusion.

There are (sometimes) three wires going from the charger to the charger plug. There are three wires leaving the buggy's charger port and going to the battery pack and supplying control voltage. HOWEVER, these "third wires" are two independent circuits. There are only two Radsoks in the charger plug and port.

The third wire in the charger has nothing to do with the reed switch. It is a voltage sense wire. The reed switch inside the buggy's charger port needs the magnet to prevent the cart from running while plugged in. You can eliminate both of these if needed. If you still have a reed switch and have removed the magnet, you can accidentally drive away with the charger still plugged in. The magnet and reed switch is only a kill switch.

coosa

Great info, yurtle, but I don't understand what I said that wasn't true? With the lestronic having just 2 wires going to the charging port, I couldn't see any reason to install the magnet. The reed switch is hooked up on both my carts since I use another charger at times, and I realize it could be driven while hooked to the lestronic. It's not gonna be an issue because I will leave the lestronic at the farm and run it on a generator. Wouldn't be any way to drive off while hooked to it.

So do I need to put the magnet in the plug? I still have it if I do.

Thanks!

yurtle

"I still have the magnet sitting on my desk. I thought I might need it for something; no reason to put it in the plug when there are only 2 wires."

The magnet has nothing to do with two wires. You can have a two wire charger, and the magnet will still actuate the reed switch, unless it's sitting on your desk.

I was just pointing out that the two are totally unrelated. As long as you aren't using the magnet, you might want to go ahead and bypass your reed switch, like I did. That way, it won't leave you stranded.

coosa

Ok, I think I understand at last. It's the magnet the causes the reed switch to keep the cart from moving? In that case, I probably ought to install it. Can't imagine it ever being an issue for me, but the charger might outlive me and someone else could own it and need it.

I'll leave the reed switch in my carts because I use another charger most of the time. Thanks for the info, yurtle. You may yet teach me how that reed switch works. :)