Cheap Battery Charger alternative

mrwue · 03-02-2009, 06:50 PM

Hello,
I am new to this forum, and am glad that I found this. It seems very helpful and nice.

Anyway, I have a Melex 36v Golf cart, but the charger is shot, so I need a new one. However, I was wondering if there may be an alternative to buying a $300 charger. Could I use an electric scooter charger?

htp://www.monsterscooterparts.com/to36vo40amp3.html

It is 36v and 4amps, so it would take probably about 24hrs to charge the golf cart, however, it would be a fraction of the price of the 20amp charger. I would just strip the wires and attach my crow foot connector from the old charger onto the 4amp one.

Would this work, or will the onboard controller "not accept" the low current?

Thanks.

roady89 · 03-02-2009, 07:12 PM

No it won't work. Sorry man....gonna have to buy the right stuff. You could use a 12 volt automotive charger and charge 2 at a time.

mrwue · 03-02-2009, 07:27 PM

OK, So is it because of the controller? Then the auto charger wil work because it is higher amp?

rusty · 03-02-2009, 07:41 PM

Hello mrwue and Welcome to the forum.

roady89 · 03-02-2009, 07:42 PM

Has nothing to do with the controller. Yes, the auto charger will have higher amps, but you are only gonna be charging 2 at a time. Eventually, You WILL wish you spent the money on the correct charger.

Good luck! I'm out!

ads245 · 03-02-2009, 07:46 PM

Just do it right the first time, it always pays off. Taking the short cut never ends well.

rusty · 03-02-2009, 07:48 PM

The wrong charger can damage your batteries. As said above, the correct one is the best one in the long run and the short run.

mrwue · 03-02-2009, 07:52 PM

Hard to argue with that. I guess I will have to do it right. I hate when that happens.

mrwue · 03-08-2009, 06:08 PM

My golf cart has the "crowfoot connector" for the charger insert. Would this charger work with the golf cart? http://cgi.ebay.com/Tennant-36-volt-...QQcmdZViewItem

It does not show what the connector type is. However, if it is not the crowfoot one, could I just rewire it and use the crowfoot connector from the broken charger and wire it to the new one? Would that work?

Thanks.

gaston · 03-08-2009, 06:49 PM

Yeap that charger will work with your 36v cart but is NOT an automatic charger, you are coming back to the: "You WILL wish you spent the money on the correct charger."

Keep digging ebay, you can find a charger for 200 around, look for at least a 36v, 20amp AUTOMATIC charger...
I have 14, yes fourteen 36v chargers for sale range price 200 to 270 but I am located down in Mexico

...

I found a couple of good chargers you can convert to automatic, actually the one you pointing it can be converted to automatic also, but it needs another at least 70 to 90usd.
Be carefull on ebay as there's a copuple of chargers they pray o be automatic when they are not.

03-02-2009, 06:50 PM	#1
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5	Cheap Battery Charger alternative Hello, I am new to this forum, and am glad that I found this. It seems very helpful and nice. Anyway, I have a Melex 36v Golf cart, but the charger is shot, so I need a new one. However, I was wondering if there may be an alternative to buying a $300 charger. Could I use an electric scooter charger? htp://www.monsterscooterparts.com/to36vo40amp3.html It is 36v and 4amps, so it would take probably about 24hrs to charge the golf cart, however, it would be a fraction of the price of the 20amp charger. I would just strip the wires and attach my crow foot connector from the old charger onto the 4amp one. Would this work, or will the onboard controller "not accept" the low current? Thanks.
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5

03-02-2009, 07:12 PM	#2
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative No it won't work. Sorry man....gonna have to buy the right stuff. You could use a 12 volt automotive charger and charge 2 at a time.
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

03-02-2009, 07:27 PM	#3
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative OK, So is it because of the controller? Then the auto charger wil work because it is higher amp?
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5

03-02-2009, 07:41 PM	#4
rusty Golf Cart Photographer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wichita Falls Texas - My Ride 2010 Club Car Posts: 6,236	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative Hello mrwue and Welcome to the forum.

03-02-2009, 07:42 PM	#5
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative Has nothing to do with the controller. Yes, the auto charger will have higher amps, but you are only gonna be charging 2 at a time. Eventually, You WILL wish you spent the money on the correct charger. Good luck! I'm out!
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

Today
BGW	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum

03-02-2009, 07:46 PM	#6
ads245 Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 250	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative Just do it right the first time, it always pays off. Taking the short cut never ends well.
ads245 Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 250

03-02-2009, 07:48 PM	#7
rusty Golf Cart Photographer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wichita Falls Texas - My Ride 2010 Club Car Posts: 6,236	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative The wrong charger can damage your batteries. As said above, the correct one is the best one in the long run and the short run.

03-02-2009, 07:52 PM	#8
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative Hard to argue with that. I guess I will have to do it right. I hate when that happens.
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5

03-08-2009, 06:08 PM	#9
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative My golf cart has the "crowfoot connector" for the charger insert. Would this charger work with the golf cart? http://cgi.ebay.com/Tennant-36-volt-...QQcmdZViewItem It does not show what the connector type is. However, if it is not the crowfoot one, could I just rewire it and use the crowfoot connector from the broken charger and wire it to the new one? Would that work? Thanks.
mrwue Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5

03-08-2009, 06:49 PM	#10
gaston Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 829	Re: Cheap Battery Charger alternative Yeap that charger will work with your 36v cart but is NOT an automatic charger, you are coming back to the: "You WILL wish you spent the money on the correct charger." Keep digging ebay, you can find a charger for 200 around, look for at least a 36v, 20amp AUTOMATIC charger... I have 14, yes fourteen 36v chargers for sale range price 200 to 270 but I am located down in Mexico... I found a couple of good chargers you can convert to automatic, actually the one you pointing it can be converted to automatic also, but it needs another at least 70 to 90usd. Be carefull on ebay as there's a copuple of chargers they pray o be automatic when they are not.
gaston Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 829

Similar Threads
Thread	Forum
hot battery charger	Electric Club Car
In Dash Stereo Alternative	Electric Club Car
Key Switch alternative	Electric Club Car
WANTED ---36V charger--cheap	Golf Carts and Parts
Alternative engine for 91 2 stroke?	Gas EZGO