Blown voltage reducer.....maybe???

nickwarf

I am very new to owning my own cart. I just bought a used 2012 Yamaha G29. I bought it used from a dealer who added headlights for me. I was trying to show my wife how it worked and show her the tow mode button just in case she ever got on it and it didn't work at all. When I flipped that switch the key was turned on. I flipped it on and off and then sat down to show her the rest. When I turned the lights on I heard a pop and the light flashed for a split second and now they will not come on. Cart seems to run ok.

My questions after that long drawn out explanation is....could I have blown the voltage reducer? There is a 15 amp fuse on the red wire coming out of the voltage reducer to the headlights that is not blown. I have replaced it despite it not looking blown. Could what I have done flipping the tow switch on and off with the key in the on position have sent a surge that blew the reducer?

Thanks for any help. Again I am VERY much a novice and not technically inclined.

BGW

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joeb65

Do you have access to a volt meter? If you do not, this would be a great time to invest in one. I have a Yamaha G29, and it is a gas cart, not an electric. I am guessing it is an electric model due to the fact you have a voltage converter, so I downloaded the 2012 48v manual from Yamaha. There is no voltage converter on their schematic. There is a 3 amp fuse on the tow switch circuit, but that should not be tied into your lights. If you go to Yamaha, most of their manuals are available online. Also, there should be a fuse before the contactor or relay that sends power to your voltage converter. Possibly that is blown? Most likely you did nothing to the voltage converter if it is brand new. If you only wanted headlights, why don't you just have the dealer install 48v LED's? Voltage converters can be an issue and add a lot of parts, and the converter costs more than the entire LED light kit in most cases that I install.

Volt_Ampere

What you did should not have damaged the reducer. Headlights added by the dealer could vary in how they are wired. My reducer has a fuse on the 48V side and the 12V side. Check both.

nickwarf

Thank you for suggesting I look for a second fuse. I did not find a second fuse but I did find where the wires coming from the batteries to the reducers fried the reducer. There was a black clearly melted looking plastic and the reducer. Looks like I am going to try and replace it on my own.

Thanks for the help. I am very new at this and the guidance helps tremendously.

cgtech

Can't say for sure, but many of the aftermarket convertors are crap. The 3a fuse is for the controller, not lights. If anyone managed to hit that circuit for lights, they should not be touching the cart ever again. The diagrams from Yamaha you will find don't include the lights. They consider the lights as "accesories", not part of the cart from the assembly line, even if it came from Yamaha that way. Wiring diagrams are a "good luck to you" type of thing for lights. They have very poor support for the part of diagrams on their light systems. I have very few, and have to interpret them to meet newer models. Yamaha considers all the light kits as "parts & accessories" which has poor coverage for support & little coverage in the official service books.

Golf cart guy

If it has the factory reducer, check voltage at the lights, it could have blown the factory reducer and it is now putting 30 plus volts to the lights.

Molon Labe USA

Which 48V LED light kit do you use? I need to install one on my cart and don't want to deal with a reducer. Also, is there a LED light bar that's actually 48V as well?

joeb65

To Molon Labe USA,
Kits depend on the carts. Any 48v LED can be used on a 48v system. Some LED's are 12-48 volt inclusive. EZGO kits with head light, tail light, turn signal setup for example are readily available. Message me, and let me know what you have, and I will try and point you in a good direction.

Dsouthw524

Anyone know the wattage the factory reducer will handle?

cgtech

Here ya go.
This is the reducer used by yamaha & ezgo. They have transitioned to a new style case, but specs are same.

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