Cheap voltage reducer. Sparks when connecting.

Noneck

So I recently converted my 2001 Ezgo to 48 volt with new alltrax controller and supporting mods. Previously the cart was running on 3 12 volt auto batteries so I replaced with 6 8 volt batteries. I had been running my LED headlights on one of the 12v batteries isolated before the conversion so I needed a reducer. (They will run on an 8v isolated but not very bright)
I purchased an $11 lightshine 48v to 12v reducer on ebay as that is my only 12v accessory and I figured that would be fine.
When I went to connect the 48 v leads to the batteries, I got a big spark. I connected positive to battery 1 and negative to battery 6.
I figured the o my possibility was that maybe it wanted reversed polarity so I tried it the opposite way and still got sparks. I concluded that the cheapo regulator had a dead short and the vendor sent me a free replacement.
The new one does the same thing. It's not rocket science, why can't I get this thing to work? The 12 v leads were obviously wired to my light switch. Lights still work properly when connected to a 12v battery so the switch and lights are not the problem. Any ideas other than I got 2 bad units?

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BGW

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fishbooz

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See the post below from Sergio ...it worked for me .....


The first time a DC-DC converter is powered after is has been disconnected from the batteries, there will be an inrush of current as the input capacitors inside the voltage converter need to charge.

What I do on mine is to use an incandescent light bulb (60w or so) and run it in series with the positive cable for a few seconds.

Just stand the light bulb on the battery post and touch the cable on the threads of the light bulb, a 60w light bulb is about 240Ω and it will charge the capacitors without a spark.

You can then just put the cable on the battery post without a spark.

Those input capacitors will then stay charged, using a very small amount of current, even if the Yellow trigger wire is OFF.

Noneck

No way! Thanks! Will the sparks hurt anything if i didn't have a bulb handy?

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teecro

Yes they will do that and it is rather unsettling when you connect the wire or plug in the fuse you get a big sparking pop... I forget the brand of reducer I got but it does the same thing!

teecro

Hurts nothing...

Noneck

Thanks very much!

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