48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

Hi Experts, I need your help please.

I am trying to add a 12 volt converter to my golf cart and don't know what to do with the 12v negative wire - let me explain.

The converter is a SUPERNIGHT -

I have a 2004 "Electric I.Q. Golf Car, 48 Volt Regen" per the serial number sticky - thanks! It has six 8 volt batteries.

I see the 48 volt positive and negative wires going to the batteries. I know I need to connect the positive and negative 48v wires of the converter to these respectively - I am ok with connecting this side of the converter.

I see a yellow wire coming off the + side of the 2nd battery from the negative 48 volt side of the cart. I know I need to remove this from the battery, and connect this to the positive 12v lead from the converter. I am ok with this.

What do I do with the negative 12v lead from the converter? Should I put it on the negative 48 volt side of the cart too? That would mean I am joining the negative wires of the converter together - is that ok?

Thank you! Keith.

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

I think that neg goes to you lights or whatever you needed the 12 volts to .....
didn't come with a diagram?

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

Keith, my understanding on electric cart is all negative grounds always go back to negative side of batt pack. My madjax reducer goes to my negative pack batt on a Club Car. Steve

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

The converter is marked with two input leads and two out put leads. The input leads (red & black) go to your golf cart batteries. The black lead goes to the negative terminal of the last battery in your 48v or 36v string, and the red lead goes to the pos. terminal of the first battery in the string. The two out-put leads (yellow and black) go to your lights or other accessories on your golf cart. The output should 12V if you use a multi meter and read the voltage across the yellow and black leads. The black leads are the negative side of what ever you are attaching to the 12V system. Unlike a car, the frame or other metal parts of the cart can't be used for grounding, since the negative side of your battery string is not connected to the frame and should NOT be connected to the frame. This is a closed system, unlike what you have on a car.

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

:thumbup:Budule

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

And , not knocking it but that is SCARRY cheap for a 48 to 12 reducer......I would question its quality.....

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

It only has 10amps of output. Barely enough for a pair of 55w driving lights.

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

Hi Guys, I really appreciate the replies - thanks!

I know in theory that the negative 12 v from the converter needs to go to the negative 12 volt circuit on the cart.

But how do I find the negative 12 volt circuit in practice on a standard 2004 Clubcar?

Close to the charger inlet, I do see a terminal block that has a number of black wires attached to it. I suspect some of these go to the cart 12v circuit negative, and some to the cart 48v circuit negative. But I would need to figure out which is which by pulling all the wires out of the loom they are in.

I am hoping some-one has been-there done that and could say "see wire X on connector Y - that is the negative 12v feed to the cart" or similar.

Thank you! Keith.

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

I wouldn't mess with any of that , keep YOUR 12v stuff separate , are you trying to hook up lights?.....

Re: 48v to 12v converter - what to do with the 12v negative wire?
 

I have no add-ons - I am just trying to take the factory 12v stuff (headlights, brakelights) off the 2 base batteries so they don't get taxed.

Thanks! Keith.