Headlight Wiring for 36v CC

[black46]

I have a '84 36v CC. Now that it's getting dark early, I'd like to get the lights working. Sometime before I owned it, it had functioning lights. The headlights are there and a push-pull type switch is in the dash, but no wires to any of it. The switch has an on board fuse and two spade connctors. The light just have one wire. I would assume I would bring 12v to the switch, then from the switch to the lights. The part I can't figure out is what to do about a ground? It has to have one, right?

Paul

[scottyb]

Welcome to BGW !!!!
There is no frame ground on an electric vehicle like there is on a gas car(t). Each light must have a positive and negative lead. The negative(ground) can be constant and the positive switched. You can get 12v from any 2 batteries wired in series within the pack, although a 36 to 12 volt reducer is a better way because it will draw power off of the whole pack not just 2 poor batts assigned the addition job of lighting the way

[GLEEMO]

So what U need is to take the + lead to one of the + leads on the Positive Battery post.
Then back to the push pull switch (should have a second post) run a black ground cable
to the - (negative) post on a battery which is 2 batteries away from the POS U just connected.

So for example + on Bat #1 , to - on Batt #2
or + on Batt #3 , to - Batt #4 .
Make the cable ends so U cal move them among different Batteries every once in a while
to sorta kinda keep the batteries at the same levels.

OH yeah and Welcome to BGW !

[scottyb]

Good idea moving them around and it will work but, sooner or later people get tired fo changing them around and one pr gets permanent duty If you are not sure about where to connect check with a voltmeter first and see where Garry is refering you to connect to

[GLEEMO]

Huh ,well, I never,
just because I've had mine on the same 2 batteries since day one , doesn't mean I won't ever move them , when I get a little time

[black46]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Welcome to BGW !!!!
There is no frame ground on an electric vehicle like there is on a gas car(t). Each light must have a positive and negative lead. The negative(ground) can be constant and the positive switched. You can get 12v from any 2 batteries wired in series within the pack, although a 36 to 12 volt reducer is a better way because it will draw power off of the whole pack not just 2 poor batts assigned the addition job of lighting the way

Thanks for the welcome! The cart wasn't working very well when we got it, but I've been able to get working about as well as it can without a bunch of upgrades.

So, you're telling me the lights that are on it with the single wire is not correct for the electric cart? Which I guess is entirely possible if someone put a front cowl from a gas cart on it sometime in its past. That would explain the lack of wiring! What is the cheapest/simplist direction to go from here?

Paul

[scottyb]

If your lights are not working autozone or such has $20 light kits. THey come with the lights, the wire and inline fuse and cheap switch. I would upgrade to $4 toggle switch And hook them up in a 2 wire system..... a frame or body ground in an electric cart is just asking for bigger trouble later.