Wiring my headlights with 36 volt bulbs

[smitj02]

I am following a idea I read about here where I am adding headlights to my '86 Marathon using a ~$12 light kit bought at Wal-Mart and some replacement 36 volt bulbs bought on Ebay. I am just trying to noodle exactly how to modify the wiring diagram that came with the lights to fit my golf cart. I know that I need to modify things so that the ground wire that comes off the lights goes back to the (-) side of the pack. The bit I am curious about is the lighted switch. It has three tabs on the back and you can see on the pics how it is supposed to be connected. Should I also connect the ground wire from the switch to the (-) terminal of the pack? Do I need to worry about the switch overheating or running 36 volts through it? (There is some writing on the switch that says (15A 125V AC 10A 250V AC) What about the light on the switch? I read another thread about looking for a 36 volt lighted switch where someone suggested a 12 volt A23 battery. I have one of those. How would I add that to the switch? Can I even do that? I have attached two pictures. One is a scan of the wiring diagram that came with the lights, the other is my attempt at adding in my changes to make it work in the cart.

Let me know if you need any more information to figure this out.

Thanks,

smitj02

[CRK]

OK let me take a stab at this...

The ground wire for the switch is for the light in the switch to light up when you flip the switch on. If the switch is rated for 36 volts then yes, run the ground wire to the neg side of you battery pack.

If the switch is rated at 12 volts then run it too the second battery negative connector that you are pulling negative 36 volts from.

The real question is will the light kit you have handle 36 volt bulbs and will the wires handle the current they draw?


Also if you do not need the switch to light dont worry about the ground it's not needed to complete the circuit for the headlights to turn on

[bigstik40]

I installed 36 volt halogens on my 2008 TXT using a set of $20 Walmart fog lamps, and they have been working really well . I opted not to use the supplied rocker switch because I didn't like the way it mounted. Instead, I picked up a SPST (pull -on, push-off) automotive switch which mounted through a hole that I drilled into an existing grommet under the seat. The lighted function of the supplied rocker switch won't work, as is, because the 12 volt bulb in the switch will burn out the first time you operate the lights, so don't bother to connect the switch ground. (As CRK correctly suggested, you could come up with ways to keep from burning out the bulb, but I would just keep it simple and not connect it!!) For safety, be sure you use a fuse in the hot wire to the lights. Your diagram for tying the ground wires together then connect to battery pack minus (-) is correct. (Do not connect to cart chassis). The 36 volt bulbs actually draw less current (3 A. total for 50 W. bulbs) at 36 volts than the 12 volt bulbs do at 12 volts (8.3 A. total for 50 W. bulbs), so don't worry about the supplied switch or wire handling the current. Hope this helps - RAY