Charger won't charge

[capnrobby]

I just bought 1996 Club Car DS, my first cart. When I plug 48 volt plug into receptacle , relay in charger clicks and buzzes, but no amps on meter and no charge. Voltage across battery pack is 48.4 but inside receptacle only 36.8. Normal? Any suggestions welcome. Thanks, capnrobby

[shadowman]

well give the grey wire in cart on back of receptical a pull if it comes out theres your problem.........replace it...............if not than if you can try your charger on another cart if it works than check the FUSE on your cart on top of charge receptical if its good replace your OBC..................is your dash battery light still red or is it orange?......................and welcome.............................

[delagem]

Just guessing here...

Is it possible you've got the red wire coming from the charge receptacle hooked to the wrong battery?

Forgive me if this picture doesn't match up with your cart, it's for a '99 Carryall, the only parts diagram I happen to have handy.

[capnrobby]

TNX for the welcome. I sailed across oceans and fixed everything onboard, but this is a new adventure. I’ve read lots of threads and downloaded the manual for the Powerdrive charger. The charger worked (kind of ) at first but only after jiggling the plug (which had elecdtrician’s tape around it.) Seemed to be no communication with the batteries as it just kept pumping in 10A (started at 17A) and gassed the batteries. Never would taper off.

Plug got really hot so I stripped off the tape and found the black wire had been soldered. I am going to order a new plug and pray that may solve the problem? Gray wire and fuse and fuse link all seem fine. I am no electrician but the diodes in the charger seem to be ok too. Thanks so much for the help. No Club Car dealers on Molokai, Robby

[capnrobby]

Oops forgot to mention, orange light on dash blinked on and off originally (off 2 sec, on about 1 I cleaned all terminals and light has not gone on since. Robby

[capnrobby]

Last post should have said, “orange light on dash blinked on and off originally (off 2 sec, on about 18 sec.) I cleaned all terminals and light has not gone on since.”
Bought and installed a new plug on 12 V cord from Powerdrive charger. Charger clicks and hums but no amps on meter and no battery change on pack (at 48.1 now)
All is wired correctly as far as I can tell and the charger charged at first (17A and dropped back to 10A but never tapered off) BEFORE I messed with the plug because it was so hot while charging. Tried to reset OBC, but reverse buzzer does not sound at all with Batt. Neg disconnected.
Cart ran fine when I got it last week. Do not want to use again till I can charge again. All suggestions welcome.

[capnrobby]

Just tried resetting OBC again. Nothing (including no reverse buzz with neg disconnected – rev. buzzer works fine with neg connected and cart still runs forward and reverse.) Tried bypass (gray wire to #6 neg. and charger relay clicks on and hums when I complete circuit but still no amps. Relay clicks off when I disconnect gray from #6 neg. Same symptoms when I plug in DC cord from charger and unplug but never any amps or voltage into batteries. Something wrong in charger? Thanks again for your help. Capn

[capnrobby]

It’s working, It’s working! Sort of.

Finally figured out that reverse on my Club Car is to the right, not left. Maybe it was built for a left hander. Tried OBC reset again and seemed to work. None of the posts mentioned that the buzzer would start again (dimly) after reset. Still no amps from charger however.

Decided to try moving the car forward and backward a foot or so several times and plugged in charger and VOILA ammeter jumped to 19 amps! So far so good (and by the way thank you to the person/s who said the magic words at the right time. If you are ever inclined to share those words/gestures/incantations with the rest of us, please do so at your earliest possible convenience. The 21st century is not the time to keep your voodoo to yourselves anymore.)

Only problem now is same as before (without the melting plug) and that is charger drops to 10A and voltage goes to 55.3 and there is no taper off or shut down till batteries boil off and melt down. Again, all suggestions appreciated. Capn

[shadowman]

its normal for batteries to boil they may just be really discharged............if thats the only problem other than getting hot the charger is meant to charge for 16 hours before it shuts off auto,..................its not uncommon for it to get at 10 amps or lower and stay there for 7 to 10 hours before it works down and shuts off................you really need to leave the charger do its job thats the only way your gonna get the batteries right and if everything is working as it should it will shut off after 16 hours, now depending on age and condition of batteries that could be the problem if your dealing with a set of batteries that are on their way out..................................

[Colbyntx]

Originally Posted by shadowman

its normal for batteries to boil they may just be really discharged............if thats the only problem other than getting hot the charger is meant to charge for 16 hours before it shuts off auto,..................its not uncommon for it to get at 10 amps or lower and stay there for 7 to 10 hours before it works down and shuts off................you really need to leave the charger do its job thats the only way your gonna get the batteries right and if everything is working as it should it will shut off after 16 hours, now depending on age and condition of batteries that could be the problem if your dealing with a set of batteries that are on their way out..................................