Upgraded to 48v lithium; confused about blue wire, black/white wire for accessories

[enfantterrible]

Hi there,

I've been reading through as many posts on here as I can, but I'm still stumped, so I thought I'd ask my question directly.

I have a 2013 Club Car Precedent (electric). It's a 48v setup, with an OBC. I had six 8-volt batteries that came with the cart, but last week they finally died, so I upgraded to two Relion Lithium Batteries. Each is 48v, and they're in parallel to extend the range. I've put them in, and they're working nicely. I've also bypassed the OBC so that I can use the non-standard charger.

My question has to do with the accessories on my cart, which are: a front LED, a pair of brake lights, and a horn.

Under the seat, there are two wires that I believe power these accessories. One wire is blue, and seems to go into a fuse at some point; the other wire is black.

In my old setup, the blue wire was connected to a spur coming off the negative terminal on the third battery in the series (currently, it is connected to nothing). The black wire is connected to a black-and-white wire with a clip. I have attached photographs of (1) the top of the blue wire, (2) where the blue wire disappears into the conduit/fuse, and (3) the black wire, as connected to the black-and-white wire.

I am assuming that if I were to connect to the blue wire to the same positive terminal as the cart is using (you can see a spur in the first photo), I would create a 48v circuit. But, of course, if I do that, I'm going to blow my 12v accessories. For the moment, I've left it unplugged.

I assume that I need a 48v to 12v converter. At what point in the circuit do I need to install this? I'm assuming that it's not as simple as "intercepting" the blue wire and the black wire under the seat, and then running a separate wire up to the key to make sure that the converter doesn't draw all the time?

All in all, my questions are:

1. Where in the chain should I install the 48v to 12v converter?
2. What does the black wire that is connected to the black-and-white wire, actually do, and to what is it ultimately connected?
3. Will there be any problems caused by the fuse on the blue wire? What does that do?

Thank you for any help, and apologies if there are any omissions in my description or if I'm assuming here that my setup is intuitively obvious when it's not. A lot of the wiring is hidden inside conduits, and, if I don't need to open it up, I'd obviously rather not.

[PingEye3]

First, I am assuming that you meant that the lights were originally connected across 2 batteries (possibly three).

With the 6-8V configuration. You most likely have a 16v-12v converter mounted up under the nose on the flat plate behind the upper end of the shocks. If so, you will need to remove that from the circuit. You will pull the dash panel and find that there is a Tee in the 12 pin the harness for the lights. The Tee portion plugs into the light harness. You will disconnect both ends of that Tee and then reconnect the two ends together. Then remove that harness and old converter. If you look at the pdf attached you can see the converter and the two 12 pin plugs on right side of drawing.

The circuit you just removed, takes the 16-12V converter out of the circuit. Now, you will take the blue (+) and black (-) asked about to the 12V side of a new 48-12 converter. If you purchase this type of converter (see link) you will connect the Yellow and Black to 48V input, the Red will be your 12V circuit along with connecting to the Black (common to both 48V and 12V). The Blue can be capped off with a red butt splice. The Green will go to the light blue wire on the solenoid. When KS is 'on' the converter will be turned on as well.

If you have more 12v circuits, you may want to consider the converter 12V side going to a small fuse panel. See second link, I use it on every Lithium conversion.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...X7A6EJXC&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

[enfantterrible]

Thank you for this detailed reply, I appreciate it.

Yes: In my old setup, the lights were connected across only some of the batteries. I've attached a photo. The blue wire under the seat was attached to the negative terminal on the third or the fourth battery (depending on from which way one is supposed to count; I'm not sure).

I will take a look today to see if a 16-12v converter is where you suggest it will be, and, if so, I will remove it.

Just to check that I've properly understood you: If I were to buy the 48v to 12v reducer that you suggested, I would connect:

1. The yellow wire on the reducer to the positive terminal on Lithium Battery #1
2. The black wire on the reducer to the negative terminal on Lithium battery #2
3. The green wire on the reducer to the solenoid, as per your instruction
4. The red wire on the reducer to the blue wire under the seat that is connected to the lights, etc.
5. The blue wire on the reducer to a red butt splice

And I would leave the black wire that is going into the black-and-white wire under the seat alone, as it doesn't need to be a part of the reducer setup.

Correct?

Thank you again for your help.

[PingEye3]

Not sure what you mean by lithium battery 1 & 2. Yellow and black go to 48V of battery (s), same as controller connection. The black/white wire that had the neg (-) for the lights can be connected there again as it comes from B- at controller. Everything else is correct.

The 12V+ is Red from converter and there needs to be a Neg to go with it. The light harness blue wire can connect to the same place as the Black from the converter or use the blk/wht as described above.

[Pat911]

The positive and negative terminals on both lithium batteries should be connected together, so connection to either battery will give the required 48v.

On the original setup, the negative terminal of battery 3 is the same as the positive terminal of battery 2, so 16v. There should be a 16v to 12v reducer.

Cheers
Pat.

[enfantterrible]

Thank you to both of you.

Yes, the two lithium batteries are in parallel, and connected together with busbars. When connecting to the cart/accessories, I'm using the positive on the first battery and the negative on the second, but that's just because it's physically convenient.

Thank you, Pat911, for the description of the original setup. I found the 16v-12v reducer and have removed it from the system, and physically from the cart itself.

I'm waiting for a few things to be delivered—I ordered the reducer that PingEye3 suggested—and then I'll set this up.

[WalterM6]

Keep in mind that you just don't remove the reducer you also need to connect the two connection wires together.

[enfantterrible]

Absolutely. Attached are the before and after.

[enfantterrible]

Out of interest, why did you recommend that I run the green wire from the reducer to the solenoid rather than to the key switch?

[PingEye3]

I have done a lot of Leaf pack lithium upgrades (34) and all of the controllers, chargers, DC-DC converters and solenoids are mounted in the battery tub, so it is readily available without running a wire to the dash. When KS is ON, power is supplied to the light blue wire at the solenoid. Shortest run for me. So, either way works.