Series cart is making me hate this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by madoc1

go to alltrax's web site. they have a good write up on the diodes and resistors.

Good point Jim, Not using the resistor and diode is a guaranteed way to shorten the useful life of both the controller and solenoid on this cart.
36 volts requires a 240 ohm resistor and 1-3 amp diode

[TGJR]

Originally Posted by madoc1

go to alltrax's web site. they have a good write up on the diodes and resistors.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by scottyb

Good point Jim, Not using the resistor and diode is a guaranteed way to shorten the useful life of both the controller and solenoid on this cart.
36 volts requires a 240 ohm resistor and 1-3 amp diode

What about for 48v?

[simple man]

A 470Ω resistor is recommended for 48V. Controllers under the 300 amp level use a 1 amp diode while anything larger uses a 3 amp diode. Be sure to size your diode according to your controller amperage. I'm going to be going 48V pretty soon, myself!
I do have another suggestion. Move any wiring you have from underneath the cart! Believe me, it will get destroyed! :)

[TGJR]

Originally Posted by simple man

A 470Ω resistor is recommended for 48V. Controllers under the 300 amp level use a 1 amp diode while anything larger uses a 3 amp diode. Be sure to size your diode according to your controller amperage. I'm going to be going 48V pretty soon, myself!
I do have another suggestion. Move any wiring you have from underneath the cart! Believe me, it will get destroyed! :)

The Alltrax AXE 4865 controller is 650 amp while the solenoid they chose to use is only 200 amp. Should I go with the 1 amp diode or the 3 amp diode? Or should I recommend to him to upgrade to the 400 amp solenoid?


Also, I believe all the dealership did to upgrade the battery wiring was to double up the stock battery cables. How much of an issue could this end up being?

[simple man]

Originally Posted by TGJR

The Alltrax AXE 4865 controller is 650 amp while the solenoid they chose to use is only 200 amp. Should I go with the 1 amp diode or the 3 amp diode? Or should I recommend to him to upgrade to the 400 amp solenoid?


Also, I believe all the dealership did to upgrade the battery wiring was to double up the stock battery cables. How much of an issue could this end up being?

I'd use the 3amp diode. It's purpose is to eliminate the high voltage spike when the magnetic field in the solenoid coil collapses. Are you going to have to foot the bill for the solenoid? I would use the 400amp if it's part of your package. The 200 will work fine, unless you're going to tow things or run steep hills. Soft sand will also need the larger solenoid. I noticed in your photos the doubled up wires. That will be fine if they are 4ga doubled up. I read somewhere that doubling up a wire gauge does not give you twice the current capacity, though. What gauge wire is on there now? If it's 6ga, I'm not sure what that would actually be equivalent to in a single cable. Our electronics techs are going to have to take over on this!

[TGJR]

Originally Posted by simple man

I'd use the 3amp diode. It's purpose is to eliminate the high voltage spike when the magnetic field in the solenoid coil collapses. Are you going to have to foot the bill for the solenoid? I would use the 400amp if it's part of your package. The 200 will work fine, unless you're going to tow things or run steep hills. Soft sand will also need the larger solenoid. I noticed in your photos the doubled up wires. That will be fine if they are 4ga doubled up. I read somewhere that doubling up a wire gauge does not give you twice the current capacity, though. What gauge wire is on there now? If it's 6ga, I'm not sure what that would actually be equivalent to in a single cable. Our electronics techs are going to have to take over on this!

The cart belongs to a friend at the hunting camp. The dealer he purchased it from builds their own line of hunting buggies and this is exactly how it came from the dealer. He told me it stopped working the other day and he had no idea why. Being barely 3 months old, I wanted to just send him back to the dealer but I figured this would give me a chance to poke around the cart to see their work.

He'll be paying for the upgrades that are needed or at least recommended. The battery cables are 6 gauge and I'm pretty sure are the stock cables, just doubled up. All in all, for what he paid for this cart, I would have expected more.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by TGJR

......... The battery cables are 6 gauge and I'm pretty sure are the stock cables, just doubled up. All in all, for what he paid for this cart, I would have expected more.

Doubled up 6Ga equals 3Ga in area (circular mils) and resistance (Milli-Ohms/foot). Greater current carrying capacity than 4Ga, but not as much as 2Ga.
This seems odd to me, since I think two sets of 6Ga cables would cost more to build than on set of 2Ga.

[simple man]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Doubled up 6Ga equals 3Ga in area (circular mils) and resistance (Milli-Ohms/foot). Greater current carrying capacity than 4Ga, but not as much as 2Ga.
This seems odd to me, since I think two sets of 6Ga cables would cost more to build than on set of 2Ga.

My guess is that they had these lying around. I don't think I would have these guys building my cart! Too much non professional work. What I do to my cart, for myself to use is one thing, but I sure wouldn't do it on something I was going to sell to someone!

[TGJR]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Doubled up 6Ga equals 3Ga in area (circular mils) and resistance (Milli-Ohms/foot). Greater current carrying capacity than 4Ga, but not as much as 2Ga.
This seems odd to me, since I think two sets of 6Ga cables would cost more to build than on set of 2Ga.

I've been to this dealership before and they have hundreds of used bodies stacked up and a small metal building full of parts. They use (6) 8v batteries in their hunting carts. So the original cables are the right length. I'm 95% sure these cables are just stock cables doubled up. If they'll work fine then good. But they're certainly not building these cables.

Originally Posted by simple man

My guess is that they had these lying around. I don't think I would have these guys building my cart! Too much non professional work. What I do to my cart, for myself to use is one thing, but I sure wouldn't do it on something I was going to sell to someone!

You're telling me! He's happy with it but he doesn't have a clue what any of the components under the seat are.