Loose Black Wire Unattached

[Garcosta]

I have an electric ezgo golf cart having Six 6 volt batteries. I have 2 problems I need help with.

1) I have a unattached with laying next to my batteries with a ring or round end. It is black but not sure it it goes to positive or negative. I had read that it should be positive but when I tried to attach it to the positive post, I heard a pop and a spark, so I removed it.

What post should it go to and what is it serving? Lights possibly?

2). I noticed that my headlights are not coming on. May related to number 1 above or maybe not. When I touch that unattached wire to either the negative post or positive post nothing happens. Any suggestions on what to do to diagnose this?

[Sir Nuke]

FIRST THING.....trace the wire and see what its attached to on the other end.

[Bama Brad]

Black "Normally" goes to the negative, unless someone has been wiring and only had black wire. Also, if you have a negative, there is usually a corresponding Positive (red) wire hooked to another joined battery to make the 12 volts (2 x 6-volt) that run lights, assessories. Need to do what Sir Nuke suggests...follow the wire to see what it leads to.

[Bama Brad]

Do not hook up to the pack voltage (36 volts), it will blow fuses/bulbs

[Cobra,1]

As said trace wire back to it’s source. Connecting wire without knowing where it comes from can be costly mistake
Also even if wire is coming from reducer, some reducers are always (live) meaning they are allways on thus drawing amps from batteries that will cause sparking when connected to battery.

Best find where wire comes from,also what reducer you have and how it’s connected as the two may be related 😊