Hooking up lights

[wes81461]

Why cant I just hook lights to 2 6v batteries that reads 12v... instead of buying a voltage reducer on a 2013 txt with no tow switch..

[jakesnake27]

to BGW

You certainly can, but it is not advised due to it placing an uneven draw on the battery pack. Over time, the two batteries that the lights are connected to will become weaker and will draw down the entire pack with them. Install a 36-12v reducer for longest battery life.

Here is a link to a high quality unit from a site sponsor: https://www.cartsunlimited.net/12v-reducers.html

[mfinnegan]

Originally Posted by wes81461

Why cant I just hook lights to 2 6v batteries that reads 12v... instead of buying a voltage reducer on a 2013 txt with no tow switch..

sure you can. that's what i do. i have two 6V batteries hooked up to a fuse block for all my lights. If you're like me and barely do night driving and don't need the lights too much(like 20 minutes a month's worth tops in my case), it's fine. LED lights, even better (less draw)

If you use them constantly, 1000% take Jakes advice

[meimk]

To break it down a bit: When you drive your cart the power to run the motor and propel you along is drawn from the entire back of batteries. They all discharge evenly. Your chargers plugs in to the entire pack and charges it as one whole unit, so they all get the same amount of charging. When you hook up accessories (lights, sound systems, phone chargers, etc) to just 2 of the batteries it discharges those 2 batteries a little more than the others. Your charger can't tell the difference and will charge them together all the same. Now those 2 batteries don't ever get to 100% charge anymore. The charger is still trying to reach a peak voltage across the pack that shuts it off, ending the charge cycle. So the other batteries will get more charge than they need while the 2 (now weaker batteries) will never make it back to quite 100%. Over time you cook the other batteries and deplete the ones used with accessories. Shortens the run time and life expectancy of the entire pack. In the long run a voltage reducer can cost far less than premature replacement of a set of batteries.

[kmoorhead]

Wiring the 2 battery method, is there a benefit to wiring to two of the batteries at the middle of the series as opposed to the first 2 or last 2?

Also, tried to wire through key switch, but there is a noticeable sound loss in the horn when wired through keyswitch. Assume, I need to go the reduce route if I want to utilize the key switch?

[Andy4639]

Another way to do it if you really want to just use two batteries is buy another 36 volt solenoid and hook the small wires up to the other main solenoid. Then run a nice cable to the big post on the solenoid and then wire from the other big terminal to either a fuse block are to whatever you want, like lights switch, horn then ground back to the second battery. This way when you turn the key switch on the solenoid activates and all your accessories have power. Turn the key off and nothing has power. So if you forget to turn your lights off they go off when the key is off.
Also works great for brake lights to when the hill brake is used.

If you use your cart a lot at night though it maybe better to just buy a nice reducer and forget about it. The newer ones have a key switch ON/OFF for them also.