48 volt upgrade options

[jpbsarris]

Planning on an Alltrax upgrade in the near future and then an upgrade to 48 volts later on. Probably a dumb question but can a 12 volt cart battery be added to a 36 volt system instead of two more 6 volt batteries. There is room for one other battery under the seat but two in the bag well would be hard to access due to a custom toolbox on the back that basically blocks the bag well. I currently have 6 almost new Powertron P2000 batteries so I am wanting to keep these for a while and upgrade to six 8 volt batteries next time.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by jpbsarris

Planning on an Alltrax upgrade in the near future and then an upgrade to 48 volts later on. Probably a dumb question but can a 12 volt cart battery be added to a 36 volt system instead of two more 6 volt batteries. There is room for one other battery under the seat but two in the bag well would be hard to access due to a custom toolbox on the back that basically blocks the bag well. I currently have 6 almost new Powertron P2000 batteries so I am wanting to keep these for a while and upgrade to six 8 volt batteries next time.

Which drive system? Series, DCS or PDS.

As for adding a 12V battery to a 6x6V battery pack, it will quickly destroy the 6 almost new P2000 batteries as well as the added 12V.

Storage capacity is more or less determined by the square footage of the lead plates inside the 2V cells and with 6 cells (12V) in roughly the same size box as a 3 cell (6V) battery, a 12V battery will have roughly half the storage capacity of a 6V battery.

Since the batteries are charged and discharged in series, the 12V battery will charge and discharge about twice as fast as the 6V batteries, so the net results will be undercharging the 6V while overcharging the 12V, shortening the cradle to grave lifespan of both types. Similar adverse effects occur during use also.

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By picking the right solenoid and charger to go along with the Alltrax controller, you might be able to add another Powertron P2000 to make a 42V battery pack.

Alltrax controllers work at 36V, 42V and 48V.
48V MZJ400 solenoids work at 36V, 42V and 48V. (There may be others, I know that one for sure, I have one)
I understand some of the Lester Summit II battery chargers can be programmed to 42V now and 48V later. (I'm not 100% sure of this - contact Carts Unlimited to find out for sure)

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FWIW: If you have a PDS cart, 42V is the sweet spot with the stock motor.

[jpbsarris]

Thank you for the detailed information about the batteries. I have a series cart. Is the only difference between 42 vs 48 volts when running a 48V MZJ400 solenoid the diode and resistor?

[JohnnieB]

Need a 470Ω resistor for either 42V or 48V.
Need a 6A diode for the 400A solenoid. (MR754)

The 42V pack will up your speed and torque by roughly 16.7% and you'll get another 16.7% when you go to 48V.

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You'll also get about 16.7% more driving distance on a single charge, but that can go back to whatever it is with the 36V pack you now have when you go to 48V, unless you go with higher capacity 8V batteries.

Looks like a P2000 is a 210AH battery, so seven of them will store 8.82kWh of energy.
The standard grade 8V battery is 170AH, so the standard 48V pack stores 8.16kWh, or about about 92% of the 42V pack of P2000 batteries.

To get the same range the 8V batteries will have to be 184AH or larger.