electrical wiring issues

[rgs80074]

Hello everyone

cart details: 1991 ezgo marathon 36v


We recently replaced all the batteries and the cart is now working great again but we can not get the battery meter to read higher than 76%. Next time I go over I'll be testing the pack with a multimeter as I am thinking the meter is not reading right.


I plan on putting or wiring some accessories up but had put this off until the prior issues was resolved.

right now the battery meter is connected to the main master +/- but not with ring terminals and that might be the issue not getting a proper connection.



I'll be using a reducer and fuse buss that has the 5 wires, from scottyb's diagram from the website I could connect the meters wire in with the green wire and the meter would be on when the key is activated. Then wire its black wire to the packs master negative.

here's my issue

what's the proper way to connect the wire to the green wire, should I just splice it in some how or get some kind of connector such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/Nilight-Termi...15&sr=8-4&th=1

or

https://www.amazon.com/G%C2%B7PEH-So...8705715&sr=8-5


also how do you do this when the wires are different gauges. I am not sure the gauge of the wires for the reducer but its the one listed on scotty's website. and the wire from the battery meter is very very thin I am thinking 20+ gauge here is a link to the meter but I do not see the wire size.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1


My other issue is trying to find Ring terminals that will fit the posts on a 6volt battery. I can find them for the larger wires but those for small wires are no where to be found. those for 14-16gauge is ok but for those 20 gauge or higher no so much.


Any help would be great.

Ryan

[cartdoc1969]

If the batteries are new it will take them about 10 or more cycles to reach their full capacity. The best place to find small gauge ring terminals that fit the battery posts is auto parts stores.

[Capt. Lenny]

Percentage meters aren't very accurate. I don't have any experience with the meter you show from Amazon but a meter that reads actual volts is much more accurate for SOC. The voltage meters like ScottyB sells at cartsunlimited.net are more accurate, draw only milliamps and can be hooked to pack B+ and B- and be left on all the time. The OEM meter is usually connected to the ignition switch which is okay too. Just know that when your battery pack reads 36 volts after a short rest that it's 50% charged and time for a recharge.

As for your connectors, I prefer heat shrink type marine connectors because they create a solid connection and keep water or moisture out preventing corrosion. You can find a multiple of sizes at Westmarine.com but you will find them cheaper on Ebay or Amazon. They are also available in an assortment pack.

For the connection to the battery you'll be lengthening the leads so increase the wire size and use a butt connector. The meter wire can be crimped in the same ring terminal used for connecting your voltage reducer. You'll have 2 wires in the same crimp ring. Could also be spliced in at the reducer primary lead because you'll be lengthening them also. For safety reasons I put a small fuse in this line also.

Hope this helps!

[rgs80074]

well I am thinking the meter was pretty accurate it does % and volts. Still want to get better connections to the batteries instead of whats it is now.

it appears the battery charger could be the biggest issue, might be what caused all six of the last batteries to bulge and need replacing. the original set that had to be replaced had batteries 6 years old that was good and the best one was 10 years


i tested the battery pack today and its showing less than 10% charge per the voltage chart.

and that would explain why it stopped working.

tried plugging in the charger see if it would charge it started the buzzing but when looking at the meter on it it was at 0 so went to uplug it and it started sparking, flaming almost. noticed then the grounding plug part is missing. so its a new battery charger.

[Volt_Ampere]

The bulging happens with age - not the charger's fault. Sounds like you have something wired wrong. You need to get a charge into those batteries pronto or you will permanently damage them!

[rgs80074]

the batteries replaced was less than 2 years old. the prior ones when the cart was bought was 6-8 years old average with 2 about 10 years old.

no wiring has been done thats not the stock/how it was bought.

the fact that the charger threw off sparks and cause burn marks on both the plug on the trailer and cord plug in to me makes me think its an issue.

it been a very pain in the butt charger from the beginning having to get it started and make sure its making the buzzing noise etc.

she had been hearing the buzzing but not seeing that the meter on the charger was staying at 0 because the batter had been mounted to the back of the cart.

but the fact it did lot of sparks like a sparkler almost and both times caused (did not know what she had meant when she said it) scorched marks is not a good sign. plus i realized the ground prong is missing from the charger cord too.


personally i feel the charger had been going bad for a while some times it would charge and sometimes it wouldn't and as long as it made the buzzing noise she assume it was charging and thats why the meter was bought because they was drained before too. think the charger failed and was over charging but i don't know cause i don't live close enough to monitor daily.

I am charging them up to the point with the limited time to have them to the point where the new charger when it arrive can be connected and finish the job. 4 of the 6 are charged to 80%, working on the last 2 in the morning to get them charged up there.