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Old 06-30-2015, 01:50 PM   #1
travis_slim
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Post Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

I will start off by apologizing because this could get a little long as I have been doing a lot of research and on these different questions and have not come to a real solid conclusion so I am reaching out to the members who have already done these projects. I have found a lot of info on Precedent’s with 6 8volt battery carts but not 4 12 volt battery carts.

So I have a 2007 Precedent with 4 12v batteries. I would like to add a deluxe head light kit and a radio to the cart but seem to be somewhat lost on powering these accessories. I know I can buy a voltage reducer or convertor to come off the batteries and make 12 volts. But what is interesting is on my cart I have two pigtails on two different batteries. When I put my voltage meter on the pigtails they show 12 volts….. Now what is so interesting to me is that this is two separate 12 volts batteries. I have attached a few pictures of it. Does anybody know if this 12 volts is pulling off of all 4 batteries or just the two, and if so how? If I can use this to run my lights off of it that would be great and if it can also run my radio that would be even better.

The other question I have is when I watch videos of the light kits being installed they install the voltage reducer under the dash with a wiring harness that plugs into the factory harness. If for some reason I use a voltage reducer or convertor that does not have that factory harness how to you power up the lights? Here is one of the videos I have watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IUy0c99Qf0

So I the other question I am curious about is what antenna is everybody using on their cart? I am looking at buying a kit on eBay to install my radio and speakers but not sure of a good clean way to hide the antenna.
Below is the list of items I plan on installing. Feel free to give suggestion or opinions on them. Or even suggest purchasing something else.

Radio Kit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Club-Car-Pre...-/200650261253

Deluxe Light Kit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Club-Car-200...item51c66be85e

MadJax Voltage Convertor (Only if I need it)
http://www.amazon.com/Amp-Golf-Cart-Voltage-Reducer/dp/B00DRFFLDG http://www.amazon.com/Amp-Golf-Cart-Voltage-Reducer/dp/B00DRFFLDG

I really appreciate the help.
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Old 06-30-2015, 04:00 PM   #2
eaglesdad1
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by travis_slim View Post
I will start off by apologizing because this could get a little long as I have been doing a lot of research and on these different questions and have not come to a real solid conclusion so I am reaching out to the members who have already done these projects. I have found a lot of info on Precedent’s with 6 8volt battery carts but not 4 12 volt battery carts.

So I have a 2007 Precedent with 4 12v batteries. I would like to add a deluxe head light kit and a radio to the cart but seem to be somewhat lost on powering these accessories. I know I can buy a voltage reducer or convertor to come off the batteries and make 12 volts. But what is interesting is on my cart I have two pigtails on two different batteries. When I put my voltage meter on the pigtails they show 12 volts….. Now what is so interesting to me is that this is two separate 12 volts batteries. I have attached a few pictures of it. Does anybody know if this 12 volts is pulling off of all 4 batteries or just the two, and if so how? If I can use this to run my lights off of it that would be great and if it can also run my radio that would be even better.

The other question I have is when I watch videos of the light kits being installed they install the voltage reducer under the dash with a wiring harness that plugs into the factory harness. If for some reason I use a voltage reducer or convertor that does not have that factory harness how to you power up the lights? Here is one of the videos I have watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IUy0c99Qf0

So I the other question I am curious about is what antenna is everybody using on their cart? I am looking at buying a kit on eBay to install my radio and speakers but not sure of a good clean way to hide the antenna.
Below is the list of items I plan on installing. Feel free to give suggestion or opinions on them. Or even suggest purchasing something else.

Radio Kit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Club-Car-Pre...-/200650261253

Deluxe Light Kit:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Club-Car-200...item51c66be85e

MadJax Voltage Convertor (Only if I need it)
http://www.amazon.com/Amp-Golf-Cart-.../dp/B00DRFFLDG

I really appreciate the help.
Travis, First off Welcome to the site ! Now (1)The 4-12 set up does not do well with add on's , I started out by placing a 12V in the bagwell and have now moved it over the rearend. some guys find a good lawn mower or scooter battery and place them in the dash, But I like the way I have mine now and it was not hard to do.Then you can run everything off of it and not have to worry about your pack batteries. (2) Buy a nice dash with radio and speaker cutouts. Check our site sponsors they have good deals and great service after the sale too ! Hope this helps .... Ken
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Old 06-30-2015, 04:41 PM   #3
theboss20
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Smile Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

Using a voltage reducer allows the entire battery pack to supply to your accessories and draw down the pack equally instead of pulling power off one battery. It is hard to equalize batteries run in series. The only reason people change to 6v or 8v batteries is for longer run times. Search the Internet for hidden radio antennas and I think you will find some options.
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Old 06-30-2015, 08:51 PM   #4
jjance
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

To answer one of your questions. That reducer in the video is for use only with 8v batteries. It's a 16v to 12v reducer. You need a 48 to 12v converter. Those two wires you were measuring were probably an old 12v hookup for some aux. circuit. Are there 2 wires loose that used to connect to them?
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Old 06-30-2015, 10:40 PM   #5
stang99x
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

You can wire your lights off one twelve with no issues. I do it all the time. The difference in amps pulled is negligible. I've only used two reducers in my shop, and the were from customers who were hellbent on adding extensive electrical to their cart. (Like radio amps)
You could always convert to 6x8 later. But in the end your headlights will be fine without an $60 reduced (or more)

I use off the shelf little black antennas from Advance auto parts. They are $10and I install them into the box I mount to the roof.
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Old 06-30-2015, 11:08 PM   #6
scottyb
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by stang99x View Post
You can wire your lights off one twelve with no issues. I do it all the time. The difference in amps pulled is negligible. I've only used two reducers in my shop, and the were from customers who were hellbent on adding extensive electrical to their cart. (Like radio amps)
You could always convert to 6x8 later. But in the end your headlights will be fine without an $60 reduced (or more)

I use off the shelf little black antennas from Advance auto parts. They are $10and I install them into the box I mount to the roof.
I call BS.
Or maybe Trojan battery company is not as smart as you are because they say it will shorten the useful life of the whole pack.
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Old 02-04-2023, 01:53 AM   #7
hondo434
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

Stang99, I have 4 12 volt batteries, I have one wire that was on neg terminal of 8 volt system, I'm trying to get lights going, how did you wire 2015 club car. Pictures would help a lot.
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Old 06-30-2015, 11:15 PM   #8
travis_slim
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

First off thank you for all of the quick replies so far. I will try to respond to each one of them.

eaglesdad1:
For some reason I am just not crazy about adding an aux battery to my cart. To be honest I don't know why, but that's not to say I won't do it if solves my issues. A couple of questions for you. How did you mount your battery under your cart? Any pictures? And how are you cutting power to your accessories if your not using your key on/off? I have seen one of the site sponsors dash kit with stereo and speakers and I'm not sure If I like everything about it but I will look and see if there are more.

theboss20:
I will search for hidden antenna's, never thought of that description I guess. Thanks!

jjance:
I was sort of assuming that the voltage reducer in the video was reducing 16volts to 12 for a carts with 8volt batteries. Yes the two wires are loose nothing is connected to them. My biggest struggle is they look factory to me because they are attached to the main battery cables. That is not to say that the cables couldn't have been switched out at one point. I just wonder did some of these 48 volt carts with 12 volt batteries some how output 12 volts through a factory convertor? It is so confusing because it is for surely coming across two different batteries, maybe it coming from all four but I don't know. So I have had my cart for 3 months and it was not stock when I bought it. When I bought it had a 6" All Sports Lift Kit and something has been done to the motor I believe because it does not regen when you lift off the gas it just coasts. Also I put on 23" tires and rims on it because they were smaller and looked kind of funny and now it does 20 mph according to my GPS. With all of my research I believe that is faster than a stock cart would go with 23" tires should go. So who knows maybe somebody added a voltage reducer/convertor to the cart but the weird thing is it I am measuring at the pigtails on the battery cables.

stang99x:
Do you have any recommendation on the lights I buy if you have installed many light kits? I don't want to install junk. I am looking for full LED front and rear.

Thanks everyone.
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Old 07-01-2015, 07:49 PM   #9
stang99x
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by travis_slim View Post
First off thank you for all of the quick replies so far. I will try to respond to each one of them.

eaglesdad1:
For some reason I am just not crazy about adding an aux battery to my cart. To be honest I don't know why, but that's not to say I won't do it if solves my issues. A couple of questions for you. How did you mount your battery under your cart? Any pictures? And how are you cutting power to your accessories if your not using your key on/off? I have seen one of the site sponsors dash kit with stereo and speakers and I'm not sure If I like everything about it but I will look and see if there are more.

theboss20:
I will search for hidden antenna's, never thought of that description I guess. Thanks!

jjance:
I was sort of assuming that the voltage reducer in the video was reducing 16volts to 12 for a carts with 8volt batteries. Yes the two wires are loose nothing is connected to them. My biggest struggle is they look factory to me because they are attached to the main battery cables. That is not to say that the cables couldn't have been switched out at one point. I just wonder did some of these 48 volt carts with 12 volt batteries some how output 12 volts through a factory convertor? It is so confusing because it is for surely coming across two different batteries, maybe it coming from all four but I don't know. So I have had my cart for 3 months and it was not stock when I bought it. When I bought it had a 6" All Sports Lift Kit and something has been done to the motor I believe because it does not regen when you lift off the gas it just coasts. Also I put on 23" tires and rims on it because they were smaller and looked kind of funny and now it does 20 mph according to my GPS. With all of my research I believe that is faster than a stock cart would go with 23" tires should go. So who knows maybe somebody added a voltage reducer/convertor to the cart but the weird thing is it I am measuring at the pigtails on the battery cables.

stang99x:
Do you have any recommendation on the lights I buy if you have installed many light kits? I don't want to install junk. I am looking for full LED front and rear.

Thanks everyone.
Travis
There are as many opinions on the internet as there are websites. You could spend you life reading and never make a dent. I've said this before, and I will say it again. I am not a vendor here. I don't come here to sell my products, though from time to time I do help members out with things I sell if they ask me to. My advice comes without any hitch. My advice comes from my perspective as a cart technician who does this every single day. I have intentionally avoided the use of reducers as they are little more than yet another device to fail in an enormous electrical system. I have run hundreds, if not thousands of of systems and I have only 3 times used a reducer. Twice I used one for installs with radio amplifiers, and once because the customer requested it. I have never had a set of batteries, or even a single battery that failed due to running lights without the reducer. On a daily basis, in most cases on a 6x8 system, I install; a light kit, a dual USB charger port, a 12v charger plug and a LED voltmeter. I set them up to run on 16V as that is the amount that can be achieved using 2 8V batteries in series. It has never caused an issue or been the root of a problem. I have however, had a multitude of service calls where I had to replace or remove failed reducers. A reducer is expensive. In most cases, you'll pay near $100 for the reducer itself. Then it has to be installed and that's labor if you aren't mechanically inclined. Probably in the vicinity of $150 in the end installed, or we can use $100 on your own. Now, lets do some basic math. If you have a 4x12 system as you have, you're pack probably cost you somewhere around $700. They generally last 3-5 years, and we'll say 4 on average. If we assume the batteries are good for 48 months with no add ons, and we then assume that the addition of an unreduced 12v draw reduces your battery life by say, 10%. (This is all for arguments sake and these numbers are just random off the top of my head) You would then assume you lost 4.8 months. 48 months for $700 is about $14.50 a month. 14.50 x the 5 months you lost is $72. You still haven't paid for the reducer, much less the reducer installed. And the 10% is a HUGE number and not even remotely likely. So, in the end you can believe the internet experts, the salesmen, or the guy who is just giving you free advice because it's what he does for a living and isn't making a *** dime for his time typing this explanation. It makes no difference to me whatsoever. I come on here to help those I can, and find solutions to problems that may be better than those I've found and use daily. Occasionally I find some pretty slick fixes on here, and there are a few users who are extremely helpful and their knowledge of electrical is amazing. The choice is yours, and I assure you that it will make no difference to me if you told me to STFU and move on after this post.

All that being said, I have used a few light kits over the years. I settled on the MadJax kits as MadJax backs up their products and will fix any issues you might have. I had one just today where they included the wrong wiring harness. I called, they are sending me the replacement next day. I've rarely had an issue with them, but when I have they've made it right. You can't get service like that just anywhere. I've also visited their facility in Cairo Georgia and it is MASSIVE. They have an R&D department on site. I don't think you could go wrong with them. I also know the user on here called TahoeDawg is the owner of Revolution Golf Carts. He has a solid line up and a good reputation. I have been by his location though I did not stop in while there as I was attending a Club Car class at their headquarters in Augusta GA......yes I have attended classes from the manufacturer on proper repair techniques for the product if you are wondering. I don't usually use the Full LED package. I like the LED taillights/turnsignal/brakelights but use the halogen headlamp kits. It's a matter of cost mainly. The kit is expensive, but it is well built and I never have any problems from it. If you want to see it, look here: http://www.mymadjax.com/Shop-by-Cate...ts/02-021.html I am a MadJax authorized dealer, but I don't typically retail the products. I'm not really in the business of selling parts, I just build and repair. The only thing I retail sale is battery cables and that eats up more time than I have to give anyway so I stay away from selling off the shelf other than a few times I have helped out some forum members needing parts who couldn't afford the huge retail tab.....but I don't do it much as I'm not trying to become a wholesaler or retailer and definitely not trying to steer anyone away from site vendors. I will tell you that on the install instructions in the MadJax kit, it shows you how to install withOUT a reducer.
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Old 07-01-2015, 09:10 PM   #10
eaglesdad1
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Default Re: Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

stang99x, So in your trained professional opinion your saying that it's better to use the pack batteries then it is to do it the way I did ? If that's the case I am sorry but I disagree ! For $110.00 and 1 hours worth of my time I now have a set up that (1) works very well (2) Does NOT draw anything from my pack batteries And (3) Gives me peace of mind knowing that I don't have to worry about anything ! It's not rocket science, But hey that's just my own opinion..... And to the OP, If you want to know more or see more pictures , I would be glad to help you out just like many here have done for me.
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