Battery Gauge Wiring

[tsafey]

My last attempt at getting this to work is to run power from the positive side of the battery pack to the positive terminal on the meter, connect the switch wire to the switch terminal and the - terminal to the negative post in the battery pack. I thought maybe the wire to the switch could double as the as the + wire and the power wire.

I know most ppl are thinking why didn't I do this to start with. First is battling toddlers that are attempting to help. . Second was an attempt to minimize wiring and having limited resources laying around. Maybe this is the only way this model will work. If this doesn't work it will go into the junk pile and I will buy the other models recommended in this post. Heck, I may have fried it already.

P.S. The model meter I have is a four terminal (+, -, switch, relay).

[Sergio]

The wiring should be:

+ to Hot side of Key switch (or Pack positive)
- to Pack Negative
C to Cold side of Key switch (just turns display On/Off).

Relay output not used.

Some of those meters, like the Curtis, need to see more than 57v for a certain amount of time to reset to Full.

That would typically happen during a charge cycle.

[tsafey]

+ to positive side of pack
- to negative side of pack
C to switch "on position"

This is the only configuration I could get to work and not sure I needed the C hookup to the switch. Now the meter stays on as long as the Run/Tow switch is on. Even if I click turn the key to off the meter stays on. This is not a total bust because I have to keep it in Tow anyways because of my toddler boys like to play on it and know how the key and gas work. I even have to keep my lights unplugged to keep them from flipping them on and off constantly.

[Sergio]

The "C" connection only turns the display on/off, it should not have any impact on the "measurement" of voltage.

Are You saying that with the "C" connection on the "cold side" of the Key switch the meter would reset with the key switch was OFF?

[tsafey]

Originally Posted by Sergio

The "C" connection only turns the display on/off, it should not have any impact on the "measurement" of voltage.

Are You saying that with the "C" connection on the "cold side" of the Key switch the meter would reset with the key switch was OFF?

It does not impact the measurement nor does it reset. The display just stays on whether the key is "On" or "Off". I was under the assumption that with the "C" connection is connected to the "cold side" of the key switch the display would go off when the key is turned off.

I hope that make sense, its kinda hard to explain, a pic or video would have been much easier.

[Sergio]

If the meter goes off when you put the cart on Tow, You have the wrong side of the key switch.

You are connected to the "Hot Side", just move the "C" wire to other side ("Cold Side"), which is the one the blue wire is connected to.

If both sides are Hot all the time, You have other problems....

[tsafey]

Makes sense. I used a volt meter to test but maybe inadvertently connected to the wrong one. I will have to look again.

Shouldn't the "hot side" be the top connection where the key would be in the "Off" position and the "cold side" be the one that is connected where the key is turned to the "On" position? Maybe I'm thinking of this backwards.

I know that the cart will not run with the key in the off position so both side shouldn't always be hot. That's my thought anyways

[Sergio]

The "Hot Side" has 48v all the time (ON or OFF).

The "Cold Side" only has 48v when the switch is in the ON position.

[tsafey]

When I get home I will just have to check for the blue wire. I'm sure I have C connected to something else....somehow. Thanks for your help and patience.

[jroeiii]

Depending on the cart --- won't the key switch voltage be ~48 volts max? Directly to the battery pack can read in the 53V range on a full charge.

(Pretty sure On my 96 DS there is a voltage reducer after the batteries limiting the power key switch / MCOR etc.)