Seven batteries?

[ggroff]

Looking around on Scottyb's site I spotted the option of seven batteries with the alltrax controller. Seems like an interesting compromise on cost. Would running an extra six volts through the stock series controller fry it? If I opted for the seven batteries on the Alltrax controller could I still go 48v later?

[Sir Nuke]

Originally Posted by ggroff

Looking around on Scottyb's site I spotted the option of seven batteries with the alltrax controller. Seems like an interesting compromise on cost. Would running an extra six volts through the stock series controller fry it? If I opted for the seven batteries on the Alltrax controller could I still go 48v later?

? #1...YES.

?#2....YES, the Alltrax controllers will run from 36 to 48v....I had just bought a new 36v pack when I got my first cart, then upgraded the entire drive system....ran the whole thing at 36v for 5 years, then got a new 48v pack, didn't need to change a thing other than the batteries.

[BobBoyce]

The stock controller on 42V is a gamble, it may fail at any time. With an Alltrax you can go 42V and 48V. But you'll have to buy a 42V charger, then buy a 48V charger when you upgrade to 48V. Doubling your charger cost in the end.

[ggroff]

Originally Posted by BobBoyce

The stock controller on 42V is a gamble, it may fail at any time. With an Alltrax you can go 42V and 48V. But you'll have to buy a 42V charger, then buy a 48V charger when you upgrade to 48V. Doubling your charger cost in the end.

Hadn't thought of that! Although I could charge the extra 6v by itself, it would be a pain in the butt.

[JohnnieB]

1. The 36V solenoid will run hotter with 42V and the controller might not work immediately after the battery charger turns off due to the surface charge, but with some creative control wiring, you can run the solenoid and controller electronics at 36V while passing 42V through the high current portions of the controller.

The over voltage cutoff on the stock (Curtis 1206) controller is about 48V and some, but not all, 36V battery chargers will take the on-charge voltage of a 36V battery pack above that, especially the more modern one that use dV/dT technology.

2. A Nuke said, the Alltrax controller works at 36V, 42V and 48V, however that is not true of all solenoids and battery chargers are voltage specific.

An MJZ400 is the only solenoid I'm aware of that will work at 36V, 42V and 48V. Buy one of those and you'll be set to future voltage upgrade, otherwise you have to replace the solenoid when you up the pack voltage.

With an Alltrax controller and MJZ400 solenoid, only the batteries and the battery charger have to be bought to upgrade to a higher voltage.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by BobBoyce

The stock controller on 42V is a gamble, it may fail at any time. With an Alltrax you can go 42V and 48V. But you'll have to buy a 42V charger, then buy a 48V charger when you upgrade to 48V. Doubling your charger cost in the end.

Fortunately, there is a market for used chargers, so you it may be possible to recover a sizable portion of the extra expense.

[scottyb]

We originally put the 7th 6v battery in my wife's 08 PDS with the XCT400 controller. There was a big increase in both speed and torque with the 20" knobby tires. Later on we added an aftermarket D&D motor and when it failed we went with a Admiral B2. Both motors gave good performance on 42 volts and I can honestly say there was no need for us to go to 48v on this cart get what we wanted around the ranch and at the many horse-shows it attended.

[coosa]

With a lot of advice from the good folks here, I upgraded my 2008 PDS to 42 volts and it made it a much stronger cart. Then I added an Admiral B2 motor and that made it even stronger. It runs 25 mph and will climb anything; I have no plans to ever go to 48 volts.

If you are like me, you probably already have a 6/12 volt charger, and just by switching a couple of cables you can run it on 42 volts and then charge it with the 36 volt charger and the 6 volt charger. I use mine nearly every day so it was worth buying a 42 volt charger, but if you use your cart once a week you can get by without it.

[ggroff]

I'm considering it because I can get my hands on a 6v cart battery about the same age as my current batteries for free, and it will drop in the extra space. When the batteries do finally die, I then have the option of 6 8 volt batteries.
Plans for the cart are 20" tires, HD springs, and a few 12v accessories like LED headlights and a sound system that is usually mounted on motorcycles that I happen to Have laying around... Similar to this https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-...edirect=mobile

There are A TV trails at the back of my property, nothing crazy steep but a few spots where additional ground clearance would be nice. If I choose a good line I can make it through most stock.

The cart has a new motor, curiosity makes me want to take a look at it and see exactly what it is.