Club Car Precedent Lithium Battery Upgrade

[PingEye3]

Hi Volt-Amp, don't you just love the extra power from these packs? I have a digital voltmeter on my dash that fits nicely in the opening for the original depth of charge meter.

Here is description of the meter I am using. Very accurate. Bought on ebay.

48V Golf Cart Digital Volt Meter Battery Gauge Club Car EZGO Yamaha 48 Volt BLUE

It was the first this item to pop up when I pasted this in the eBay search window, $11.95 free shipping.

Here is link to paste:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V-Golf-Cart-Digital-Volt-Meter-Battery-Gauge-Club-Car-EZGO-Yamaha-48-Volt-BLUE-/171931948411?hash=item2807f1557b:g:6n8AAOSwBahVCHN 6&vxp=mtr

[Volt_Ampere]

I am making my own meter that will display other stuff too. Volts, Amps, Time, Temperature, MPH, Odometer, and eventually each cell voltage. Overkill but fun to build.

[PingEye3]

With this system that I have with a Bluetooth connection to the Orion Jr, I get all that info on my phone with the Torque app. It works pretty good. What you are doing there for meter display sounds interesting. Post pics of the finished product.

[Volt_Ampere]

I'm working on pix for my whole project. I will post in the Yamaha section when I get a chance to edit the pix. I have the meter built but not installed yet. I have to mount the electronics on an aluminum plate that will go on top of the battery pack.

[Hypersprint]

Originally Posted by PingEye3

2006 Club Car Precedent
Lithium Battery Upgrade

Wiring diagrams the way I did this and a set of these brackets and more pictures can be provided if someone out there likes a home project challenge.

That would be great if you could provide this extra information, either here for everyone to see or you could email it to me at my user name at outlook dot com

Thanks
Rob

[brettontsmith]

PingEye3- I wanted to make sure I'm understanding your performance numbers right. What tire size are you running?

You had stock 250A controller with speed code 4 (speed sensor allowing motor to spin higher rpm's) and an AMD 5 hp power motor (does this motor have a speed sensor cheat to further allow higher motor rpm's?) that got you 24 mph with lead acid batteries.

You then upgraded to 400A curtis controller with AMD 5 hp motor and lead acid batteries. I'm unfamiliar with this controller, does it disable regen braking for top speed limit? What speed were you able to get with this set up?

You then installed the Lithium pack (great looking conversion by the way) and got a top speed reading of 29 mph. I'm guessing the extra power is coming from the increase in voltage. At max acceleration 400A x 58V / 746.2 W/hp = 31 hp compared with 400A x 50.9V / 746.2 W/hp = 27.3 hp. This should allow you to accelerate faster and reach a natural top speed if there is no regen braking to limit the top speed.

You then had an issue with your 400A controller and had to replace with stock controller with speed code 3 (why not the original stock controller with speed code 4?) with the AMD motor and lithium pack. Again, I guess that motor has a speed sensor cheat or the higher voltage shouldn't be able to do anything to increase the top speed of the stock controller with speed code 3.

Not trying to nit pick, just want to make sure I understand. Because if you had a stock controller (with no speed codes or high speed magnets) and a stock motor with standard rpm signal then the higher voltage lithium pack would allow you to accelerate faster, but would still be limited by regen braking signaled by the speed sensor.

[PingEye3]

Hello Bretton,
The motor is an AMD 3294 5HP @3750 rpm. It does have regen. Motor ad stated speeds up to 24mph with good batteries and stock controller, recommending upgraded cables and solenoid. I got every bit of that. But, acceleration up a hill was a chore with the stock 250A controller. I replaced my stock controller with a 400A Curtis 1268-5417 from Everything Carts. That got me to about 27mph with my LA batteries starting to wane and uphill power increased.

When I thought I had a major issue with my 400A controller I replaced it with a stock 250 (I had traded mine with code 4 to another cart and got the stock in return along with $$) So it was all I had to keep my cart running. I was very shocked to have the speed blow right thru code 3 of 16mph. I only had it in the cart for a day or two as I repaired the 400. I did not push the 250A controller with the lithium's 58V; well once just to see, but did not run long at full throttle. Hit 23 with stock 250 and code 3. Minor motor terminal issue corrected and then reinstalled the 400. The extra power with the lithium is what drove the stock controller and 3294 motor past code three speed.

Using the bluetooth Torque app with my Lithium pack, I can see the current draw at WOT with the 3294 from dead stop, hits about 245A then tapers. You can see the 'negative' amps when decelerating indicating the regen current as well.

I just recently installed a 7 cell lithium pack from Hybrid Auto into another member's stock 2006 DS with code 4. Pack voltage is 58.2, much simpler BMS than the Orion Jr. With the stock motor/controller, he cannot get past the standard code 4 speed of 20. But his acceleration is very much improved. He drives a mile and a half to Orange Tree from Bay Hill and then plays 36 holes (plus) and lots of extra running around the club and the drive back to Bay Hill and pack voltage is only down to 53.

I agreed with your HP calcs except for using the 400A rating of the controller. If you use 245A then you end up with calculated HP of 18.7.

[Volt_Ampere]

Those HP calcs assume 100% motor efficiency which is way off. I would use about 75% for the efficiency number. (rough estimate is 1KW per HP)

[Jim C]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

I am making my own meter that will display other stuff too. Volts, Amps, Time, Temperature, MPH, Odometer, and eventually each cell voltage. Overkill but fun to build.

I have been in the process of lithium upgrade bottom balancing and looking for some type of soc gauge and lvd, do you have any recommendations? I am doing this as budget wise as possible.
Thanks

[Volt_Ampere]

I warn you - this project will not be cheap. You need a good BMS to protect the batteries. Balancing should be part of your charge cycle for long life.