Adding a 12V Battery for Lights ?

[hitmanharleyk]

I installed some 55 watt halogen lights from Walmart on my cart and really like the way they look and work but I have gotten to thinking about how I have them wired, I just have them connected to 2 of the batteries in the pack and I just moved them to 2 more batteries after they had been on the other 2 for 2 months. I'm actually using them more than I thought I would but not a lot, should I get a 12V Battery just for them ?
Does it have to be a Marine or deep cycle battery or can it just be a cheap cart battery ?
Would I be better of getting a 36v to 12v reducer ? I've seen them on the auction site for $62.

I have no plans to install anymore power accessories to this cart as I plan to build a cruiser in the near future.

Thanks,
Ken

[roady89]

You don't have to use a deep cycle just for the lights. It all depends on how often you can stand charging the accessory battery. A deep cycle won't run down as quick. There nice to have but not a have to deal. A regular 12 volt will work fine.

[dodgefather]

I was told that if you wire to the pack that you will wear the two that they are hooked up to out faster? If you are going to switch them around all the time that would be a pain in the rear. I hooked my lights up to a cheap 12 volt from wally world. Ive got the radio and other accessories hooked up to them too and it does not wear down that fast.

[shadowman]

best way is with a reducer but you don,t have to you can do just what your doing as long as you don,t mind swapping them to different batteries every other month.................other than that i would go with a reducer.......................

[discusswithtom]

One way to do it is to purchase 4 lights and run them across the full 48V in series. Then there is no expense for extra batteries, no extra charger and no problem with ruining 1 or 2 batteries out of the cluster. I would even experiment with 5 lights in series just in case there is a slight imbalance in load across each lamp. My guess is 5 lamps at 9.5 V accross each one will be brighter than you will ever need.

Originally Posted by dodgefather

I was told that if you wire to the pack that you will wear the two that they are hooked up to out faster? If you are going to switch them around all the time that would be a pain in the rear. I hooked my lights up to a cheap 12 volt from wally world. Ive got the radio and other accessories hooked up to them too and it does not wear down that fast.

[mauistardog]

now I am total confused. i guess I bought the same lights and was gonna hook them up soon and was gonna just pick two batteries to do it. Does it really create a problem down the line with the batteries wear over time ? and if I do go ahead and hook up the batteries, which ones should I use, the last two ?
thanks
joe

[hitmanharleyk]

You went way back to get this post, it and all the other replys were from 2008 !

By the way, I went with a 36v to 12v reducer.

[discusswithtom]

Yes, it should be a problem. If you constantly draw from one battery it will never charge properly. It will need considerably more current to charge than the other batteries and will never receive proper charge. With 36V, you could buy a reducer, that is great solution for stereos, GPS, etc, but for lamps, I would just wire 4 IDENTICAL lamps in series, with an 9v voltage drop +/- inconsistencies across each lamp and you will light up the night. drawback, one burns out they all quit. Always buy 1 extra 12V lamp then battery capacity. i.e. 4 lamps, 36V, 5 lamps 48V. (I am over qualified to answer this question )

Originally Posted by mauistardog

now I am total confused. i guess I bought the same lights and was gonna hook them up soon and was gonna just pick two batteries to do it. Does it really create a problem down the line with the batteries wear over time ? and if I do go ahead and hook up the batteries, which ones should I use, the last two ?
thanks
joe

[FFPudge]

I added a deep cycle marine battery. I use mine alot hunting. Leave the lights on for long periods. Make sure use use a good switch. Mine burnt out and replaced it with a heavier switch. Lot easier to wire everything to it and just use my car charger to charge it when I charge the cart! The fuseblock makes all the hookups real simple!