frame ghost voltage

[northwestfarmtn]

Was sorting out my wiring for head lights and tail lights when I set my meter down in the front basket then noticed it said 18.4 volts... Disconnected all accessories and still 18 volt. I looked over all wiring and no signs of anything. I'm lousy there its no reason for me to have this voltage, are there any common problems regarding voltage to the frame?

[cgtech]

I have spent countless hours chasing ninja frame voltage, sometimes without success. Never really seen much problems caused by it tho. Someone thought all clubcar charging problems were from "frame voltage".

[yurtle]

Mine has voltage, but no Umph behind it. Couldn't light a light bulb. I chased mine for a while, but gave up. I figured it could be capacitive coupling. None of my accessories are grounded, and most aren't even mechanically or electrically connected to the frame. The only things that are mechanically connected to the frame are the controller and solenoid.

[northwestfarmtn]

I didn't think to check for umph, I will see if it can light a bulb then maybe stand in a puddle dump water all over it and grab the frame, that ought to show any umph that might be there.

[northwestfarmtn]

No umph... Hooked up a light and all the power just dropped out. I wasn't actually going to stand in a puddle and grave the cart

[yurtle]

My 48 volt pack will tingle pretty good when standing bare-footed on a concrete floor. No need for standing in a puddle. Never understood that.

[northwestfarmtn]

When I was young my brotherdumped a cup of water on the plug wires of a carand said grab them, if it shocks you they are bad, several cool beverages were consumed that day

[kgsc]

Originally Posted by yurtle

Mine has voltage, but no Umph behind it. Couldn't light a light bulb. I chased mine for a while, but gave up. I figured it could be capacitive coupling. None of my accessories are grounded, and most aren't even mechanically or electrically connected to the frame. The only things that are mechanically connected to the frame are the controller and solenoid.

The batteries are also connected to the frame per say. I had ghost voltage a while back and my Alltrax told me it was too cold. Disconnected all the batteries from everything and started with a VOM and - connected to the frame. 3 of the 6 had voltage readings. Yes, they were dated.. Took them out, cleaned them very well, new coat of paint on the tray and put them back in. Voltage gone. Changed them out a few months after that.

[JohnnieB]

Excluding cryogenics, there are no insulators with infinite resistance (or conductors with zero resistance), so with reference to the main negative terminal on the battery pack, a voltage can be measured anyplace and everyplace on a golf cart as well as on the surface the cart is sitting on, if the voltmeter being used has a high enough input impedance and is sensitive enough to detect it.

It only takes a little dust and moisture (IE: humidity) to make the top of a battery conductive enough to measure a voltage on it and a couple of battery cleanings and rinses will extend that miniscule amount of conductivity to the frame. That fact has always existed, but the instrumentation needed to measure the voltage hasn't existed outside the lab for more than a few years. More correctly, the instrumentation was too cumbersome and/or expensive for the average cart technician or owner to use or posses. However, these days, a $10 DVM can do it.

Typically the "Ghost" voltage does not cause any problems, so I just accept the fact it exists.

[yurtle]

I understand that. How come I get zapped when I touch a battery post when standing on a concrete floor barefooted?