Electrical questions (voltmeter and voltage reducers)

[AubAlum0509]

Originally Posted by Patela2oh

Thanks in advance for the answers. 2 questions.

1). I want to add a specific voltmeter; but it only comes in 18v not 48v like my pack (6 x 8v). Is it possible to hook voltmeter 1 up to positive of battery 1 and negative of battery two and repeat so that each meter (3 of them) reads 2 batteries in series?

2). I will need 2 voltage reducers (for head room / safety sake) for my cart. Should each one be wired back to main + and - of the bank or should they be wired in series?

Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The great thing is, you are in the right place, to get the answers you need, as this forum is great. Apparently you have the will to work on your cart, so you will fit in nicely here. I strongly recommend you read up some more before trying your original post idea though. If you go through with it, please post a picture, as it will be interesting and probably a first.

[Patela2oh]

You guys are the best!!!

2 voltage reducers are because I'm going to run a small amp, head unit, lights and tv (possibly)... The madjax units are 30 amp so just divvying the Amperage

The voltmeters are from speed hut. Looking for a GT 40 style dash with large speedo and other gauges matching etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Patela2oh]

http://www.speedhut.com/gauge/G-VOLT...lt-Gauge-0-18V


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[teecro]

Originally Posted by Patela2oh

http://www.speedhut.com/gauge/G-VOLT...lt-Gauge-0-18V


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OK yeah its a good looking gauge, but it is still not well suited to use in a 48 volt cart...

[270Handiman]

If your accessories are pulling more than 30 amps, don't plan on going very far on the cart....unless you like walking or you hate your batteries.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[teecro]

Here is something to consider that a mere 2.5 volts is all that separates a fully charged bank of 48 volt batteries between fully charged and aught to be plugged into the charger already. That will equate to .84 less on each of the 3 gauges your proposing to use. Will you be able to accurately see this on an analog dial type gauge? Everything from empty to full will be read between 16 & 17 volts...

[Patela2oh]

The head unit max draw is 20 a, amp max draw is 50 a, leds and meters are 0.5a or less each.

The trick is the head unit and amp will be run at a light ohm load (4) so their real draw is 10a and 20a (as verified by the manufacturer).

So my real max load is 35 a at worst so rather than burn out the reducer I would just get 2 and put one on each and divvy up...

Thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AubAlum0509]

Originally Posted by Patela2oh

The head unit max draw is 20 a, amp max draw is 50 a, leds and meters are 0.5a or less each.

The trick is the head unit and amp will be run at a light ohm load (4) so their real draw is 10a and 20a (as verified by the manufacturer).

So my real max load is 35 a at worst so rather than burn out the reducer I would just get 2 and put one on each and divvy up...

Thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think I understand what you are saying, please tell me if this is correct. you want to run a head unit (CD/radio/mp3/maybe DVD) and a amplifier for the subwoofers. Since the amplifier and head unit use so much amps, you plan on using 2 separate 48Vto12V converters, one for the head unit and one for the amplifier?

If this is correct, then please confirm and I will give you a schematic to show you how to wire this correctly, and only need 1 Volt meter...

I would get one of the LED ones that ScottyB and TahoeDawgZ71 sell and connect it like this. this way, you can still see the battery level across your whole battery pack, instead of the voltage level across the converter. I guess what I am getting at, is why would you want to read the voltage across the Converter (reducer) instead of the voltage across your battery pack? that just don't make sense to me. What does the voltage across the converter matter, either it is enough to reduce down from the 48V battery pack, or it isn't. the converter you are installing, will probably work regardless of if you have 48V or 44V, or 36V coming across it, Basically, it will work though a wide range of voltages, say any # between 48V and 36V. So you could use up your batteries to the point where they drop below the 48V, and the cart motor and controller will immobilize the cart, but the Head unit and amp still work, because it will convert down to 36V, before going out. If you have only 36V on a 48V cart, it will not move anymore.

What it appears to me, is your got the cart bug, and are wanting to put anything and everything you can think of onto it, to make it look cool and unique. If you want a bunch of gauges, to fill the dash and to look at, consider putting in matching gauges for incline/roll, amperage draw, a clock, a hour meter, speed, etc.. they make those standard round gauges for a variety of measurements, that would more than fill up the dash with useless gauges to look at. If you want practical, get a volt meter as listed above, and you will know when it is time to take this bad boy back to the trailer or shed to recharge, instead of being stranded, listening to music, and looking at those beautiful gauges that really makes no sense.

[Patela2oh]

That is correct,

Rather than burden 1 unit I would rather divide the load over 2 units.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AubAlum0509]

Another idea, is you could connect 2 separate converters, then parallel them into a common ground and positive terminal fuse block. That way, you fuse block could handle up to 60 Amps at one time, drawing 30A max, from each converter. This way, the converter would split the loads, and neither have to work harder than the other. this would still only require 1 volt meter. I just don't understand your reasoning for wanting to read the voltage from the converter instead of the battery pack (6x 8Volt batteries)