Volt reducer, unswitched

[Rick1]

Well, here's the deal. I have a 2011 TXT 48V. In order to run lights, horn and a phone charger I installed a 48 to 12 reducer. It has been on for several weeks with no issue and never really seems to warm to the touch. After reading up on this install it appears a for some have this reducer switched and some don't. I guess it is easy enough to do by pulling the 48+ off the battery and running it to the switched wire on the key switch.
Rather than trying to fish this wire through a harness under the cart and up behind the dash, is there a wire I can piggyback off of under the seat that won't get me into trouble?
Any comments or direction is welcome. Thanks

[scottyb]

You would use a relay to switch the 48v power off to the reducer. Same kind of relay a battery charger uses to turn on and off.

[Rick1]

Is there any reason why I could not go directly to a 48v switched source? I did this for the volt meter I installed and surely there is going to be a switched 48v wire I could source under the seat without adding a relay. The way I understand stand it I would use my key switch to send 48v to a relay that would open to send 48 volts to activate my 48/12v reducer... What am I missing here?

Just to be clear, my reducer is wired directly to the batteries at this point attaining my 48 v source. My 12v + lead from the reducer is supplying power to a fuse block and my 12- is routed to a buss bar that collects all my - 12v leads. I am only running lights, horn and phone charger from this reducer with no intention of expanding its use.

[scottyb]

The high amp circuit to the reducer needs to be switched. Cut on/off.
Use a relay to to switch this circuit. Go here to see how to do this > http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...cer-keyed.html

[Rick1]

Scotty, I appreciate all the feedback and I have checked out the diagrams on your site to get more edgimicated on the topic. While I do not fear using a relay with the diode, it seems like the simplest solution for me would be to upgrade from the 10 amp converter I have now to one of your 30 amp with a switchable 5 th wire. I would probably gain exponentionally going in this direction. As I understand it, I do not need a relay if I use one of your voltage reducers with the 5 th wire?? If this last statement is true let me know and I'll place an order today. This needs to be as simple as possible as it will be used quite a bit when I am not around to baby it. Regards

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by Rick1

Scotty, I appreciate all the feedback ... As I understand it, I do not need a relay if I use one of your voltage reducers with the 5 th wire?? If this last statement is true let me know and I'll place an order today. This needs to be as simple as possible as it will be used quite a bit when I am not around to baby it. Regards

Just my two cents but you're right, you'd be better off with a 5 wire reducer (place the order(no relay required). And its not really hard to run that trigger wire (usually yellow) out under the battery compartment, under the floor and up into the area behind the key switch (assuming TXT not RXV). Then hook it to the the key switch side that is only hot with the key is on. And FWIW, I'd run a 12+ and - up there and just cap them off. You're bound to want 12volts up there in the dash sooner or later. If you're going to run one wire, just run three wires and you'll thank yourself later.

Mike

[bronsonj]

Another thought is to run your 5-wire reducer off a toggle switch instead of the key. I like having my radio on when everybody in the hood is hanging out but I don't want some little kid mashing the gas pedal and causing an issue. So I have my set up to use switches that are not part of the key system.

If you don't have that issue, then the key-switch idea would work just fine.

[Rick1]

With the feedback I received I know the direction I'll go. Thanks for the input.