Help with charger weather proofing ideas?

[Nfg]

I have a ‘97 cart that I’m converting to leaf cells. I would like to build the charger into the cart but I don’t have the plastic bucket like the newer carts have.

Has anyone else done this or does anyone have ideas about how to protect the charger from water/dust? My current idea is just to mount something like an ammo can under the seat and pull the charger out and hook it up when needed.

[mccainc]

What are you using for your charger?

[Nfg]

The yzpower-450 from techdirect. It's like this but for a 48v pack. It looks like they switched to a different model now.

[simicrintz]

If all you are doing is storing it in an ammo can and pulling it out when needed it seems like if you pulled it off the shelf and did the same thing it is about a wash. I really wanted to mount a Lester in mine (didn't work with my batteries) but it really isn't that hard to plug it in when needed. Just not sure it is worth "mounting" if you still have to pull it out and do all the same stuff.

[Nfg]

I don't want to have to pull the charger out when I need it. I just can't think of a good way of protecting the it from the elements.

[Volt_Ampere]

These chargers need good cooling so you can't stuff it in a box and run it that way. Some are made to be water resistant but many are not. I opted to mount my charger in my garage where there is no moisture or vibration to shorten it's life.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

These chargers need good cooling so you can't stuff it in a box and run it that way. Some are made to be water resistant but many are not. I opted to mount my charger in my garage where there is no moisture or vibration to shorten it's life.

That's a very good point. The constant vibration, excessive heat and dust, not to mention moisture will shorten the useful life of any charger.

[DaveTM]

On my 2000 TXT I built a treated plywood box. I cut out the original battery cross-beam to have the plywood box sit in the original battery frame, and I bolted the box to that frame.

My Elcon charger is installed in the front and I drive (hunt) in all kinds of conditions. Rain, dry, snow, dusty. I've been running the cart since October of 2018 with issues concerning the charger.

Well, no issues overall but a few minor wire crimps that I didn't get right the first time. I upgraded to a 14 module battery set in 2020 and it's all been working fine so far.

Heres a pic of my install when it was in progress.

[BBBHC]

Originally Posted by scottyb

That's a very good point. The constant vibration, excessive heat and dust, not to mention moisture will shorten the useful life of any charger.

For these reasons, I decided not to mount my charger in the GC. However, I don't like the idea of any of the electronics getting dirty, let alone wet. I hate things getting dirty. So I came up with a "belly-pan" of sorts. https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=161329