charging with 12v on a 48v pack - is it ok?

[B-Dubya]

My DPI for a 48v pack seems to have quit working. I have a 4-bank Battery Tender (12v each bank). Can I use the tender to keep my batteries topped off by connecting batts 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8? My pack is still reading 49.9 but I dont want them to continue self discharging while I troubleshoot the DPI. Would I need to remove any of the cables connecting the whole pack?
Thanks BW

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by B-Dubya

My DPI for a 48v pack seems to have quit working. I have a 4-bank Battery Tender (12v each bank). Can I use the tender to keep my batteries topped off by connecting batts 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8? My pack is still reading 49.9 but I dont want them to continue self discharging while I troubleshoot the DPI. Would I need to remove any of the cables connecting the whole pack?
Thanks BW

Yes, you can do that. It depends upon the battery tender (if it is isolated outputs or not) whether you'll need to pull the battery wires between battery pairs. You may want to just in case. I kept my 48V pack topped off with a pair of 12V chargers and swapped them around to keep the batteries charged until I was going to be home long enough to get a new charger. ScottyB at cartsunlimited.net came to the rescue with a new DPI Accusense when I was finally ready to order one. I really liked my onboard charger, but you can't beat the DPI!

[bronsonj]

I know you can use an individual 12v charger to charge two 6v batteries at a time without having to disconnect any wires on the pack, but since this is a 4-bank charger it would depend on how isolated the individual circuits are on the Battery Tender.

Short answer, I don't know... But you can charge with a regular 12v charger two batts at a time.

you have 8 six volt batteries ?
you don't need to remove cables
use a 12v charger to top them off
49.9v is still pretty good
DPI chargers have a 2 year warranty

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by crash test dummy

you have 8 six volt batteries ?
you don't need to remove cables
use a 12v charger to top them off
49.9v is still pretty good
DPI chargers have a 2 year warranty

He said he has a 4 bank 12 volt charger, which will charge 4 12 volt batteries at the same time. If the banks are isolated, then he could hook up all 4 at once, but 99% of the bank chargers I have worked with are either common positive or common negative. It would be best for safety reasons if he isolated his pack into 4 seperated 12 volt pairs.

Originally Posted by B-Dubya

My DPI for a 48v pack ~~
Can I use the tender to keep my batteries topped off by connecting batts 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8? My pack is still reading 49.9

THATS 8 BATTERIES

connecting batts 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 would be 6 eight volt batteries

[B-Dubya]

Yes I have ( 6v batteries crammed in there. I had to relocate the pot-throttle under the cart and the FNR and controller are mounted over the motor. Bob, thanks for noting that the banks may share a common 12v. I will go ahead and isolate the pack in pairs.

[B-Dubya]

That was supposed to read "8" 6v batteries.

then a standard 12v charger will work ... let them charge to 100% ... they should be good for 3 months
btw ... add distilled water after you charge them