Precedent 48v with 12v batteries

[stang99x]

Originally Posted by eaglesdad1

stang99x, So in your trained professional opinion your saying that it's better to use the pack batteries then it is to do it the way I did ? If that's the case I am sorry but I disagree ! For $110.00 and 1 hours worth of my time I now have a set up that (1) works very well (2) Does NOT draw anything from my pack batteries And (3) Gives me peace of mind knowing that I don't have to worry about anything ! It's not rocket science, But hey that's just my own opinion..... And to the OP, If you want to know more or see more pictures , I would be glad to help you out just like many here have done for me.

In my professional opinion I am telling you that after installing more of these than I could ever count (read high hundreds to low thousands) that a reducer is not mandatory and is just an added expense if you aren't drawing a large load. Again, I used them in amplifier installs were amp draws were high. Have you ever seen a reducer on a factory lighted cart? No, I didn't think so. Just like the guy in another thread I posted on about his EZGO TXT with factory lights. I've replaced that harness before. It runs off 12v provided by 2 of the 6v batteries from the FACTORY. They just provided you a small fuse block on the driver side. It is simply unnecessary to use the reducer on small loads. I'm having a hard time understanding why a poster here who has done this 2 or 3 times in their lives think they know better than installers who do it 2-3 times a day on all makes and models. At the end of the day the answer to your question is that I am the professional. I do it for a living. If I was doing something that wasn't working, was bad, or was causing problems I would have been out of business long ago. But I'm still here, and I have repeat business from 95% of my customers along with the referrals they send and the new business that my competitors lose because they try to sell all that crap on top of the cart and that pisses people off. I straight up give people the option and tell them what I think. Then they can make their own educated decision. The fact that I keep getting repeat business and that I have about 50% of my customers sending me referrals that buy, I think I know what I am talking about.

Travis, I am sorry this thread has degenerated into people telling you that you must do it their way and spend extensive money as such. You do it how you want buddy, it's your cart. If you would like to further discuss anything with me, feel free to PM me or I'll give you my email and you can email me so we can further discuss what you need help with without the peanut gallery trying to act like there is only one way to do it and anything else is obviously stupid.

[travis_slim]

To be honest with you I'm happy this thread is going this way. I think these conversations needed to happen and I hope this thread gets read many times in the future so that way people like myself can learn from it all. I think a lot of the previous threads didn't get to the heart of the conversation like this one has and I think that is important.

stang99 if you were installing on my cart would you install the lights on one battery and install the radio on another? This seems to make the most sense to me but maybe I'm wrong. Would it even be worth considering alternating the power feeds of the lights and the radio to the free unused batteries to help wear there life span down more evenly? Say move them once a month? Note: I live in North Dakota so my cart will only be used from April till October and that's if I'm lucky.

Second question I have is what LED voltmeter do you use? I like the Curtis 906 model but having a hard time finding it. I am having to call around to electrical distribution centers and my luck is not good so far. When I read about these voltmeters / battery meters they don't read correctly when you buy the cheap ones, so I am nervous to buy one. I know looked up the data sheets on my batteries and know what the discharge profile is for the batteries volts per cell empty and full.

[txpres]

Originally Posted by stang99x

Have you ever seen a reducer on a factory lighted cart? No, I didn't think so.

My 2014 CC with factory lights has a 48v to 12v converter factory installed.

[stang99x]

Originally Posted by travis_slim

To be honest with you I'm happy this thread is going this way. I think these conversations needed to happen and I hope this thread gets read many times in the future so that way people like myself can learn from it all. I think a lot of the previous threads didn't get to the heart of the conversation like this one has and I think that is important.

stang99 if you were installing on my cart would you install the lights on one battery and install the radio on another? This seems to make the most sense to me but maybe I'm wrong. Would it even be worth considering alternating the power feeds of the lights and the radio to the free unused batteries to help wear there life span down more evenly? Say move them once a month? Note: I live in North Dakota so my cart will only be used from April till October and that's if I'm lucky.

Second question I have is what LED voltmeter do you use? I like the Curtis 906 model but having a hard time finding it. I am having to call around to electrical distribution centers and my luck is not good so far. When I read about these voltmeters / battery meters they don't read correctly when you buy the cheap ones, so I am nervous to buy one. I know looked up the data sheets on my batteries and know what the discharge profile is for the batteries volts per cell empty and full.

That's really up to you travis. Most of the carts I've had in the last 6-8 months have been the 6 x 8 configuration and for those I use the provided factory ground from the controller panel and the 5th battery to achieve 16v. On the 4 x 12 I use the number 4 battery most of the time, as it is the last one in the series. There is no particular reason, it's just what I've always done. As to using different batteries to spread out the load, you can do that if you like. When you put a set of batteries in a series the current flows through the set during operation. Most all batteries in the series will measure within .1 volts of each other at all times other than the end of their lifespan where any one could fail before another.......the one that fails could be any one, or there might not be one that fails. It's something that is simply unpredictable by anyone, except maybe mrs cleo for 9.99 a minute.
All of that is depending on you keeping the water levels in check and keeping corrosion off the posts. Corrosion or low water can cause a battery to charge and operate below threshold values.

As to the LED voltmeters, the opinions will again vary to the same degree. I don't waste my money or my customers money on those $50+ priced meters. I find it completely unnecessary and nothing more than a profit center for the seller. I use the cheap chinese meters everyday. Sure, occasionally one will fail, probably a little more often than the high dollar ones. But for $10 you could get 5 of them and never worry about it again. I have noted in the past that the cheaper ones tend to have a higher failure rate if wired into an "always on" circuit. If wired to the ignition on wire, they will last quite a long time. They've always been within .1V when I have measured them against a multimeter. I have installed hundreds of them in the last year and only two have had to be replaced. A fail rate of about 1% in my experience......maybe 2%. I had some extras and I even got one for a forum member so he didn't have to wait for it to ship from China. The choice of meters however, is personal and whatever you like. If you don't mind spending a wad on it, feel free. I'm sure there are site vendors selling the high dollar ones somewhere. I'm just here trying to help you save some cash to do more mods and enjoy your cart to the fullest!

[Sergio]

As to using different batteries to spread out the load, you can do that if you like. When you put a set of batteries in a series the current flows through the set during operation.

What does this have anything to do with anything?

Every Club Car parts manual has the following disclaimer:

Lighting Packages:
DC/DC Converter required on Electric vehicles

You just need to be realistic about how much you are going to use the accessories, running the lights every once in a while for 15 minutes will not likely be a problem, but using them all the time or running a radio will cause a problem if only a few batteries are used.

[Revolution]

I think it all comes down to how people use their carts. Some people use golf carts for golf, some drive around their neighborhoods. I use my carts as off road utility vehicles for hunting, ranching, gardening and for fun. At times I use the lights for 6 plus hours a night for hog hunting, some times I get home late and use the cart to light up the garden for watering and picking vegetables for an hour or so. Using that much power from one battery of your pack is a terrible idea. For the average golfer might run their lights a few minutes a week, not a huge deal for the batteries.

My Club Car came with the four 12 volts, guess which battery died first? The one that ran the lights. The other three are still alive, two serving as gate opener batteries and one as the auxiliary battery in my Big Cart.

There is no single solution for ever cart owner. Use what will serve YOU the best.

[stang99x]

Originally Posted by Revolution

I think it all comes down to how people use their carts. Some people use golf carts for golf, some drive around their neighborhoods. I use my carts as off road utility vehicles for hunting, ranching, gardening and for fun. At times I use the lights for 6 plus hours a night for hog hunting, some times I get home late and use the cart to light up the garden for watering and picking vegetables for an hour or so. Using that much power from one battery of your pack is a terrible idea. For the average golfer might run their lights a few minutes a week, not a huge deal for the batteries.

My Club Car came with the four 12 volts, guess which battery died first? The one that ran the lights. The other three are still alive, two serving as gate opener batteries and one as the auxiliary battery in my Big Cart.

There is no single solution for ever cart owner. Use what will serve YOU the best.

A well thought out response with his personal experience. As such should be the case with all posters, especially vendors. Hence the reason I have no issue referring other members to Revolution carts for parts.

And as to your quote about converters Sergio I would respond that the speed limit sign also commands to drive at or under the posted limit. I guess you've never done anything against "posted rules" in life. Stop being so combative. If you don't like my opinion, then do it your own way. I won't lose a wink of sleep either way. The OP asked, and I offered my opinion as a PROFESSIONAL installer. Why don't you give us your credentials. Have you trained at Club Car as I have? Do you have supporting documents to show that a radio will cause premature failure?

[mrgolf]

[scooterman]

Originally Posted by mrgolf

Ditto That!

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by stang99x

A well thought out response with his personal experience. As such should be the case with all posters, especially vendors. Hence the reason I have no issue referring other members to Revolution carts for parts.

And as to your quote about converters Sergio I would respond that the speed limit sign also commands to drive at or under the posted limit. I guess you've never done anything against "posted rules" in life. Stop being so combative. If you don't like my opinion, then do it your own way. I won't lose a wink of sleep either way. The OP asked, and I offered my opinion as a PROFESSIONAL installer. Why don't you give us your credentials. Have you trained at Club Car as I have? Do you have supporting documents to show that a radio will cause premature failure?

I am not associated with Revolution Golf carts. I am not a professional golf cart anything. I also don't recommend running lights off one battery unless they will only be used a few minutes a week.