36V cart, and I am looking to replace the battery cables as they are not in great shape. I read that if you do a 48V upgrade, that 4 Gauge is recomended. possibly thinking of doing a 48 conversion eventually.. any harm in going head now and using 4 gauge and possibly upgrading to 48V later. In other words, am I ok using 4 gauge with a 36 volt setup?
Battery Cable repalcement
- Thread starter jeffro22
- Start date
hitmanharleyk
New Member
4 gauge is good for anything, 36v, 48v, 72v !
You'll notice a little better performance by up-grading and remember that the more strands in the cable the better, don't skimp on getting or making yourself a good set.
You'll notice a little better performance by up-grading and remember that the more strands in the cable the better, don't skimp on getting or making yourself a good set.
ok, thanks. I was planning on making a set using 4 gauge stranded wire from lowes adn 4 gauge crimp on ring connectors. Does this sound OK or shoudl I go with a better wire/crimp? Also, do I need to replace the two wires coming out of the electric box (with the town/run switch) that connect to the batteries?
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
Just rinse them with water (low pressure)... You can use a baking soda and water mix to neutralize any acid then rinse with water...
gornoman
Well-Known Member
Nope, that wire from the home center is designed for typical AC electric distribution and none of it should ever be in your cart. Welding Cable can sometimes be purchased through these stores, or Tractor Supply, etc. It can also be purchased online along with the proper lugs and solder pellets. I got welding cable from a friend (freebie) and bought lugs, flux and solder pellets at a local Car Quest Auto Parts store.
do these cables look OK? by the time i find the wire and lugs locally i will be better of just buying a set.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...%3AIT&viewitem=
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...%3AIT&viewitem=
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
SAE J1127 is regular battery cable. 4 guage 1127 has 25-27 strands, 4 guage welding cable has 400-500 strands depending on quality. That set is for the batteries only not a complete set. I would buy everything from weldingsupply.com if you can't find welding cable locally. Or buy a set already made from buggiesunlimited...
StreetGlide
New Member
Jeffro, both HRC and Gorno know to what they speak. When they agree, you can't go wrong by taking their advice!
(Well, I take that back, they may suggest I trade my CC for an EZGO! Ha....
)
(Well, I take that back, they may suggest I trade my CC for an EZGO! Ha....
just went to the local welding store and bought the 4 gauge welding cable and the lugs I need for around $20. I will get started on this tomorrow. Anything special when I am soldering? I was just goign to stick the cable end in the lug and try to melt as much solder on the connectiona s possible
hitmanharleyk
New Member
I usually clamp the lugs in a vise or clamp like in the picture above, I then melt the solder into the cup end of the lug by heating the lug, when it is good and hot I push the cable in. Work fast !!
Did you buy any heat shrink to put over the cables and lug barrels to give you the nice clean finished look ? Some folks like it, others don't. I put clear on mine.
A couple of more questions.
Did you buy 5/16" or 3/8" lugs ?
How much cable did you buy ?
Did you buy any heat shrink to put over the cables and lug barrels to give you the nice clean finished look ? Some folks like it, others don't. I put clear on mine.
A couple of more questions.
Did you buy 5/16" or 3/8" lugs ?
How much cable did you buy ?
hitmanharleyk
New Member
Some folks don't like copper lugs, but they will be fine !!!
To get the full benefit of bigger cables you need to do the ones on top of the battery pack, the ones going to the controller and the ones from the controller to the motor. PDS carts already have 4 ga. running to the motor, not sure about the fleet carts. Is yours a PDS or Fleet ?
Here's one of mine next to a stock cable.
To get the full benefit of bigger cables you need to do the ones on top of the battery pack, the ones going to the controller and the ones from the controller to the motor. PDS carts already have 4 ga. running to the motor, not sure about the fleet carts. Is yours a PDS or Fleet ?
Here's one of mine next to a stock cable.
made my cables today. Used solder and copper lugs and 4 gauge welders wire and they came out lookign really god and professional. it took about 4 ft, 10 lugs, little bit of solder and heat shrink, and for now i have just done the battery cables. i will do the controller and motor cables when i get a chance but the battery cables were in really bad shape
My cost was
Wire - 1.19 / foot = $5.00
CopperLugs 1.00 ea = $10.00
Solder = $7.00 but still have alot left and a couple bucks for the heat shrink
My cost was
Wire - 1.19 / foot = $5.00
CopperLugs 1.00 ea = $10.00
Solder = $7.00 but still have alot left and a couple bucks for the heat shrink
just went to test drive the cart, and i have some type of problem. The cart will barely move and doesn't have hardly any power. Could it be the cables that I made? Thats really the only thing that has changed it think. I do have one battery that need to be replaced, may be that is is B.c it is only reading 5.3 volts, but all the others are reading 6.2. How to I test the cables to make sure they are good? I used copper lugs from the welding store and used electrical solder. If i didn't use enough solder maybe it isn't getting a good connection, but i felt lik the connections were pretty good and there wasn't any movement with the wire inside the lug, or shoudl I be lookign at the one bad battery first?
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
The battery with only 5.3 volts is probably the problem. If the other batteries are only at 6.2 volts with a full charge they're on their way out to. You should be seeing voltages of 6.35 to 6.40 on a fully charged 6 volt battery 1-2 hours after the charger shuts off...