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Old 09-18-2022, 08:35 PM   #12
bronsonj
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Saint Petersburg, FL
Posts: 2,089
Default Re: Backup Generator while driving?

I have done this! I put a generator on my Christmas Float and use it to also power a small 5 amp charger on the cart as well as all the Christmas lights on the cart and all the lights on the float.

I know, 5 amps?... Not enough! Won't do anything! Bah Humbug! Won't work! Can't work! I thought so too...

Well, the parade route is stop and go, I'm pulling a heavy float with 8 to 12 people (more kids than adults) and 2 people on the cart all while going slow. I pull a LOT of amps to do this.

Buuut, yes. The charger ABSOLUTELY makes a difference. Every year I pass dead cart after dead cart and those carts aren't pulling floats. The routes get longer and longer and last year (after passing 3 or 4 dead 4 passenger carts) I passed a modified (but dead) 6 person cart near the end and he looked at me with big eyes as I went past and exclaimed HOW ARE YOU STILL GOING!!! The parade is stop and go so there are times when no motive power is being drawn and it is charging. At the end of the night I completed the parade and when I got home I still had power! I don't know how much power I had left since I left the generator running to power the float lights while the party went on and drinking began.

I would have bet $$ that the 5 amp charger wouldn't have done much but before the parade I knew that my cart would die on the route without it... Instead I got home with power to spare.

Some technical notes. My cart is lithium so 5 amps can charge it (slowly) where a 5 amp charger won't sufficiently charge a lead acid. I had to connect the charger *directly to the batteries* so the interlock wouldn't trigger. You normally can't run your cart when connected to the charger. You have to bypass that. If you use regen braking then know you can overvolt yourself if you have a nearly full pack while regen braking and charging. If I were to do this (it sounds like something I would do) I'd set up a switch and relay so I could cut power to the charger or cut the connection from the charger to the pack. If I wanted unlimited range or had lead acid, I'd pick a larger charger than 5 amps. A 15 amp charger is 20% of the current I normally pull (75 amps) when cruising at 24mph. I think a 10 or 15 amp charger would do wonders for you considering all the stops you do for golfing.

Your mileage WILL vary. But this was my experience and I will not do the parade without that little charger...

*Side Note: I do not recommend pulling stuff with carts. I know the risks and I've made modifications to reduce them but this is not what carts were made for.
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