Learning Curve Getting Expensive

[brewvegas]

I installed a light kit and keep blowing the front light bulbs. I initially blew all the bulbs (front lights, blinkers and rear lights) when ataching the main leads to the batteries. I thought I was doing it right by attaching the black wire to the positive on one battery, then connecting the red wire to the pos on the adjacent battery. When I went to attach the red...it sparked and blew everything, including the Relay (which I got another at Autozone, except it is for 30A, not 40A..does that make a difference).

I have since replaced the front headlights twice (after rechecking all the wires). The replacement bulbs are 12.8V 55W. Does the .8V make a difference enought to blow them? I have to be doing someting wrong here.

Any ideas?

Thanks...?

[scottyb]

If you get a voltmeter you can test the power you are considering to use as your light source BEFORE you connect
I'm thinking you are connecting to 36v .......

[Z400]

Originally Posted by brewvegas

I installed a light kit and keep blowing the front light bulbs. I initially blew all the bulbs (front lights, blinkers and rear lights) when ataching the main leads to the batteries. I thought I was doing it right by attaching the black wire to the positive on one battery, then connecting the red wire to the pos on the adjacent battery. When I went to attach the red...it sparked and blew everything, including the Relay (which I got another at Autozone, except it is for 30A, not 40A..does that make a difference).

I have since replaced the front headlights twice (after rechecking all the wires). The replacement bulbs are 12.8V 55W. Does the .8V make a difference enought to blow them? I have to be doing someting wrong here.

Any ideas?

Thanks...?

You want the negative (black) wire to go to the negative post not the positive post on the battery.

And also, if this is on an electric cart (what im seeing in your sig) then it sounds like you are hooking these lights up @ 36 volts which is a big no no and is definitely the reason why you are blowing bulbs left and right.

Your going to need to buy a voltage reducer to reduce the 36 volts down to 12 volts.


12 volt bulbs are not going to work with 36 volts of power.

[brewvegas]

Yes, you are right. I had a big brain fart and am lucky I didn't get hurt.

I was connecting the 12V light system to a 36V system. For some reason I had in my head that it was OK since I was splitting (2) 6V batteries to get 12V by attaching one lead to the corresponding posts on each battery. At least that's how I read the directions, too.

So, I need to buy a 12V car battery for my light system and possibly to power a radio. When I looked at them there are different cranking amps. Would the cheapest 12V auto battery suffice as long as I put it on a charge at the end of the day? I intend to get a battery meter for the 36V bank and the additional 12V battery meter to monitor the two different batteries. The same type meter will work right?

Thanks....

[DOOmsman]

Brew you are making this hard for you, get a reducer and you can run your lights and radio from it.

[pizzamaker]

Originally Posted by DOOmsman

Brew you are making this hard for you, get a reducer and you can run your lights and radio from it.

the only way to go

[brewvegas]

I thought they were very expensive. I'll have to look into it. Thanks...

[brewvegas]

Yeah...way cheaper and easier than messing with stand alone 12v battery. I'm going to order a reducer today. Too bad I already ordered (2) volt meters.

[brewvegas]

Check out this wiring diagram for a voltage reducer. I thought you weren't supposed to ground to the frame of an electric cart. Can you ground the reducer back to the batteries? Also, I have a 36V cart, but the reducer says it reduces both 36V & 48V.



Thanks....

[GarageBuilt]

Originally Posted by brewvegas

Check out this wiring diagram for a voltage reducer. I thought you weren't supposed to ground to the frame of an electric cart. Can you ground the reducer back to the batteries? Also, I have a 36V cart, but the reducer says it reduces both 36V & 48V.



Thanks....

This might be confuesing to some. But the drawing is telling you to ground to a fuse box & then bolt it to the body. The body is not the frame. And yes you should never ground back to the frame.