headlights for 36v

[t&tkennels]

I was wondering if i could use those driving /fog lights like the ones at auto zone, they are 12v of course. if they will work , how do go wiring them with the 36v system?.

[scottyb]

They will work. Install and wire like you would on a car except you will need to run a ground wire to each light (in series) One ground which loops from light to light. So NO grounding to the Body or frame! This is a two wire system. Every light gets a pos and a neg wire The 12v source can be any 2 batteries (in series) Basically you hook to the pos of one and the neg of the other and the 2 batts are connected pos to neg as are all the rest
(in series). That being said....... It is ultimately better to purchase a 36v to 12v converter to use as your source. Because the 2 you hook up to could be drawn down further than the rest and suffer over time.....If you use the 2 battery method switch to a different pair each month to avoid weakening just one pair.

[t&tkennels]

Thanks , but im still a little confused on the grounding method.

[scottyb]

What part are you not clear on? Like where it comes from or where it goes to? How it differs from a 12v system? Have you put lights on a car before?

[t&tkennels]

ive replaced lights on a car before , never installed aftermarket ones . to be honest im completly stumped when electricity is involved. do i just wire the 2 ground wires together coming from the lights? & why not ground to the frame ? you may have to draw a picture. lol .

[gornoman]

NEVER GROUND TO THE FRAME ON ELECTRIC CARTS.

There is a chance that pack voltage will feedback into your circuit and blow out your lamps, stereo, winch, etc.

[scottyb]

Like Gorno says, Never ground to the body or frame on an electric cart. In a car everything is the same voltage. Not so in golf cart. Hence the need to completely isolate the 12v light circut from the 36v drive circut. Neither one uses the body ground.

[janhoward777]

if you wire three lights in series like batteries in a flashlight are series wired then you add the volts together. three 12 bulbs in series adds up to 36 volts. no surges will blow the lamps because the three filaments absorb the voltage in equal proportions. since lamps are not polorized just hook one end to the positive on you 36volts connect three lamps together pos.+-0--0--0- neg. just be sure that they are single filament bulbs and as the gentlemen said do not ground any of the wires to the frame.

[roady89]

Yes, that may be true but if one light bulb burns out the whole string goes out. Kinda like the old christmas tree lights....

[pggroves]

Originally Posted by roady89

Yes, that may be true but if one light bulb burns out the whole string goes out. Kinda like the old christmas tree lights....

Boy does that bring back childhood memories. And as I think further; not very good ones really.

Thanks roady.