# Golf Cart?



## RazrRebel (Apr 16, 2013)

I have a golf cart with new batteries, well a year old. I was wondering what size panels to keep it charged? Also thinking about wiring it up to an inverter to use in case of a power outage, just a few lights and maybe the blower on the buck stove. Oh yeah the batteries are Trojan T1275 12 volt. There are four of them. Any ideas?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

RazrRebel said:


> I have a golf cart with new batteries, well a year old. I was wondering what size panels to keep it charged? Also thinking about wiring it up to an inverter to use in case of a power outage, just a few lights and maybe the blower on the buck stove. Oh yeah the batteries are Trojan T1275 12 volt. There are four of them. Any ideas?


In order to determine the size solar panels needed to charge it, you will have to do some homework and supply some info----like how much time you will be using it, how much wattage the motor draws etc, etc. 

Hooking a inverter to it can be done, but to do it where it does not mess up your batteries-----you will need to draw off all the batteries equal amounts. If you can find a high amperage voltage reducer to hook your inverter to----I have not looked but I do not think they make a 48 volt inverter, but you can do a search.

I use a inverter on my 36 volt golf cart Often. You can do the same thing with your 48 volt. I have built several storage buildings using the golf cart batteries and a 2500 watt inverter as the only power, to run a saw and a small air compressor. I have mine setup the poor man way. I have my batteries setup with large quick disconnect plugs hooked to 3 sets of 2 6 volt batteries, then another plug to unhook the series wires on the batteries and I then have 3 into one plug to plug into the 3 sets of 2 6 volt batteries then the inverter into the other plug. Works Good, draws off all the batteries. I just can not drive the golf cart until I unhook the 3 into one plugs and plug the series plug back in. 

Here is a picture of how my 36 volt setup is. My 3 into one "adapter" plugs into the 3 12 volt plugs then the 12 volt inverter into the other plug.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

This is the type disconnect plug I use on all connections. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GREY-High-C...100&hash=item3a81c88ea4&vxp=mtr#ht_1584wt_919


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,
This is the setup I use -- its somewhat similar to what you want to do:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Vehicles/E15ElecTrak/Main.htm

This setup avoids breaking the battery pack up into multiple sets of 12 volts each, but at the cost of a pretty expensive inverter/charger.

Gary


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Well this is working backwards and not really the right way to do it as this does not take load into account. My amp rates assume they are wired in a 48V configuration. For 24V the amp rates would double but the array wattages would remain the same.

Trojan expects the batteries to be charged at a rate between C/12 to C/8 to maintain proper battery health. Trojan T1275 are 150AH @ 20hr so they should be charged between 12.5 and 18.75 amp rate. 

That would mean an array of between 625 to 937.5 watts using an MPPT controller or 900 to 1350 watts for a PWM controller.

48V invertors are readily available but are generally more expensive than there 12v counterparts.

WWW


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## RazrRebel (Apr 16, 2013)

Thanks wolf, I'll try to look and see if their wired in series or two parallel.


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