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Rain finally slacked off enough I got out to feed the critters, way late. It's been coming down by the bucket full! The back tires I put on the cart worked pretty darn well. The original front tires may as well be roller skates on ice. I think I better move tires up on that list some. I slid around pretty bad a few times almost doing a 180 once and I was driving as slow and careful as possible. Slick red clay and hillsides just don't mix well with straight tread tires no matter how deep the tread is. They caked up with layers of mud immediately.
 
Can any of you see why these wouldn't be good on the cart?

https://www.amazon.com/Madjax-BLACK...96a22d9d3&pd_rd_wg=BwOzB&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi
They are not quite as aggressive as what I have on the rear now. But I really don't want AG tread all the way around they ride ROUGH as heck on hard ground. You can feel each tire lug as it makes contact. If you were to cut every other lug off the tire I linked they would be almost as aggressive as the AG tires.
 
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@Neb This one is primarily aimed at YOU since you seem to understand this better than I.

These are the cells I ordered.

https://www.18650batterystore.com/products/eve-lf105
Now I need help figuring out which BMS to use. Needs to be a 16S 48 volt 100 continuous amps or more. I want something I can program to keep the cells in a certain range and something with low temp charging shutdown. I'm looking at these three. But I'm not sure any of them are what I need.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09881C4V5/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A1FCRZH3ASA306&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/LiFePO4-Batt...BMS&qid=1653604940&sprefix=1,aps,3239&sr=8-12
https://www.amazon.com/Lifepo4-Lith...+BMS&qid=1653604940&sprefix=1,aps,3239&sr=8-8
Or if you know something better or cheaper but GOOD.

Thanks for any insight you can give.
 
Had a fraying cable end on one of the main power wires going to motor from the forward / reverse switch I finally got around to replacing it last night. After noticing the wire insulation was starting to melt from inductive heat. Oops! I need to replace the cable someone used 6ga were 4ga was and 2ga should be in my opinion.

The interesting part is we are now getting totally different Amp readings much MUCH higher readings. In the cart by myself up a steep hill and it was pulling 145 amps under full power. That same hill is where we did a test from stopped with 4 people and it only showed a 90 amp draw for a split second. Not sure how that was affecting the meter but obviously it was. It was also cutting the power some. It feels more responsive than it did and didn't seem to slow nearly as bad on the hills today either. Now going down the road in more or less level spots instead of showing 15-30 amps like it has been it's showing 45-75 amps. I guess that connection was a lot worse than I realized!

Looks like I will not be using a 100 amp BMS. Debating running a BMS at all I see a lot of folks don't and self balance the cells every few months if needed. I'm thinking that may be the way I go. Wish I had these numbers BEFORE I ordered cells. I probably would have saved a bit longer and bought larger cells.
 
Sorry I did not have answers for you. The new batteries I have never worked with. I did kearn a bit from reading your linked pages. I am starting to lean toward the new batteries.

Ben
 
Biggkidd said:
That's okay @Neb Usually doesn't hurt to ask..

Good Luck @Frodo Let us know how it goes.

You got that right @Bacpacker and I know better.
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Sea story time

ALCOA had a 4 acre computer room where they set up computer system that were later deployed to plants around the world. The 30 amp plugs for the power controllers in cabinets were not properly torqued when assembled.

The poor connection resulted increased resistance then heating, metal expanding, deforming cooling contraction... Getting worse over time. Eventually one did a flame on and dumped the halon. 4 acres of halon!

They depleted all of the halon supply on the east coast to recharge it.

Hot connection only get worse over time.

Ben
 
My new LifePO4 battery cells arrived sooner than expected! Right when the store said they would! I got them from.

EVE LF105 3.2V LiFePO4 105Ah Battery - (Pack of 4)




They come very well packaged!


20220529_153104.jpg

I would say chances of damage occurring in shipping are minimal!


20220529_153228.jpg

20220529_153316.jpg

This is the only one I've opened so far but as you can see they look perfect!

20220529_153352.jpg

Should I do a separate thread on the battery build so it can be found easy?
 
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I think that either way is fine... we are following your work here and it would be good to include the build here to keep things simple.... cool stuff.
 
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Tell me it's not hard to believe this little bitty pack.

20220529_172534.jpg

Is going to replace all of those! I am just amazed and it will have slightly more usable amp hours than all these big heavy batteries.

20220529_172558.jpg
 
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Just remember, the heavier gauge the wires, the less electrical loss you will have. It makes a huge difference, as well as short distances of those wires from the batteries to the inverter or whatever you may be powering. The inverter owners manual we have says the distance from the batteries to the inverter should be as close as possible and that's with 4/0 wire from the battery bank.
 
viking said:
Just remember, the heavier gauge the wires, the less electrical loss you will have. It makes a huge difference, as well as short distances of those wires from the batteries to the inverter or whatever you may be powering. The inverter owners manual we have says the distance from the batteries to the inverter should be as close as possible and that's with 4/0 wire from the battery bank.
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Changing all the power cables is on my list just a ways down it yet. Money only stretches so far no matter how tight I squeeze it!
 
I just wanted to add that the heavy wires I used, I got from a friend that runs a generator repair business and they were welding cables made with hundreds of very small strands of copper wire, when I was in the Air Force I asked how it is that such fine wired cables could carry such high amperage and was told that current travels on the outside of the wires. The biggest generators they had would put out 2,100 amps at 24 volts and to me it seemed like the long cables from the generators couldn't carry that kind of load and I knew about copper buss that could carry high amperage, I just didn't know that large gauge wire made of bundled fine wires could carry huge amounts of amperage. Anyway, welding cables make great battery connection wires. It was also a good thing that my generator shop friend had a cable connector crimp tool that he loaned me to use, those crimp tools are not the easiest to find and if you do, they are expensive, I don't know if they could be found in a rental store either.
 
I've gotten good at making battery cables using copper pipe for ends. What I do is cut a piece of pipe that's just large enough to go over the stripped wire. I push the wire all the way through to the end of the pipe then I flatten the end in the vise or with a hammer. Next I solder down through the now flattened end then I drill out the bolt hole. Sometimes I add heat shrink sometimes I don't. lol
 
I put all 16 cells in parallel to balance them out. They was an entire .01 volt difference across the 16 cells they ranged from 3.25 to 3.26. They need balancing terribly bad now don't they! LOL
 
Biggkidd said:
I've gotten good at making battery cables using copper pipe for ends. What I do is cut a piece of pipe that's just large enough to go over the stripped wire. I push the wire all the way through to the end of the pipe then I flatten the end in the vise or with a hammer. Next I solder down through the now flattened end then I drill out the bolt hole. Sometimes I add heat shrink sometimes I don't. lol
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I've done the same, I just like to have cable ends that are crimped and are usually of thicker metal than copper tubing, of course there are three different thicknesses of copper tubing and if you could get the thickest, that would be good.
 
9am every cell is bouncing 3.25- 3.26. Rewired them back to 48 volts and 52.2 volts.

10 am Put 5 amp 48 volt charger on. Will check on them in a few hours. I want to get the voltage up to 57.6 - 58.4 with 58.4 being the ABSOLUTE high voltage. I may or may not try and push it that close this first cycle.
 
Biggkidd said:
Can any of you see why these wouldn't be good on the cart?

https://www.amazon.com/Madjax-BLACK...96a22d9d3&pd_rd_wg=BwOzB&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi
They are not quite as aggressive as what I have on the rear now. But I really don't want AG tread all the way around they ride ROUGH as heck on hard ground. You can feel each tire lug as it makes contact. If you were to cut every other lug off the tire I linked they would be almost as aggressive as the AG tires.
Click to expand...

Look good to me, but the rubber compound is also important. For instance, when I pulled a 'tribute ride' to me dear departed mum on my tricked-out mini at Glamis, I used Carlisle X-Trac snow-blower tires, the nearest thing to sand paddles that I could find for 8" rims. Those X-Tracs worked GREAT in the sand, despite the limitations of 8" rims, lol. However, those same X-Tracs were NOT good for single-track trail use, or even harder pavement, as the rubber compound was far too soft. In the sand (or snow), no worries, but anything harder, "FUHGEDDABOUTIT!!!" Washout City, or worse... :oops:

I believe your specific wants or needs with regard to tires will boil down to choosing the best tread AND rubber compound for the job you have in mind. The 12" rims and a lift kit will probably solve your clearance issues, but choice of rubber is still important. This is a lesson I learned from my involvement with minis & pit bikes: those things are squirrelly enough as it is, so choice of rubber is even more important than usual. Plus, with the tricked-out bikes being lower and closer to the ground, face-plants in the dirt or mud were more likely to occur with cr@ppy rubber... don't ask me how I know this, lol. :rolleyes:

You're a gearhead, your posts say it all... so I have faith in ya, lol. And remember, cr@ppy rubber becomes a big-time safety issue with mud-caked tires on sloping ground: I don't wanna read the ugly news that you were killed in a single-cart rollover wreck, BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Damn... that's just WRONG, lol. And I get the part about money being tight, believe me, I'm going through a bad financial patch right now, which is why I'm considering another relocation (makes me solvent again). But the tires you buy for that cart are important, no time to skimp and buy cheap or downright dangerous rubber. :confused:

Just my $.02 on the subject, as a hand who has more or less spent his life rolling on wheels of one sort or another. From those old rock or steel wheels on primitive skateboards to the burly rubber found on big rigs, and a few specialized dirt bike or muscle car tires thrown in for good measure, lol. That scene you described with the cart sliding or slewing around in a dangerous manner, well, that's the prelude to the 'fatality rollover cart wreck' which I do NOT wanna hear about in the future. Moi, I'd go with that wheel & tire combo in your link, provided the rubber compound suits your purpose... ;)
 
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Well around here pavement is a ways away so no worries there. Far as the mud & crud what ya see is what ya get. Good tread that is self cleaning / clearing is the most important I think. Sometimes I consider just going with another set of AG tires like I have on the back now only larger. IMO most of these golf cart tires are to wide for traction in mud. They are designed with as little ground pressure as possible in mind. With the cart being on a diet it may just sit on top and spin. Unless I miss my guess it'll be under 800 lbs with just me in it which is most of the time.
 
I'm curious to see how the cart will perform once you've dialed in the battery set and chosen the best rubber... the bump up to 12" rims will certainly help: I always found it amazing, the difference in speed and clearance with 12" rims as opposed to 9" or 8" rims. Of course, a good motor helped... another thing is the "diet" or weight reduction you're gonna see with these mods of yours, that lighter cart should "move out smartly" (in Infantry parlance, lol), especially with fully-charged batteries. Next thing ya know, you'll be dragging tons of freight across your property, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :oops:

Okay, maybe not TONS, but a man can DREAM, lol... ;)
 
Knowing myself tons wouldn't surprise me in the least. We use to put the race car with the old Pargo golf cart.

These are the tires I have on the cart now.
Front
20220530_134316.jpg

Rearr
20220530_134255.jpg

Damaged front end. It was flapping in the wind so I took a cutoff wheel to it.

20220530_134330.jpg

So you don't think taller tires will cause any problems?
 
Not if there's clearance in the fender wells (or absence thereof, lol). Jeez, looking at that tread on your steer tires, no wonder the cart is slewing around once the tires are caked with mud... :oops:

If you think those tires in the link will cause problems, why not go with 10" rims if you can find 'em? Or maybe a slightly-lower profile tire? You're 'Johnny-On-The-Spot' with the cart, 10-4? I still trust ya, lol... ;)
 
I've got plenty of clearance now that the 6+ inch lift is on. There has also been a lot of talk about stretching the body lately.
 
I'm more worried about the motor torque with the taller tires and these hills. Although I probably shouldn't be. LOW voltage / overloading is what causes 99% of electric motor failures in my experience and we surely will NOT be having any low voltage problems once the new battery bank is in! The load on the cart will also be less considering the diet. I should really just quit worrying!
 
Ah, I see, but it sounds like the cart will not only be lighter but will have more power... a good combo for those into mods. The tall tires might not hurt in that case, and they might even give ya some decent performance, though I understand your concern in hill country. Meh, time to experiment a bit, maybe get the batteries dialed in first as far as they will go, aye? Then make deductions or assumptions based upon the current level of performance (no pun intended with current, lol). ;)
 
I'll tell ya what I just went for a ride before getting back on here a bit ago. I was on a steep hill in thick wet clay. I spun 20 or so feet coming up out of there with these tires leaving a pair of 5-7 inch deep ruts. These tires work. I also glanced at the power gage as it was pulling itself out battery voltage was dipping down in the 38 volts range and it was drawing around 130 amps at the time. Then again that hill ain't no slouch! Thankfully not to many places have that kind of double whammy of that much hill and that kind of mud!
 
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