Turning a golf cart into a jump start machine??

DarkoStoj

DarkoStoj

A mysterious figure named Darko
I have a lot of equipment at work and spend a lot of time swapping batteries, and jump starting when the weather gets cold. A lot of the equipment is older with multiple batteries and big diesel engines. Starting can be a pain a lot of times.

I was thinking about bolting 6 or so car batteries in parallel to the back utility bed of the cart I installed with leads to solve this...but I got to thinking it would be a much cleaner and better install if I was able to use the batteries in the golf cart to do this.

Anybody know how I can convert the 48v (4 12v batteries) to 12v and use the internal golf cart batteries for jump starting equipment? I was looking at transformers, but I couldn't find one that can handle those kind of amps.
 
You could wire up a pigtail that'd parallel the 4 golf cart batteries into a single + & - jumper cable clamp. Alleviates the need for a step down transformer. My concerns would be how much AH/RC those batteries provide vs. the starting load you hook up, and any possible ramification to the carts electrical system if you overdo it. I've never seen a golf carts batteries - are they full size car batteries (even deep cycle), or more ATV/motorcycle small engine sized batteries?

Your original plan is certainly more conservative in terms of possible negative outcomes. :)
 
I personally would use separate banks of batteries. If you were to wire the batteries in two separate series and parallel circuits you would likely have a very hard time charging the batteries equally without disconnecting them before charging which would likely become a pain.
 
If it’s a cart with a bed on it just extend it 18” and put the extra batteries in the back and ad a slide terminal like on a snow plow for your cables and cover with plywood. Could even add charge lugs like a race car to plug in when not in use. And the bed of the carts still good for other things with out moving batteries all the time to use it.
 
Ill take a picture of the jump cart we have at the bus garage its wired 12 volt and 24

gas station I worked at as a kid we had a pinto wagon with 4 - 6 volt batteries it could start anything
 
You can have the batteries wired both in series and parallel, just don't try to charge it both in series and in parallel at the same time.

Anderson Mining Products (AMP) connectors (company long since spun off as Anderson Power Products) are nice for this. I started using them on winches and golf carts 25 years ago. There are plenty of Chinese knockoffs but if you buy real ones they are much nicer. The SB350 is what I've always used on my winches and they seem to do fine with 700 amps going through them. So I'd put a bunch of SB175 in at each battery and use a SB350 for a lead for jumper cables. I have a power take off with a SB350 on all my trailers/vehicles. Makes it easy for jump starting or hooking up accessories like a winch. I even have them on my boat for the trolling motor.

https://www.andersonpower.com/shop/wire-to-wire.html
 
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