Connecting two cables to one on 24v golf buggy.

[woodman-46]

Hello,
My son has a ride on that I have made from a single seater golf buggy. It is in the shape of a Gator and runs off two 12v batteries in series powering a 24v motor. I want to put a little winch onto it for extra fun and to power this from the buggies batteries. The winch itself is 12v and so I have bought a 24v to 12v "reducer" that the winch can plug into . My question is firstly can I do without the reducer and just connect the winch to one of the 12v batteries terminals( my concern is that the two 12v batteries are in series to make up the 24v and will this mean that 24 v will reach the winch even if it is only connected to one.) Or if I use the reducer how do I connect that to the cable that joins both batteries into one onto the wiring box. The connection from that cable to the wiring/control box is connected via two 6.5mm spade plugs. Can I just splice the reducers two wires onto that cable and it should be ok. I hope all this makes sense! Any advice very welcome. Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have bought a 24v to 12v "reducer" that the winch can plug into .

That won't have been cheap for one beefy enough to support a winch motor. Will you be able to return it?

can I do without the reducer and just connect the winch to one of the 12v batteries terminals

Yes.

( my concern is that the two 12v batteries are in series to make up the 24v and will this mean that 24 v will reach the winch even if it is only connected to one.)

No, it won't.

 

[motorbiking]

unless there is a switch to isolate the second battery in series then it will still be 24v.

probably easier to add a 12v motorcycle battery for the winch

 

[stillp]

unless there is a switch to isolate the second battery in series then it will still be 24v.

?

 

[EFLImpudence]

http://bus.getdave.com/Docs/12Von24V/

 

[ban-all-sheds]

unless there is a switch to isolate the second battery in series then it will still be 24v.

Not if you only connect it across one of the two.

 

[woodman-46]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated. The winch is actually made up of an old 12v corless drill turning an hand winch and won't in fact be pulling anything of great weight. The diagram from EFL Impudence just about sums it up and is very clear. That is the way I will go. Thanks again.

 

[ericmark]

I would suggest you swap batteries every so often as drawing from one battery will mean the other gets over charged a bit and that one under charged a bit, swapping them once a month will get around the problem.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Will the drill need to rotate in both directions for winding and unwinding the "cable"? If so then wire it so that it uses one battery to go one way, and the other one to reverse.

Use a centre-biased double-throw switch. Make sure that it's BBM (break before make)!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I would suggest you swap batteries every so often as drawing from one battery will mean the other gets over charged a bit and that one under charged a bit, swapping them once a month will get around the problem.

I think you might be making the same mistake as I.

Reading "winch" and thinking this:

It's a 12V drill as a winch on a child's toy, so not only will it not be used as much as the motive power, when it is used its consumption will be negligible compared to the buggy motor. I really don't think that there will be any asymmetric use to be concerned about. My suggestion above was just for a bit of elegance...