I have an Electric Go-Cart and want to upgrade the batteries for longer use and need help?
I have an electric go-cart I use for school projects. (I teach Physics.) We're showing it off at an Earth Day Festival next month but have a problem...
I have an electric go-cart I use for school projects. (I teach Physics.) We’re showing it off at an Earth Day Festival next month but have a problem. It only works for about 3 hours and then the batteries die. I’m considering buying a second set of batteries and having them charged and ready to replace the used ones or I’d prefer to buy batteries that would last the entire 6 hours. Right now the go-cart is using 4 batteries connected in parallel. The batteries are each 12 Volts and 33 AH. However, the manufacturer suggests 12 Volts and 35 AH. My question is, can I use 12 Volts and a much higher AH rating to get longer use? Would that blow the capacitor? What would be the highest rating without hurting any of the electrical parts? Any other suggestions for improving time of use would also be helpful.
You can use as high a rating as you can find. But higher rating batteries tend to be heavier, which causes more load on the motor, which can defeat or minimize any gain.
Personally I’m not any good at electronics but I do know of a few websites that can definitely help you in this area and much more. http://www.wonderhowto.com http://www.instructables.com http://www.howstuffworks.com http://www.fishsci.com http://www.scientificsonline.com
Try going to this site and asking your question:
http://www.elmoto.net
It is mostly about how to convert motorcycles to electric but the people on here will help you with any electric vehicle question you have.
The batteries are connected in parallel – this tells us that the motor runs on 12 volts. Using higher Amp-Hour batteries would still provide the 12 volts you need, and increase the running time of the go cart. Connecting more batteries in parallel would work just as well, as long as they are 12 volts.
I’m not sure about the function of the capacitor you mentioned. I’ll venture a guess that it’s a high-value capacitor used to provide extra amps when the motor draws the most current, like during acceleration from a dead stop. If that’s the case, those changes shouldn’t affect it’s operation.
If those 33ah batteries are lead acid gel cells, they must be heavy! I’ve got a scooter that runs on four 22ah gel cells, and my back hurts after I put them in. Doubling the running time would probably mean doubling the battery weight– unless you switched to another TYPE of battery, like Nickel metal hydride or Lithium-ion. These weigh less and will last longer than lead-acid batteries, but are more expensive.
Good luck