36V Nightmare... Need Help Please!

[arkmaker]

Hello everyone. I am a total newbie to carts other than driving them when I was younger and played golf! I picked this cart up ('93 36V) last week so my wife could get around the property. Everything seemed fine and then she said the charger was not shutting off. The guy I got it from had taken out the 2 center batteries and put in a 12V. Told me it was acceptable as it still made up the 36 total volts. Made sense to me at the time, but now I am not so sure?? Batteries are pretty much dead and cart will not run. This is a Rohs charger which I don;t think is the original. Anyway, I got to looking closer at the batteries and found that there were a couple of wires not connected. So there is a red/white wire from the fuse not connected as well as an orange one. Just hanging loose. There is an idiot light on the dash to tell if the batteries are getting low. I popped out the panel and found that both of those wires are disconnected as well. You can get the picture....a nightmare! So, I guess my questions are; is it ok to run that 12 volt battery in the middle of 4 6 volt batteries? And what are my hanging wires (red/white and orange)? The idiot light would be nice to have working as well, but I had planned on adding a gage anyway. I am trying to figure out how to add a picture, so you can see my mess first hand. Thanks, Rich

[golfcartg]

It sounds like you’ve got a nice little project on your hands, its definitely salvageable, it just depends on how much money and time you are willing to sink into it. Let's touch base a little on the necessary steps and costs to get it up and running again focusing only on the powertrain and what I can see in the pictures.

There are some encouraging signs, the frame appears to be in good condition, which is a good indicator of the cart's overall health. Additionally, the battery compartment looks clean and generally maintained. This suggest that the cart has been reasonably cared for. So with some focused effort you can expect it to become a reliable vehicle.

First off, your battery setup needs attention. Running a 12V battery in place of the two center 6V batteries is not ideal and can cause issues with performance and battery life. You’ll need to replace the batteries with six new 6V lead-acid deep cycle batteries. These typically cost around $600 to $900 in total, depending on the brand and quality you choose.

With some wires hanging loose and your charger not shutting off, a rewiring job is in order. If you decide to take it to a professional, you can expect to pay between $200 to $500 for the labor, depending on the complexity and the shop’s rates. A professional will follow the wiring diagram to verify everything is connected correctly and safely.

If you’re handy with tools and comfortable working with electrical systems, you might consider rewiring the cart yourself. It can be a time consuming task but can save you some money. I am attaching the wiring diagram to this post, it's definitely doable if you have the patience.

Comparing these repair costs to buying a used or new cart. A used, running golf cart typically costs between $1,500 to $3,000, depending on its condition. New carts start around $7,500 and can go much higher depending on the features and customizations. While repairing your cart might seem costly upfront, it’s often more economical than buying a new one, especially if the rest of the cart is in good shape.

Regarding the charger and the disconnected wires, using a Rohs charger that isn’t original could not be ideal. You may need to purchase a charger. Having the correct charger is important. The disconnected red/white and orange wires could belong to your low battery indicator system, its certainly possible. Reconnecting them according to a proper wiring diagram should restore functionality. Since you plan on adding a gauge for better accuracy, that might be your best bet with better accuracy for monitoring battery health.