Voltage Reducer

VOLTAGE REDUCER

INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

REV C, January 10, 2006

COLOR CODES

GRAYHIGH SIDE, CONNECT FEMALE .25 INCH FASTON TO -12 VDC TERMINAL

BLACKLOW SIDE, CONNECT “O” RING TO -48 VDC POST

INSTALLATION

• INSTALLATION SHOULD BE BY A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN TRAINED IN THE SAFETY PROCEDURES OF WORKING WITH BATTERIES AND WITH B+ VOLTAGE LEVELS.

• VERIFY THE BATTERY PACK IS COMPOSED OF A STRING OF 8 VDC BATTERIES. THE REDUCER IS ONLY APPLICABLE FOR INSTALLATION ACROSS TWO 8 VDC BATTERIES.
  
• WARNING – PRIOR TO BEGINNING INSTALLATION OF THE REDUCER, VERIFY THAT B+ AND B- ARE ISOLATED FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. USING A VOLTMETER, MEASURE THE VOLTAGE FROM B+ TO FRAME AND FROM B- TO FRAME. IN BOTH CASES THERE SHOULD BE 0 VOLTS (LESS THAN 10 MV). IF VOLTAGE IS PRESENT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED PRIOR TO INSTALLATION.

• WARNING- PRIOR TO BEGINNING INSTALLATION OF THE REDUCER, VERIFY THAT +12 AND -12 ARE ISOLATED FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. USING AN OHMMETER, MEASURE THE RESISTANCE FROM THE +12 OF THE LOADS TO FRAME AND FROM –12 V OF THE LOADS TO THE FRAME. IN BOTH CASES THERE SHOULD BE A HIGH IMPEDANCE (OVER 15K OHMS). IF THE +12 OR THE –12 V LOADS ARE CONNECTED TO FRAME, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED PRIOR TO COMPLETING INSTALLATION. TYPICALLY THIS MEANS ISOLATING THE LOAD(S) FROM THE CHASSIS.

• TURN BATTERY DISCONNECT OFF, SO THAT BATTERY PACK IS ISOLATED FROM ALL VEHICLE WIRING.
  
• IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A BATTERY DISCONNECT SWITCH, THEN REMOVE THE B+ AND THE B- LEADS SUCH THAT THE BATTERY IS FULLY ISOLATED FROM THE VEHICLE.

• VERIFY WITH A VOLTMETER THAT THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED AND IT IS SAFE TO WORK ON THE WIRING.

• THE REDUCER GETS VERY HOT AFTER EXTENDED USE. INSURE THE REDUCER IS INSTALLED ON A METAL HEAT SINKING SURFACE AND NOT PLASTIC OR OTHER INSULATING SURFACES. MAKE SURE THERE IS AT LEAST 2” CLEARANCE TO OTHER COMPONENTS.

• MOUNT THE REDUCER TO THE VEHICLE. DRILL TWO HOLES, 1/4” EACH, SPACED 5” APART. INSURE THERE WILL BE NO MECHANICAL INTERFERENCES AND THAT AN APPROPRIATE PATH FOR THE WIRING EXISTS. IN MOST CLUB CAR VEHICLES, THERE ARE PREDRILLED HOLES ON THE “I” BEAM. THE MOUNTING POINT MUST BE A GOOD HEAT SINK, OTHERWISE THE REDUCER MAY FAIL.
  
• IF NEEDED, MAKE AND INSTALL THE HARNESS THAT IS NEEDED TO REACH THE LOCATION OF THE REDUCER.

• THE REDUCER SHOULD BE INSTALLED BETWEEN B- OF THE BATTERY PACK AND THE -12 TERMINAL OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK.

• CONNECT THE GRAY WIRE TO THE -12 VDC TERMINAL OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK, THE BLACK WIRE TO THE 0 VDC BATTERY POST (B-).

• CONNECT 12 GA AUTOMOTIVE WIRE FROM +16 VDC IN THE PACK TO THE +12 VDC TERMINAL OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK. INCORPORATE A 25 ADC, 125 VDC, FAST ACTING FUSE IN THIS LEAD/CONNECTION.
  
• VERIFY THE HARNESS IS CORRECT USING A DVOM. WIRING ERRORS IN INSTALLING THE REDUCER COULD CAUSE IT TO FAIL AND WILL VOID ANY WARRANTY.
  
• RECONNECT THE BATTERY.
  
• VERIFY 12 V ACCESSORIES WORK PROPERLY.
  

RADIO APPLICATIONS

THE RADIO CHASSIS SHOULD BE ISOLATED FROM THE VEHICLE CHASSIS. TO IMPROVE RECEPTION A CAPACITIVE COUPLED GROUND WIRE MAY BE RUN FROM THE RADIO CHASSIS TO THE VEHICLE CHASSIS. THIS GROUND WIRE SHOULD INCLUDE A 1 uF ISOLATION CAPACITOR (POLYPROPYLENE, POLYESTER OR METALIZED FILM).

RATINGS: 16 ADC CONTINUOUS, 20 ADC INTERMITTENT WITH ADEQUATE HEAT SINKING. EXCEEDING THE RATINGS MAY CAUSE THE REDUCER TO FAIL.

CAUTION - THIS REDUCER IS DESIGNED FOR 2-WIRE/12 VOLT APPLICATIONS ONLY AND CHASSIS RETURN FOR –12 VDC SHOULD NOT BE USED.

CAUTION – THE REDUCER GETS VERY HOT AFTER EXTENDED USE. VERIFY THE REDUCER HAS COOLED BEFORE TOUCHING.

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