How to wire Observer 4x4 batteries?

[Olli88]

Hello,

I recently bought a 2nd hand Observer 4x4, The chair currently only has 2x 12v 36ah batteries wired up, I've ordered 4 new batteries to fit i was just wondering what is the proper way to connect them up.

The wire coming from the control box has 4 wires coming off it, currently 2 are connected to nothing, the other two are going to the black on one battery and red on the other battery, then a wire connecting the red and black.

Once my new battery's come should i use all 4 wires coming from the control box plug and connect it how i've drawn it in the photo?

batteries.png (5.22 KiB) Viewed 2938 times

Will this give me 24 volts and 136ah (4x34ah) ?

Thanks
Olli

[LROBBINS]

4 X 12V 36 Ahr batteries connected 2 in series and then the series groups in parallel will give 24V @ 72 Ahr and this is probably how they should be wired on the Observer. (Having parallel pairs then connected in series gives the same result). 4 all in series would give 48V, 36 AHr and 4 all in parallel (obviously not the case since the pair already in the chair are in series) would give 12 V, 144 (= 4 X 36) AHr. In other words you have 4 X the wattage of a single battery, but that is shared between V and AHr depending on how they are wired.

[Olli88]

Thanks for the info, at the moment the 2 batteries are just connected like my picture but just 1 set was connected up.

So the 2 in series and 2 in parallel is that how i've done it on my image?

[LROBBINS]

That depends on where the other ends of those loose black and red wires go, but I suspect that at the other end the two reds are connected together and the two blacks are connected together. However, you can be sure that there's at least one fuse or circuit breaker in the circuit as well. Have you searched on line for manuals (user and technical) for this machine?

[flagman1776]

Having 4 batteries seems odd to me... normally batteries are wired in series for 24 volts. If you have more space, 2 much larger batteries would give more power. My huge Pride Wrangler scooter has 2 group 27 (nominal 100A) batteries in series. But you must have height as well as length & width.

[Olli88]

All observers have 4 batterys from what i can see, there isn't a lot of height they go in a long line all the way down the center of the chassis.

Heres a photo from the manual, From what i gather the furthers left and right are connected to 2 of the wires, then then middle 2 are connected to the other wires. Does that sound right?

[ex-Gooserider]

I would probably take a continuity meter to the wires coming from the control box. You didn't say what the colors were on the loose wires, but if they are also red and black, I would check to see if the two reds are connected together (nominally zero ohm's between them) and same with the blacks. If they are, then I'd connect the batteries as you show in the first post. If not, let us know what you find...

I'd be very surprised if the wires weren't paired, just because it seems consistent with the manual quote for them to be.

ex-Gooserider

[Rye]

What size Power Module does the Observer have?

[Burgerman]

120A RNET as far as I know. So has around 2.7 to 3mph top speed caused by having the gearing low enough that it can actually skid steer. Although some sites may claim more. And range isnt exactly good.

[Rye]

I guess the X8 would also be a 120a? Couldn't get away from a hornet's nest fast enough a 3mph.

[Burgerman]

Yes but that doesn't attempt to skid steer.

This is why it never goes any faster than very slow in the videos


youtu.be/5VGf1umIniU

[Scooterman]

It don't 'alf look dodgy going up and down them stairs. Imagine if the tread had picked up a bit of squashed tomato skin or other food debris : .

[Burgerman]

Wet tyres. Or condensation in winter on cold metal...