Club Car 1995 Golf Car Maintenance Service Supplement Download

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SECTION 19 - POWERDRIVE BATTERY CHARGER

GENERAL INFORMATION

The PowerDrive Battery Charger is an integral part of Club Car’s PowerDrive™ System 48, and one is includ-
ed with every PowerDrive vehicle. Because it is controlled by the PowerDrive System 48 vehicle’s on-board
computer, it will work with only PowerDrive System 48 vehicles. The charger is totally automatic and has no
external controls; when it is plugged in there is a 2 to 15 second delay, and then it comes on (Figure 19-1).

The vehicle’s on-board computer, having recorded the amount of energy consumed as the vehicle was used,
directs the charger to replace exactly the amount of energy needed to fully replenish the batteries. The charg-
er then shuts off automatically, preventing the possibility of either undercharging or overcharging. The com-
puter accomplishes this by sensing when the exact amount of energy necessary has been returned to the
batteries, rather than sensing voltage, rate or change of voltage, gassing point, or any other measurement
parameter.

PowerDrive System 48 charging features include:

• CHARGE INTERLOCK

PowerDrive Battery Charger DC plugs have three pins rather than the two blades that most standard
charger plugs have. Two of these pins are the positive and negative leads as on standard chargers; the
third pin is a sensing lead that is the communication link between the charger and the on-board com-
puter. When the charger plug is plugged into the vehicle’s receptacle, the on-board computer senses its
presence and locks out the vehicle’s drive system. This prevents the possibility of driving the vehicle
while the charger is plugged in and potential damage to the vehicle and charger.

• OFF SEASON STORAGE CHARGE

PowerDrive System 48 vehicles and PowerDrive
Chargers are designed to be left connected, with
AC power to the charger on, during off-season
storage. The on-board computer will automatical-
ly analyze the batteries’ state of charge every fif-
teen days, and if it finds the batteries low, will
activate the charger as necessary. When it is time
to return the vehicle to service, the batteries will
already be fully charged.

• CHARGER DISCONNECT

The computer communication pin is shorter than
the positive and negative pins in the charger DC
plug. In the event that the charger plug is pulled
from the receptacle while the charger is in opera-
tion, the computer communication link will be dis-
connected first and shut the charger off before
the positive and negative pins disconnect. This
will help to prevent possible damage to the plug
and receptacle due to arcing.

19-1

Club Car

NOTE

• SHORTLY AFTER CHARGING BEGINS, THE CHARGER WILL SHUT OFF AGAIN IN ORDER TO

RUN A SELF-DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM (AMMETER WILL DROP TO 0). CHARGING WILL
RESUME IN A FEW MOMENTS (AMMETER RETURNS TO CURRENT STATE OF CHARGE).
THIS WILL BE REPEATED AT ONE HOUR AND AT TWO HOURS INTO THE CHARGE.

FIGURE 19-1