Thanks!

Thanks!

Nice! Good suggestion.

I did this with my Son's and the batteries have died can't recharge. Thanks!!

Awesome! I’m glad it worked! You could do it with a 40 volt, but the chances of you burning out a motor or other component go up quite a bit. For example, if the motors were rated for 12VDC at 3.5A (42 W), then increasing the voltage to 40V would increase the possible power load almost 4x to around 140 W. That’s not to say it would, just increase the chances (assuming everything else stays the same). I’m simplifying some since motors will draw what current they need to achieve torque, so there’s a chance that the actual power the motor sees is more or less than that at any given time. Hope that helps you consider it a little more.

Thanks!

Nice work!

Cool! Good luck on the project! I have not had any issues with the batteries so far.

Drill charger

I am removing it and charging it through the drill battery charger. I would not recommend trying to charge it another way.

Nicely done!

Glad you liked it! It is still running. A few things I've noticed is that my kids go hard on it so we've gone through quite a few 30A fuses (maybe 5 or so). One of the motor gears is starting to make a louder clicking sound as well which I'll be checking out soon. With more power and harder play, it's likely that some of the teeth on the plastic gears have broken.

You can get flex volt dewalt batteries up to 60 v but you better not run 60 through a 24 v motor or its going to melt wires/ motor

Without seeing the logic board and how it fits into the wiring diagram, it's difficult to say whether it controls high and low (meaning speed). However, high speed and low speed are typically a voltage adjustment, so if the board was controlling the voltage output by switching a handle physically to low or high (or reverse for that matter by switching polarity), then those may be impacted. This is the reason I have the motor controller in place in my build - I can set the voltage output to whatever I want to govern the top speed. If you want to make the adjustment knob accessible, you could do that. Mine also has the switch to shift into FWD High, FWD Low, and Reverse. Most likely the motors are wired to run simultaneously - I would not recommend wiring it so that only 1 motor runs at a time for low and then both for high. Just use the voltage to control the speed. Good luck on the project!

The logic board on the jeep definitely controlled all the functions of the motors. After I tore it apart I found they had 20 gauge wires from the direction and speed switches. I ended up having to get 2 dpdt switches and had to rewire the whole thing with 12 gauge wire. I had it out test riding today and it was great. Just wanted to check back in and say thanks. @@TheWorldIsOurLab

Awesome!

Good questions. The DC Motor controller only controls voltage (which governs speed), not polarity (which reverses the current and motor direction - think forward/reverse). So it's true that you need something else after the motor controller in the wiring to control the direction the motors are turning. If the gear selector on the car is similar to mine (FWD High, FWD Low, and Reverse), then what you described you plan to do - swap the old battery with the new battery, battery connector, Fuse, and DC motor controller and leave the rest of the wiring in place - will work. Doing this will allow you to control the voltage to the whole car simple enough. As for the lights, sirens, and other features, there could be an issue with those. Without seeing the circuit, it's difficult to say for sure. Most of those components will be rated for a specific voltage (i.e. - 12V DC), but they will also have some tolerance at which they can run and not have any issue (i.e. - between 9V - 15V DC or something similar). By increasing the system voltage to something higher like a 20V Dewalt battery means that you may be outside the range at which they will operate effectively due to the combination of current and voltage that those features will use. Too much of both at the same time means power overload and burn out. If it was me, I'd try doing the swap and see what happens with the other components. If I wanted to keep those features and make sure they work, I would also consider looking at trying to isolate the circuit which goes to those other features if possible and consider adding in a separate voltage/motor controller or a buck converter (like this maybe www.amazon.com/Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Efficiency-Transformer/dp/B08L5VRBZS/ref=asc_df_B08L5VRBZS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475793181977&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17271168766185585186&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030031&hvtargid=pla-1130173743967&psc=1) to step down the voltage only to the parts of the circuit you need to. But that's only if I wanted to keep them in place. If that did not matter, I would consider disconnecting them from the circuit and closing off the loose wires so there's no hazard in place. Good luck with the project! Would love to hear how it turns out!

Glad to hear! I would recommend the motor controller, but it is not needed to get the motors turning. It only controls voltage which translates to faster or slower speeds depending on what speed you want it to go. The fuse is important to keep from overloading the current and burning things out.

@@TheWorldIsOurLab thank you

You lost me at the mother controller connection. I can't tell what is hooked up to what

Sorry to hear that, would a diagram be helpful?

Original was for rated at 12V. Good luck with the upgrade!

Good question, after I slide the battery into the yellow holder at around 3:44 minutes into the video, I mention that the light is off on the switch and the motor controller. After I turned the switch on, the light came on inside the motor controller, but not on the switch. The reason for the switch is because the small light inside the motor controller will drain the battery slowly if not disconnected. So I added the switch to completely isolate the battery and hopefully save a little bit on the life of it. It is dependent on my kids remembering to turn it off - which they are pretty good at. A side note, the reason the light did not light up on the switch was because I didn't have the right match of switch to voltage I was running it at. It still works as a switch, it won't light up however unless I make some changes to it. I've also got other things planned for the car which I'll make another video about where the switch will be important.

No, you don't have to. It functions as a master switch. So I could let my kids leave the battery in, but teach them to turn it off so it wouldn't drain the battery from the small LED that is in the voltage regulator/motor controller.

Sorry that’s happening! It’s hard to say what could be wrong without seeing it. Where I’d start to figure it out is tracing all the wires and figuring out where all of them go. Then figuring out whether the wires that go to the pedal are connected incorrectly. Also, if you have a remote control, it’s possible that there’s another issue going on, but that’s a little more complex.

Great question! Not seeing it, I can’t say for sure. However, there’s a good chance you could if it is similar to the other brands. Good luck with it!

@@TheWorldIsOurLab thank you

Check out the video description for links to the parts I used.

I'll do a test soon to get more exact numbers. Estimates are around 20-30 minutes for a small battery, and 45 min or so for a larger one. I don't have specifics because it will vary by the motors and size of the battery obviously, but also how hot or cold it is outside as well as how old the battery is. The really nice part is that if you have multiple batteries, they can be swapped out in no time and one can be charging while another is used. Makes for almost unlimited time.

Yep. I put the fuse right after the battery so the other components are protected. If you have a remote control based version, the overall wiring may be different for you. I don't have a version for that yet.

Thanks for letting me know. Any DC rocker switch should work.

It all depends on how it’s used and capacity of the battery. The age of the motors may also have an impact. Driving on flat ground, I can expect around an hour on a 5 Ah battery. The best part is having multiple batteries that are fresh that I can switch out with if needed.

Good job..I just did this for my child rubble digger which is only 6 volts but I put 20 volt battery and I just keep it at 35 or 40 speed so I don't burn out gears or motor Im.just happy it last longer then lead battery and charges waaaaayyy faster

Sounds awesome! And it's true, way better than the older batteries.

Nice!

It depends on the size of the battery. If I run it with a 4 or 5 amp hour battery, the kids can usually get a solid 45 min out of it. Having multiple batteries available and charged up though makes it easy to get more use by switching the batteries out quickly. That's one of the biggest benefits in my mind.

This is a great question - something pretty common. You could increase the size (I would not recommend something over 40A). The bigger the allowable amps, the higher the possibility for burning something out at the motors. The important part is to understand why the fuse is popping. The motors will essentially draw as much current as they need to keep rotating. If the resistance against the motor turning increases, it requires more torque to overcome which means more current and power. In my experience, as long as it was driven pretty normally on flat ground by kids who were not too heavy, there was no problem. However, get a hill, someone grabbing it and dragging their feet or kids too big, and I would pop fuses left and right. Also, making sure there’s nothing else the wheels could be rubbing on could help too. Hope that helps!

@@TheWorldIsOurLab Thanks man. Great advice. I’ll bump up to 40a and tell the kids to lay off the twinkies. 😁

Hahaha!

How has this worked out for you? From what I’ve read, 30A fuses are too high for the gauge wiring on these battery docks. I tried a 30A fuse with my car on “jacks” for testing and had smoke coming from the wires. This project is starting to cost me in fuses.

@@BRoop89 30amp fuses blow very quickly, especially with my 10yo son. The younger kids get a little more time but still pop the 30a when driving more aggressively. 40a is a big improvement, and I just watch the wiring/battery more carefully. All is normal, but even 40a doesn’t last too long. Just depends on conditions. Not sure I want to try 50a - too much risk to battery. Good luck.

If you are talking about the front wheels for the car, those are riding lawn mower replacement wheels which we swapped out. I may be doing a video on that process later.

Nothing outside the video yet. I'm working on a website and will plan to add one there. Still TBD on when that will be up.

Looking for the same info

Depends on the battery size. A 4 or 5 amp hour battery can give the kids a good 45 min runtime on level ground. I have not done a full time test to compare the difference, but the original battery seemed to be close to 10 mins if I was lucky. The big benefit is having several spare batteries around that can be charged up and making it really easy to swap out and keep going.

Depends on the battery size. A 4 or 5 amp hour battery can give the kids a good 45 min runtime on level ground. The big benefit is having several around that can be charged up and making it really easy to swap out and keep going.

I have not had issues with the internal fuse popping. If you have a 30amp controller and a 30amp fuse between it and the battery, the fuse should be the one to pop first.

I have the same problem with the 30amp fuse in the controller.

I have the exact same problem. Sometimes the fuse lasts for a while, other times it does not. And it really doesn't matter where I have the dial turned to. Any ideas?

Great question! In most cases, the power runs through the controller on the car (which contains the receiver from your remote's signal). When this happens, it's likely that the other components like the radio and speakers are also affected by a change in voltage. These may not be as big a deal, but if the voltage to the receiver is affected, which is likely, then you will probably face a problem with it working. In theory, a way to work around this is to maintain the power to the controller on the car so that it is not affected and then separate the increased power to the motors only. The challenge here is that the relays which control the motor voltage being applied are also on the controller so they would need to be identified and somehow transferred as well. Once again, just in theory - I have not done it myself, nor do I have a video showing how to do it. That being said, I've considered working it out and making a video for just that. Is it worth it?

@@TheWorldIsOurLab thank you so much for your reply! If you could that would be amazing! I attached my 12 amp dewalt flex battery to it and the controller started smoking, this is how I figured it was to much power haha. I ordered another controller and now just trying to figure out myself how it works but I think you will have a lot more success then I’ve had.

Possibly. Not knowing your particular power wheels model, it's difficult to say for certain. However, there are some things to keep in mind. If it's shutting off and then able to turn back on and works again, it means that there is something in the system that is causing it to lose power and then by allowing time or a change in conditions, it is able to reset. This is likely due to a electrical overcurrent protection (think a fuse or breaker), component overheating protection (think of a relay which shuts off when it gets too hot), or an electrical short (think loose or broken wires/connections). Based on what you are describing, I would check those possible sources in that order. Some components like the radio, horn, or sounds may have a built in current over protection which could be causing the issue. Depending on how the circuit is wired, removing them could solve the issue. Another likely place to look is for a breaker which could be integrated into a foot pedal switch or somewhere near the old battery, or at the shifter. While you are checking all those areas, check for loose connections or broken wire. If something is loose, it could be causing the issue, but is less likely to restart after without reconnecting somehow. Good luck troubleshooting!

@@TheWorldIsOurLab thanks I'll check it out

@@darthprime117 Absolutely!

Good question. If I was troubleshooting it, I’d start in this order: 1) Double check all wiring connections. 2) Confirm the battery has charge. 3) Check the fuse - make sure it’s good. 4) Confirm the motor controller is operational (voltage in and voltage out) 5) Confirm gear selector is working As far as upgrading, I don’t have a specific recommendation… yet. For now, maybe look for a direct replacement.

If you used the silver speed controller, it’s common for the internal mini fuse for that to burn out, even if your other main fuse is fine.

@@DadHacks Thanks for adding this - also true, especially if your original fuse was over the current rating for the speed controller.

@@TheWorldIsOurLab use the motor from a 20v drill and speed control?

The motor controller is not necessary, but I’d recommend it. It controls the voltage that goes to the motors which directly affects the speed the motors turn and thus how fast the car can go. I added it in to be able to regulate different speeds depending on which child was driving it.

@@TheWorldIsOurLab could that be the reason I keep blowing fuses

​@@southtexasfishing1252 Ours came with a 12v system and all I had to do is add the connector kit which has a fuse. It runs off the 20v 5ah batteries. I'm no electrician, but you might need to beef up the voltage of your system. We haven't blown a fuse yet, and he drives it for the duration of 2 batteries just fine.

Motor control is not necessary unless you have an old model power wheels that has the original motor. They can only handle around 15 volts. The new ones can handle 24 volts with low amp draw... I have set up several of these. The best combo so far has been with two 18 volt Milwaukee M18 8.0 batteries.. I run the batteries parallel not in series.

Get the switch. As stated, if the battery is left connected it will keep draining until it does to the point of not charging. I used this link and saved two of my cheaper non name brand batteries. m.kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jtGco8Wqtq_JdnU.html

Adding the switch was a way I was trying to prevent that. That or remove them when not in use so they don't get slowly drained beyond the point where they can be recharged.

Could be a bad controller or loose wire

Tough to say without seeing the wiring diagram. If you have a remote control system, this could be the culprit - those systems are wired differently.

I believe the radio is a separate battery.

Considering those 20v drill batteries are around 6amp hours and typically draw less than 10amps actively.. yeah. Way too high to protect anything. A 13 or 15 fuse would be about perfect.

I keep blowing my 30 amp fuse . Trying to figure out a way to fix it.

There's links in the comments and I talk about the parts needed around 1:20.

The motor controller I'm using is a DC speed controller. There are no other components in my system that regulate the speed for the motors. When it is all the way up, yes, there is 20V going to the motors and downstream components. For a DC motor, in general the speed is dictated by the voltage (V), while the torque is dictated by the current (I). Watt's law says that power (P) is equal to the voltage times the current (P=IV). Ohm's law says that voltage is equal to the current times resistance (V=IR) or the resistance is equal to the voltage divided by the current (R=V/I). It's important to consider both of these laws in your system. A DC motor will draw more current to try to maintain the load which can lead to run away and burn outs. What it means in reality is that if you run a component at a higher voltage or a higher current, the power will be more. If you run the component at a higher voltage and maintain the current load, then the resistance of the component will go up. In general, when resistance goes up, components tend to get hot. That's where burning out motors or components happens. So yes, DC motors can usually handle more voltage than what they are rated for. But that has to be balanced out with the current load to ensure the power and resistance are not so much that you create "magic blue smoke". That's why I used a fuse in the configuration - to help limit the amount of current and prevent burning out my motor or components. As long as my components are rated to the fuse current or higher, the fuse will help protecting them. There's probably some exceptions, but I won't cover them here. Happy building!

I can help answer questions if you have any.

Hope this was inspiration to you to give it a try!

Yes, that's how this one is set up.

@@TheWorldIsOurLab My kids 12v jeep burned the control box today running 20v batteries… bummed

@@derrickroberts93 sorry to hear that! In this build, I ensured that I had a fuse between the battery and the control box which was rated for the same or less amps than the motor control box. This will mean that if there is more current than the motor controller can handle, then the fuse will take it first and burn out. The fuse would need to be replaced, but that is generally easier and cheaper than replacing the motor controller. Good luck!

What questions do you have?

I love that idea!