I'd like to add some more chargers on here, but they need to be profiled first. If you have a different charger you'd be willing to lend for testing, please contact me.

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Can I use my old charger?

The short answer is yes, but there are things you should know before you do. Please read this section and the section for your specific charger.

There are two differences between lead acid and LiFePO4 chargers.

The first difference is the charging voltage. A 48V lead acid battery charges at 58.8V, while it is 58.4V for LiFePO4. This is a minor difference, less than 1%, so not something we are generally concerned about. Even with higher voltages, LiFePO4 cells are very tolerant of overvoltage and the battery's BMS (battery management system) will disconnect cells when they exceed a preset maximum voltage.

The second difference is the charge profile. Charging is typically broken down into 3 stages.

Stage 1 is constant current. The current on the charger will build up to the maximum current rating of the charger and hold at that current while the voltage slowly increases until it reaches the charging voltage

Stage 2 is constant voltage. The voltage is held at the charging voltage and the current slowly decreases. This allows the cells to top off.

Stage 3 is float charge. This stage is only used for lead acid batteries. The battery is held at 100% state of charge, with minimal current, indefinitely. Lead acid batteries lose charge quickly just sitting idle. They can discharge to the point it damages the battery and this stage prevents that. For LiFePO4 batteries, being subject to a float charge for a long time can damage the batteries.

PowerSonic has a good write up with charts on the different stage.

So yes, you can use your old charger, but, if the charger has a float stage, you will want to unplug it when the battery is charged.

Stock Chargers

Ryobi SC-48

Maximum Charge Current: 13A

This was the original charger shipped with Ryobi 48V mowers. It was made for Ryobi by Delta-Q and is a rebranded version of the the SC-48 charger used on EZGO golf charts.

As you can see from the chart below, this charger will continue to top off the battery after the battery is fully charged. If you use this charger on LiFePO4 batteries, be sure to unplug it once the batteries are charged.

SC-48 Charger

Charge Profile for SC-48 charger

Ryobi OP48RM (Recommended)

Maximum Charge Current: 7.5A

This is the charger that shipped with newer 48V mowers. It has a lower current rating and does not perform a float charge. The lack of a float charge was bad for the stock lead acid batteries, but works out very well for LiFePO4 batteries. While this charger isn't fancy, it appears to be well-built. It is my go-to charger for my LiFePO4 converted mowers.

OP48RM Charger

Charge Profile for OP48RM charger

Aftermarket Chargers

An aftermarket charger can be used with the stock charge port if it has an EZGO RXV charge plug. The only thing you need to do it break the two plastic tabs inside the charge port. Watch this video to learn how to do it. If you have an older charge port, it has a raised circle instead of the two tabs, but the concept is the same, remove the circle to use an aftermarket charge port.

If your charger doesn't have an EZGO RXV charge plug, you can buy one on Amazon and add it. It's best to solder the pins. The stock charger has a third wire going to the top pin that isn't required with aftermarket chargers. This third pin is for charge lockout. If you'd like to enable charge lockout for an aftermarket charger, take a look at this Reddit post.

Because chargers are not always as they are advertised, I'm only listing chargers here that I've tested and plotted the charge profile for. If you have a different charger you can lend me for testing, please contact me.

Haisito / HTRC P3648 (Recommended)

Maximum Charge Current: 13A

This used to be listed under the HTRC brand, but, after a recall with a different charger, they've been transitioning to the Haisito brand in the US. The chargers are made by Shenzhen Haitan Technology Company in Guangdong, China.

Probably the most popular aftermarket charger for these mowers, it is designed to cover a large number of applications. It can charge both 36V and 48V batteries and claims to automatically detect which type of battery you're charging, so this can be used with both the stock lead acid and LiFePO4 batteries. There is also a repair mode, intended only for lead acid batteries. It comes with battery clamps and a an EZGO RXV plug. To use this plug, you will need to break off the two plastic tabs inside the mower's charge port.

There are 3 current settings: 5A, 8A, and 13A. I recommend using the 5A for a 50Ah battery and 8A for a 100Ah battery most of the time. The 13A is useful when you are in more of a hurry.

Given the large number of these chargers sold, they have relatively few issues. Older versions had a quality issue on the charging cable where it connects to the charger. It's an XT60 connector and was not always attached well. There have been reports of shorts and broken connections, so if you have an older version be sure to check it. The connections should be solid and there should be insulation on the wire almost to the connector. Newer versions use a molded connector that is not prone to this issue.

In 2024 , a forced charging mode was added to this charger. Older versions do not have this feature. Normally the charger will not start charging unless is detects voltage from the battery, but forced charging mode will bypass that check. This is useful for batteries that have a BMS that needs external power to be woken up. To enable forced charging mode, hold down the mode button for 6 seconds until you hear a beep. Then connect the charger to the battery and hold the button down for another 6 seconds.

Unlike the stock charger, aftermarket chargers won't engage the charge lockout. This means it's possible to turn the mower on and drive away while the charger is still attached. If you'd like to use the P3648 and still have charge lockout, take a look at this Reddit post.

If you wall mount your stock charger and are looking to do something similar with the P3648 charger, our friends at ACMC Studios make a holder that can be mounted on a wall, pegboard, or Ryobi Link rail. Keep in mind the charge cable is only 1 meter (39 inches) long, so you may may want to consider an extension cable.

This charger is available from many sources, sometimes with different labels. Expect to pay around $100. it's available with several different plugs, so be sure to select the EZGO RXV version.

Amazon

Ebay

AliExpress

Alternatives:

It seems there has been low stock for these chargers lately, so you may want to look at some other sellers. Below are links to other sellers that list the charger on Amaxon and eBay.

Amazon: iSunergy Store

Ebay: Forward-Sell, PerfectLife629, Feijoa183

P3648 Charger

Charge Profile for P3638 charger

XYM QA1250A

Maximum Charge Current: 15 - 25A (model dependent)
Maximum Power: 1250W
Maximum Efficiency: ≥93.0%
IP Rating: IP65
Protections: Over-Voltage, Over-Current, Short-Circuit, Reverse Polarity, Over-Temperature (Charger), No-Load

This is a very popular OEM charger. It is listed here as a placeholder for generic implementations. While the hardware varies little from one to another, the factory-set configuration can vary signifigantly, so specific versions of this charger that have been tested will be listed in their own section.

This charger is manufactured by Hefei Power Forever Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., which also goes by the brand name XYM. However, this company primarily acts as an OEM to other companies. This charger is bundled with batteries from other companies or relabeled. Companies reselling this charger include:

It is also available under several generic brands on Amazon and AliExpress.

This charger is very customizable. Vendors can order it in different colors, not just the top plate, but the whole body color can be customized. It can also be customized for different voltages, charge profiles, input plugs, output plugs, graphics, and packaging.

It's capable of 1250 Watts maximum, so, for 48V version, it is available in as high as 25A output. For 48V LiFePO4, 18A seems to be the most popular configuration. The same hardware is used in different versions with voltage, amperage, and charge profiles configured at the factory. Vendors can even have their own profiles loaded, so the specific behavior can vary from one version to another.

The charger has an IP rating of IP65 meaning free from dust intrusion and protected against preasure jets of water. The fan is likely the weakest part because the internal electronics are encased in epoxy before the case is sealed with a gasket.

The charger gets hot to the touch when charging and is warm to the touch at idle. The fan is required, so, while this charger can be installed onboard on a golf cart, I strongly advise against it on a mower where it is subject to grass and debris that can easily clog the cooling fins and block the fan.

Generic QA1250A

DCHouse 48V 18A (QA1250A)

Connector: M8 Ring Terminals via 2-pin waterproof connector
Maximum Charge Current: 18A
Maximum Power: 900W
Maximum Efficiency: ≥90.0%
IP Rating: IP65
Protections: Over-Voltage, Over-Current, Short-Circuit, Reverse Polarity, Over-Temperature (Charger)

This is the DCHouse variant of the XYM QA1250A. This charger is often sold in a bundle with a battery, but is also available on it's own.

Connecting
The charger ships with M8 ring terminals intended for on-board mounting in golf carts. However, it is not recommended to mount it on-board due to risk of debris blocking the fan. Some people leave the waterproof connector accessible through the under-seat access panel. Others add an EZGO RXV charge plug to the charge cable for use with the stock charge port. This does require breaking the tabs inside the charge port. At 18A this charger is rated the same capacity as the Ryobi RXV-style charge port. While there is a theoretical risk of exceeding this due to a spike, it does have over-current protection. Based on what I observed and feedback from others, exceeding the rated current seems unlikely and the charger tends to work fine with the stock charge port once adapted. I was even able to adapt it to enable charge lockout.

Charge Profile
While I did not observe it, the documentation says the battery will do a 10 second pulse of 57V to activate a battery that might be in sleep mode, then charges at a constant current of 2A until the battery is at or above 40.8V. Since the test battery was already at 52.6 these stages were skipped.

During the bulk charge stage, the charger initally went to 18A then quickly droped to ~16.6A. The output is capped at 900W, so it makes sense the current would drop as the voltage increases. The documentation states bulk charge goes until the voltage reaches 56.8V, though I observed 57.1V, which is close enough. It then does a constant voltage charge at 6.1A, but it only lasted 3 minutes until the BMS cut off the cells indicated by the tell-tale voltage spike. Then the charger turned off.

This charger does a decent job, however it could be better. It is not adjustable, so you always get near 18A for the bulk charge. They sell this bundled with both 50Ah and 100Ah batteries. This would be a charge rate of 0.36C and 0.18C, respectively. I prefer to charge at a rate near 0.1C to reduce heat and for battery health. I also prefer a much lower amperage for the constant voltage stage, closer to 1 - 2A. While most of the charge is done during the initial constant current stage, the constant voltage stage provides an opportunity to top off the cells and balance them. I don't believe 3 minutes is enough time. That said, the popular P3648 charge doesn't even do a constant voltage stage, so it's something.

Conclusion
My take is this is a capable fast charger. It's fine to use with 100Ah batteries or larger, but I think 18A is too much for regular charging of smaller batteries. I typically prefer a charger with lower current even for 100Ah batteries, but this charger will work fine. My main advice is to understand how you are planning to connect this charger before ordering it. Many people buy it in a kit assuming this will be the easiest path then find they aren't able to use the stock charge port like they planned. If your goal is to use this charger with the stock charge port, you'll need to attach an EZGO RXV charge plug.

Availability

While this charger is often bundled with DCHouse batteries it is also available on it's own.

It can also sometimes be found refurbished on eBay.

DCHouse 18A Charger (QA1250A)

Charge Profile for DCHouse 18A Charger (QA1250A)

AFU AF500 (Avoid)

Maximum Charge Current: 3 - 15A (model dependent)

This charger is available on AliExpress with or without a display. Similar models are also available under the Ohrija brand.

On the surface, this looks like a good option. It's compact and low cost, usually selling for around $50 for the 8A version. However, when I profiled it, I found the charger held the battery at 58.4V indefinitely. In the manual this is referred to as "maintenance mode", but this is your typical stage 3 float charge used on lead acid batteries. Being held at the charging voltage indefinitely like this can damage LiFePO4 batteries. I reached out to AFU to see if there is a way to disable this behavior and I still haven't heard back. My guess is they took their lead acid charger and changed the voltage slightly. I will update if I get any new information from the company.

Aside from the float charge issue, the charger is very simple, but seems well-built, with an aluminum case and removeable power cord. It reads voltage as soon as power is applied and has no power switch, or buttons of any kind. The display is fairly accurate, but only displays temperature in Celsius with no option to switch to Fahrenheit. Charging status is indicated by 2 LEDs on the side, though the display also seems to blink when charging is complete.

AliExpress

AF500 Charger

Charge Profile for AF500 charger

Solar Chargers

If you need to charge your mower off-grid, it's surprisingly cheap and easy. This setup will put out 2 - 3 Amp depending on the sun and charge a 50Ah battery completely in less than 2 days. To shorten the time you can add more panels in parallel. There's a video below showing how to hook everything up.

Eco-Worthy 2 x 100W Monocrystalline Solar Panels

The first thing you need is a couple solar panels. Eco-worthy makes some quality panels at a very reasonable price. Expect to pay $100 or less for a pair. Connect them in series to connect to the charge controller.

Dimensions: 35.24" x 23.03" x 1.38"

You can find them on Amazon and Ebay.

If you want to want to add another set of panels for faster charging, use a Y-splitter for a 2S2P configuraion.

Eco-Worthy 12A Boost MPPT Solar Charge Controller

The next thing you need is a charge controller. This hooks between the panels and the battery. It controls how much voltage is passed to the batteries. Usually cost around $40.

You can find it on Amazon and eBay.

The cables on the panels are only 30 inches long, so if you need to put the controller farther from the panels, you'll need some panel extension cables.

EZGO RXV Charge Plug

To connect to the mower's charge port, there are a few options.

Reuse cable from P3648 Charger
If you have a P3648 charger, you can solder a male XT60 connector to the solar charge controller and use the charging cable from the P3648.

Pre-made Cable
You can also buy a charge cable. The third wire should not be connected. There is also a version with an XT60 connector that only has 2 wires.

Make your own
Use an EZGO RXV charge plug to make your own cable.

Charger Parts

EZGO RXV Charge Plug

If you have an aftermarket charger that didn't come with a charge plug and want to use the stock charging port, you can attach one of these plugs to the end. The pins can be crimped, but it's best to solder the wires with a soldering gun. Order on Amazon.

There's also a version that includes the cable and a version with an XT60 port.

The top pin does not need to be connected for aftermarket chargers to work, but if you're interested in enabling charge lockout, you can look at this Facebook post.

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