Yamaha G16, G19 and G22 Lithium Conversion Guide: 36V or 48V, Plug Type, Fit and Install
CartVoltage is reader-supported. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Details
The Yamaha G-series carts built between 1995 and 2007 are the ones that most often arrive at a lithium conversion with the wrong parts in the box, because three similar-looking models use two different voltages and two different charger plugs. The G14 and G16 are 36V carts with a crowfoot charger receptacle; the G19 and G22 are 48V carts with Yamaha’s 2-pin plug; and none of them use the 3-pin plug of the later G29 Drive, which is what most “Yamaha” kits assume. Get those two facts right and the rest of the swap is as easy as any cart on the road: no on-board computer, a simple tray, and a Tow/Run switch that does exactly what it says. This guide covers all four models; the G29 Drive and Drive2 have their own guide.
Step 1: Which Yamaha Do You Have?
| G14E | G16E | G19E | G22E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model years | 1995 to 1996 | 1996 to 2002 | 1996 to 2002 | 2003 to 2007 |
| Stock batteries | Six 6V | Six 6V | Six 8V | Six 8V |
| Voltage | 36V | 36V | 48V | 48V |
| Charger receptacle | Crowfoot, with cut-off plunger | Crowfoot, with cut-off plunger | Yamaha 2-pin | Yamaha 2-pin |
| Tow/Run switch | No | No | Yes, under the seat | Yes, under the seat |
| On-board computer | No | No | No | No |
| Lithium pack needed | 36V drop-in, 100 to 105Ah | 36V drop-in, 100 to 105Ah | 48V drop-in, 100 to 150Ah | 48V drop-in, 100 to 150Ah |
The quickest check is the battery count and size: six 6V batteries (the shorter GC2 case) mean 36V, six 8V (the same footprint, slightly taller posts) mean 48V. The model code is on the serial plate, mounted vertically just under the glove box on the far left of the driver’s side on the G14, G16 and G19; Yamaha serials begin with J and the letter group after it identifies the model. The G19 was Yamaha’s first 48V cart and the G22 that replaced it in 2003 kept the same electrical system, so the two convert identically. The earlier G14 and G16 share their 36V system, and their crowfoot receptacle, with every Yamaha electric back to the 1979 G1. If you are not sure which voltage you have, 36V vs 48V golf cart shows how to confirm it with a meter.
Step 2: The Voltage Decides Everything
A lithium conversion replaces the batteries, not the drive system, so the pack must match the voltage the motor and controller were built for. A G19 or G22 gets a 48V pack; a G14 or G16 gets a 36V pack. Owners of 36V Yamahas regularly ask whether to “go 48V while they are in there”, and the answer is only if they are also replacing the controller, the motor and the solenoid, which is a different and much more expensive project; a 48V pack on the stock 36V system will damage the controller. The 36V lithium packs are not a compromise: a 36V 105Ah pack gives a G16 more range and a quicker launch than the six 6V batteries ever did, because lithium holds its voltage under load. The reasoning is in the 36V vs 48V guide.
Step 3: Measure the Compartment Before You Order
All four carts carry their six batteries in two rows of three under the seat, a footprint of roughly 31 by 14.5 inches, and a single lithium pack at 17 to 21 inches long and 10.5 to 12.5 inches wide fits inside that with room to spare. Two things still need a tape measure.
First, width at the narrowest point: the Yamaha compartment is boxed in by the frame rails and the controller mount, and one dealer-grade kit maker sells a “skinny” 105Ah pack specifically for the G19 and G22, which tells you the usable width is tighter than on a Club Car or EZGO. Second, height from the compartment floor to the lowest point of the seat frame with the seat down: the older Yamaha seat pan sits low, and the 150Ah packs at about 11 inches tall are the ones that contact it. Every 100 to 105Ah pack in our size chart is under 10 inches tall and clears the seat on these carts; the Vatrer 36V 105Ah, at under 17 inches long, is a comfortable fit in a G16.
Measure three things with the old batteries still in: inside length and width at the narrowest point, and floor-to-seat-frame height. Compare the height with the pack’s listed figure plus an inch for terminals and cables. If a 150Ah pack fails the height check, two 100Ah packs side by side are often shorter and give more capacity; one 150Ah vs two 100Ah in parallel covers that route.
Step 4: What You Need to Buy
For a G19 or G22 (48V)
- One 48V lithium pack. For a stock cart doing under 15 miles a day, 100 to 105Ah: Vatrer 48V 105Ah (its listing names the Yamaha G-series) or the DC HOUSE 48V 100Ah kit. For a lifted cart or hilly property, a 250A pack such as the Cloudenergy 48V 250A; for long days, the Vatrer 48V 150Ah after the height check. Full comparison in best 48V lithium golf cart batteries; your cart’s number in the range calculator.
- A 48V lithium charger with Yamaha’s 2-pin plug. The G19 and G22 receptacle takes a two-barrel DC plug that Yamaha used with its MAC charger, and it is not the 3-pin clover of the G29. Few lithium chargers ship with it, so buy the pack bare and a 48V lithium charger with the Yamaha 2-pin plug, or a charger with bare leads and the 2-pin plug fitted. Drawings of every plug are in golf cart charger plug types, and why the old MAC charger should not be reused explains the voltage problem.
- A 48V-to-12V reducer if the cart has a light kit, horn or stereo. Yamaha light kits on these carts were often tapped across two batteries, and that tap disappears with a single pack. The Pro Chaser 30A is the usual pick; wiring in the reducer guide.
- Hold-down hardware and possibly longer main cables. One pack leaves most of the compartment empty, and its two terminals sit in one place rather than at opposite ends of a six-battery string; the factory cables sometimes come up short on one side. A bracket, strap or bolted spacer is essential.
- A lithium meter if the pack has no display, because any dash charge indicator on these carts reads lead-acid voltage. Lithium-calibrated meters.
For a G14 or G16 (36V)
- One 36V lithium pack. The Vatrer 36V 105Ah is under 17 inches long and 83 lb and drops into the six-6V compartment; for hills or a lifted G16, the Cloudenergy 36V 250A. All six 36V packs compared in best 36V lithium golf cart batteries.
- A 36V lithium charger with a crowfoot plug. The two-blade crowfoot on the G14 and G16 is the same connector family the 1982 to 1994 Club Car DS used, so chargers with it are easy to find: 36V lithium chargers with the crowfoot plug. The Yamaha receptacle has a cut-off plunger that disables the cart while a plug is inserted; it works mechanically and keeps working with lithium, so leave it in place.
- A 36V-to-12V reducer if the cart has lights, plus hold-down hardware and a lithium meter, for the same reasons as above.
Step 5: The Conversion, Step by Step
Time: 1 to 2 hours. Tools: 1/2 inch and 9/16 inch wrenches or sockets, wire brush, baking soda, safety glasses, and a helper; each 8V battery weighs about 63 lb and each 6V about 62 lb.
- G19 and G22: Tow/Run switch to TOW. It is under the seat near the controller. Key off, key out. The G14 and G16 have no tow switch; key off and remove it.
- Photograph the wiring: the main positive and negative, the two charger receptacle wires, and any 12V tap for lights.
- Disconnect the main negative first, then the main positive. Tape the cable ends so they cannot touch the frame.
- Remove the series jumpers and lift out the six batteries. The Yamaha hold-down is a bar on two J-bolts; keep the hardware, it often becomes the bracket for the new pack.
- Clean the compartment. Neutralize acid with baking soda solution, rinse, dry, and wire-brush rust. Twenty-year-old Yamaha trays are usually corroded under the batteries; treat bare metal now, because the new pack will hide it for a decade.
- Dry-fit the pack with the terminals toward the side the main cables reach. Check that the seat closes with half an inch to spare over the terminals.
- Secure the pack with the factory bar and spacers, a bolted block, or a ratchet strap through the compartment slots. It weighs a quarter of what the old set did and will slide if it only sits there.
- Connect main positive, then main negative, torqued to the pack maker’s figure. Pre-charge the last connection for a few seconds through a resistor or a 48V (or 36V) bulb so the controller’s capacitors do not trip the BMS on contact (how to reset a tripped BMS).
- Connect the charger receptacle wires to the pack as they were on the old string, positive to positive and negative to negative. There is no on-board computer on any of these carts, so there is nothing to bypass.
- Wire the reducer if fitted: fused input across the pack terminals, output to the accessory circuit, never across part of the pack.
- Wake the pack if it shipped in sleep mode, by its button, its app, or a brief connection to the charger.
- Switch to RUN and wait. The G22 owner’s manual notes a delay of about 30 seconds after the switch returns to RUN before the cart will move; it is not a fault. Key on, test drive slowly, then plug in the new charger and confirm it starts a cycle.
The general procedure, with photos of the pre-charge trick and hold-down options, is in how to convert a golf cart to lithium.
Yamaha-Specific Notes
The 2-pin plug on the G19 and G22
Yamaha changed charger connectors three times across the G-series, and the 2-pin plug of the G19 and G22 is the least common of the three on lithium charger listings. Three ways to deal with it, in order of preference: buy a 48V lithium charger listed with the Yamaha 2-pin plug; buy a charger with bare DC leads and fit a 2-pin plug, which is sold as a replacement part; or buy an adapter from a plug you already own, accepting one more connection to corrode. Replacing the cart’s receptacle with another type works, but it hurts resale and means every future charger needs the same change. Whatever you do, do not plug the original MAC lead-acid charger into the lithium pack: its finishing voltage is wrong for LiFePO4 (lithium charger compatibility).
The crowfoot receptacle on the G14 and G16
The 36V Yamahas use a two-blade crowfoot receptacle with a built-in cut-off: inserting the charger plug presses a plunger that opens the cart’s key circuit, so it cannot drive away while charging. That is a mechanical switch and it works the same with a lithium pack. On a twenty-year-old cart the plunger can stick and the blades corrode, so clean or replace the receptacle while the batteries are out; a weak contact there shows up later as a charger fault that has nothing to do with the new pack. After the first charge, confirm in the pack’s app or with a meter that current is flowing into the pack.
Regen braking and a full pack
The G19 and G22 use Yamaha’s 48V separately excited drive with regenerative braking, the system that gives them the Tow/Run switch. Regen pushes current back into the pack on a descent, and every golf cart lithium BMS accepts it, with one exception: a pack charged to 100% at the top of a long hill can briefly hit its charge limit and the engine braking drops out for a second. It is not a fault. On a hilly property, charge to 90% for daily use through the pack’s app; regen cutoff after a full charge, explained.
Weight and traction
Six 8V batteries weigh about 380 lb; the pack that replaces them weighs 82 to 103 lb. The cart sits higher at the back, rides harder until the springs settle, and loses some rear traction on wet grass. Most owners never notice; the ones who climb steep loose drives sometimes add a counterweight plate. The size chart has the weight comparison.
The dash indicator
Where these carts have a charge indicator, it reads pack voltage against a lead-acid curve: with lithium it sits near full for most of the ride and drops in the last mile. Use the pack’s app or a lithium meter; why the factory meter reads wrong on lithium.
Troubleshooting After the Swap
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cart does nothing with the key on (G19/G22) | Switch still in TOW, the 30-second RUN delay, or pack asleep | Switch to RUN, wait half a minute; wake the BMS by button, app or a brief charger connection |
| Cart does nothing with the key on (G14/G16) | Receptacle cut-off plunger stuck in, or pack asleep | Check the plunger moves freely; wake the BMS |
| Charger will not start | Wrong plug (2-pin vs 3-pin vs crowfoot), or the old lead-acid charger | Match the plug by photo; use a lithium charger |
| Seat will not close | Pack too tall for the low Yamaha seat frame | Swap to a 105Ah pack or a low-profile 150Ah |
| Lights or horn dead | Two-battery 12V tap gone with the old string | Install a reducer |
| Cuts out on hills | BMS continuous rating below the controller’s draw | 200A minimum; 250A for lifted carts |
| Engine braking drops out downhill (G19/G22) | Regen into a full pack | Charge to 90%; normal otherwise |
| Indicator reads wrong | Lead-acid calibration | Use the app or a lithium meter |
Charging faults the table does not solve: lithium golf cart battery won’t charge, 9 causes in order. Cart dead or stalling: golf cart won’t move after lithium conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Yamaha G22 36V or 48V?
48V, with six 8V batteries, the same as the G19 before it. The G14 and G16 are 36V with six 6V batteries. Some retail listings label the G22 as 36V; count the batteries on your cart rather than trusting a listing.
What charger plug does a Yamaha G19 or G22 use?
Yamaha’s 2-pin plug, two round barrels side by side, used from 1996 to 2007. The G29 Drive and Drive2 use a 3-pin clover plug, and the 36V G1 to G16 use a crowfoot. Photograph your receptacle and match it on the seller’s plug chart before ordering.
Can I put a 48V lithium battery in a Yamaha G16?
Not on the stock 36V motor and controller. A 36V lithium pack gives the G16 everything a conversion promises; going to 48V means a new controller, motor and solenoid as well, which is a different project.
Does a Yamaha G19 or G22 need an OBC bypass for lithium?
No. None of the Yamaha G-series carts have an on-board computer. Connect the charger receptacle wires to the pack exactly as they were on the lead-acid string.
Will a 150Ah lithium battery fit a Yamaha G22?
In length and width, yes. In height, measure: the older Yamaha seat frame sits low, and 150Ah packs at about 11 inches tall contact it on some carts. A 105Ah pack under 10 inches tall fits every G19 and G22; two 100Ah packs in parallel are the usual route to more range if 150Ah fails the height check.
Next Steps
Confirm the voltage and plug in the fitment guide, pick the pack from the 48V or 36V comparison, and run your cart through the range calculator before deciding between 105Ah and 150Ah. Still weighing the cost? The cost calculator runs the ten-year math with your own prices.
