Batteries are still good after 5 years ??

noserider

I bought my cart approximately 5 years ago with new Trojan T-875 batteries. I replaced 2 batteries this year and 1 last year. I know it's not a good practice to install a new battery in an old bank but the remaining T-875's are still kicking ***. I started today with a full charge. Charger kicked off last night with full charge. Kicked off around 64 volts. Today I went for a ride with my wife and dog around the neighborhood. My guess is we drove for 2-3 miles. Came back and let the batteries rest for a couple hours and just now checked them. All were between 8.5 and 8.65. It's hard to replace those remaining three 5 year old batteries that seem to be doing as good as the new ones. Suggestions?

BGW

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scottyb

They do seem to be doing everything you are asking of them. But here is what you need to know about mixing batteries of different ages. Old batteries are nearly as efficient as new batteries. They take longer to charge and they hold less amperage. When you charge old and new batteries together, the new batteries charge faster than the old ones. The charger is waiting for the pack to reach X volts before cutting off. The new batteries which are taking a charge faster than the old batteries go up higher in voltage than the old batteries.
I would be curious to know what the individual battery voltages read 1-6 when the charge is nearing the end of the cycle.

Volt_Ampere

You are putting extra stress on the new batteries so you are not saving $$ in the long run.

scottyb

Typically what happens is the charging imbalance reduces the new battery down to the level of the old battery but in this case he is still getting what he wanted which is extended pack usefulness. A common misconception is I can replace half the pack this year and half the pack next year and then I'll have a new pack when in fact no...this yrs new batteries will have diminished performance by the time you add next yrs batteries and then they will be the ones reducing the new batteries capacity.

I've been here -

jjance

You may have a problem with your charger. The daily charge for T-875's is 59.2 volts. You state that your charger went to 64 volts, even for an equalization charge it should only get to 62v. That is way overcharging your batteries. Unless your meter needs to go in for cal.

scottyb

My New Lester charger goes to 64v.

rib33024

JohnnyB posted this a few years ago. A 48 volt pack will get to 67 volts before fully charged some times


(Quote: JohnnyB)

In fact, the charger may have to take a 48V battery pack up to 67V, or above, to fully charge it.
On the other hand, 59V may fully charge a 48V battery pack.
The voltage it takes to fully charge a 48V battery pack depends on who manufactured the batteries in the pack as well as their age and condition.

By definition, a lead-acid wet cell is fully charged when the specific gravity of the electrolyte ceases to increase while a charging current is passing through it. Since open-circuit voltage increases/decreases as the electrolyte's specific gravity increases/decreases, open-circuit voltage is an indirect or secondary means of monitoring the electrolyte's specific gravity and is often used to do so.

An ideal charger would monitor pack voltage and when it ceased to rise over a predetermined period of time, it would stop the regular charging mode and go into a float charge mode, however few, if any, chargers typically used by golf cart owners are ideal. Most of them simply shut off at a predetermined voltage that is high enough to almost fully charge most battery packs without being so high that repeated use would significantly harm battery packs that are fully charged at the lower end of the typical voltage spectrum needed to fully charge a battery as determined by empirical data.

Here is Trojan's recommended charge curve for a single (2V) deep cycle wet cell. There are 24 cells in a 48V battery pack, so do the math and you get 58.80V to 66.96V. However, Trojan uses an electrolyte that is 27.7% sulfuric acid by weight (SG = 1.277) and other battery manufacturers use different concentrations, so the on-charge voltage that is typically reached when their batteries are fully charged, will be higher or lower.

kernal

My new Lester charger goes to 66v. (6mo old t-875s)

teecro

Bulk Charge 59.3
Absorption 56.4 to 58.8
Finish/Equalization charge 64.8
Float charge 54

Taken from Trojan....

1sharphook

It's sad they can't even post consistent recommendations.

http://www.trojanbattery.com/Battery.../Charging.aspx

http://www.trojanbattery.com/tech-su...y-maintenance/