Please help... battery terminal HOT and does it look dis-formed?

nnmsgst

All,

Please see my pics. I just did a bunch of wiring on the golf cart (reducer, fuse block, voltage meter). I put the cart back together last weekend and immediately started smelling something burning. I thought I mis-wired something, so I went for a ride today and then check temps of everything. It was coming from the POSITIVE TERMINAL on the battery that the MAIN NEGATIVE is pulled off of (to the motor). See the pics. Could this just be from not having all nuts tight? Do I need to replace the battery? The batteries and cables are only a year old and otherwise look new... In the pics, I had already loosened the nut, but I guess it's possible it wasn't tight....

Thoughts?

Thank you

BGW

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Nsane

For only being a year old, that cable sure looks dirty to me. I would say most of your problem is in the cable and terminal. I would invest in a good set of cables, cheap is not always the best way to go, all the sponsors of this website have them. Clean your battery terminals and install new cables then properly torque them down.

nnmsgst

These were installed by a golf cart dealer here. I had them all replaced with 4 GA cables last year. This was the one that got hot..

mrgolf

That end on the cable needs to be replaced, remove those lock washers, repair that battery post make sure all battery nut are tighten to 110 inch lbs.

nnmsgst

Thanks. How can I repair the post so I get good surface contact? Is repairing the post necessary?

mrgolf

If I were you I would just take it to a battery shop and have them repair the post.

nnmsgst

thanks for the replies.... here's what I did, and in my initial run, it seems like problem solved:

Earlier today I drove about a mile, including 1/2 mile up a long hill. When I got back to the garage, the temperature on that single terminal was over 200 degrees. I cleaned the terminal, replaced the cable (all of them) with 2 GA cables from Fleet Farm, and put the cable back on the stud with a fresh washer and wing nut.

Tonight I made the exact same run, immediately lifted the seat and measured the temp of the terminal - 62 degrees, just like all the others.

I suppose I'll watch it closely, but the threads are 100% fine, and the ring terminal makes very good contact.

Please let me know if I missed something.

Thanks

mrgolf

As long as you are happy with it , great

NCPW

I'd still remove the lock washer as previously mentioned and be careful using wing nuts. Definitely keep a close watch on it.

theboss20

Just to re-enforce...no lock-washers! Bad idea on any golf cart cable.😎