Hooked up one battery backwards!

NewtoBuggies

Its a 92 CC DS 36V all stock father son project. We recently painted the body and installed teh lift kit. no issues even with the re-alignment. Still has small tires at this point.

We checked the batteries with a meter that was lent to us by the local cart barn. we had one bad battery and we of course got the new one and installed it. I let my 16yo do this part. I should have checked behind to verify.

I attempted a test drive and all I heard was a grinding type of sound comming from the motor area. I immediately turned it off and pushed it back into the garage.

The big question is - how much damage have we created in the electrical system ( motor-controller etc)? I did re-install the battery correctly and retested it and it appears to be okay but the cart wont even go 2mph in any direction.

BGW

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum

OLD MEC

This has happened to us all so there is no need for blaming anyone.
If this is stock cart it will have a resistor bank behind 36 volt battery pack and a V glide ( pie shaped unit ) under drivers seat, is that correct? Its important because so many carts that old have been converted to solid state controlling and tests will be different.
Question was cart running ok before the work was started on cart and if so you need to check all batterys, cables and F&R control and V glide for condition.
I always go back to basic's and test power sourse before doing anything else ( its like trying to find a running problem on a auto when its out of gas ) (You really need to get yourself a digital volt amp meter and a single float temperature correcting scale hydrometer so you can do your own testing. They are not the best but price is right so I use Harbor Freight digital meters $3-$8. and throw them away if and when they stop working ( last one is 4 years old? ) As to a hydrometer you can get one from any auto parts store for $5-$10. BUT BE SURE AND NOT GET A MULTI FLOAT ANTIFREEZE TESTER. Then you can do a complete test on batterys and confirm condition and proper voltages so that when your testing controls you will have correct answers to your possible problems. Refer to STICKIES for "State Of Charge Readings" so that you know whats correct readings. If you are in doubt post readings so forum can help you.
Once you have testers forum can walk you through needed tests to solve your problems as otherwise its a whole lot of guessing and time lost when you should be out with your son enjoying your cart.

NewtoBuggies

the cart was not lasting long on charge before the battery swap (reason for swap). it does have the pie shaped wiper arm nopt sure about the resistor bank. it has 1 silenoid and four wires to motor itself. I have the automatic club car charger that came with the cart (theoretically). I used a multimeter to vheck the charge of the batteries and all including one hooked up backwards show a resting voltage of 5.7 volts. it has a 400 amp controller.

scottyb

Some of these carts were solid state speed control from the factory. I have a 91 which is the same. Your voltage is quite low and damage to the batteries is occurring below 6.0 volts. Getting the charger connected and working should be your first priority!

OLD MEC

At 5.7 volts your batterys only have less than 10% of charge and I'm sure wont do anything as they are COMPLETLY DISCHARGED? A full charged 6 volt battery should read 6.37 volts. Good thing you live in Florida or you might have frozen batterys?
From what you say you ( wont have a resistor set ) behind batterys and so I dearly hope that the reversed battery didnt do damage to your polarity sensative solid state controller but until you get batterys up to full voltage nothing can be correctly tested?
Also what you have done by adding a new batterys with old ones, is that even when running correctly you are damaging the new battery by over charging it because old batterys dont take charge at same amount and boiling water out of new one and possibly warping plates? You may solve your own problem by needing rest of batterys replaced anyway depending on condition?

NewtoBuggies

Just to clarify the resting voltage of 5.7 was for each battery and was taken after 48 hrs off the charger. Is this still a bad reading?

scottyb

YES the battery should NEVER be drawn down below 6.05

GLEEMO

Keep charging, wait 12 hours and test again !
Post the results here , also post the results of the battery which was connected back-wards (with the correct polarity).
Then measure (Pack Voltage) from the "+" on batt #1 to "-" on batt #6 and post here

scottyb

This is where a lot of people have trouble operating an electric cart.
These wet cell batteries have no memory.
Their lead plates are subject to sulphating (sulfating) when specific gravity drops ie: low voltage

Trojan Battery Co says the life of the batteries is greatly increased when discharged less than 50% as opposed to deep discharge.

Here is some helpful info ~ For more battery information go to my website Good luck

Attached Images

	battery life cycle Capture.jpg (61.1 KB, 26 views)
	Batterytable1-1.jpg (88.7 KB, 18 views)

GLEEMO

Man the chart looks back-wards to me but I have dyslexia ?
At 10% i get 5,500 charges
At 100% I get 750 charges , what the F%^k