05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on

cbiss · 02-26-2011, 07:44 AM

About a month ago I installed a radio on my 05 Precedent. Spliced the "hot wire" to the headlight wire, and the negative to an available negative wire behind the dash. Worked fine.

Then we got snow and the cart was left in the garage with charger plugged in for about 3 weeks.

Weather finally cleared and went to start it and it is dead dead dead. No juice to radio, headlights or motor. AND, when you plug the charger in, it won't come on at all. Tried the charger on another cart and it works fine. Suggestions?

sonicj · 02-26-2011, 08:22 AM

batteries are likely too low to trigger the charger. do you have a multimeter? can you measure the pack voltage? below 35v or so you have to "jump start" the charger. this involves jumping the trigger lead on the relay to ground. after the voltage gets up a bit, you can put the charger back to normal. my 2¢
-sj

OLD MEC · 02-26-2011, 10:01 AM

Sounds like you have either a bad cable connection or a bad battery. With charger hooked up during the whole 3 week period and working correctly you should have fully charged battery pack? WARNING ( After doing shut down as shown in owners manual ) remove each cable connection, clean to bare metal and reconnect, cover connections with battery contact preservative available at any auto parts store.
If this does not solve your problem you will need some common required electric golf cart testers #1 a digital volt amp meter, #2 a single float with temperature correcting scale HYDROMETER. NOT A MULTI FLOAT ANTIFREEZE UNIT. Then look at STICKIES under "State Of Charge Readings" to confirm what your tests show.
SONICJ is very correct that if battery pack is below 35-38 volts the charger will not come on and so you need to charge each batterys up enough to allow charger to come on. WARNING DO AS OWNERS MANUAL SAYS BEFORE DOING ANYTHING TO BATTERYS SUCH AS DISCONNECTING OR CHARGING ETC. If you have 12 volt batterys ( 6 fill holes ) this is simple if you have a 12 volt charger, if they are 8 volt batterys ( 4 fill holes ) then unless you are very savy on how to charge I would leave it to a dealer or qualified shop?
If you know how to use hydrometer or digital meter great, but if you are in doubt how they are used on golf carts forum members can help walk you through tests.

cbiss · 02-26-2011, 12:35 PM

OK. Dumb question - I have a multi-meter but how do I check the "pack voltage"?

scottyb · 02-26-2011, 12:38 PM

The batteries are cabled together in Series positive to negative. At each end of the pack there is a cable connection that does not go to another battery, these two connections are where you read the total pack voltage.

cbiss · 02-26-2011, 12:52 PM

OK. Reading is 33.4, so proceeding with instructions in charger manual for chargaing a battery pack that has low voltage.

scottyb · 02-26-2011, 12:58 PM

Interesting. Yes, What exactly are those instructions?

cbiss · 02-26-2011, 01:11 PM

Well, found them on this site for a Powerdrive Charger (page 6-30) but went I went to my charger and found I have a PowerDrive2 and can't find any instructions.

So, back to square 1 (or maybe 1.5). Suggestions? Can I simply unhook the batteries one at a time and use an automobile 12 volt charger on each one?

OLD MEC · 02-26-2011, 04:55 PM

If your batterys are 12 volt ( 6 fill holes ) then just hook charger up across each one in turn ( Be sure polartity is correct ) and leave cables hooked up. WARNING GO BY OWNERS MANUAL FOR INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE CONNECTING CHARGER.
If 8 volt I would have some one that knows all the dangers and requirements charge them.

02-26-2011, 07:44 AM	#1
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on About a month ago I installed a radio on my 05 Precedent. Spliced the "hot wire" to the headlight wire, and the negative to an available negative wire behind the dash. Worked fine. Then we got snow and the cart was left in the garage with charger plugged in for about 3 weeks. Weather finally cleared and went to start it and it is dead dead dead. No juice to radio, headlights or motor. AND, when you plug the charger in, it won't come on at all. Tried the charger on another cart and it works fine. Suggestions?
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8

02-26-2011, 10:01 AM	#3
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on Sounds like you have either a bad cable connection or a bad battery. With charger hooked up during the whole 3 week period and working correctly you should have fully charged battery pack? WARNING ( After doing shut down as shown in owners manual ) remove each cable connection, clean to bare metal and reconnect, cover connections with battery contact preservative available at any auto parts store. If this does not solve your problem you will need some common required electric golf cart testers #1 a digital volt amp meter, #2 a single float with temperature correcting scale HYDROMETER. NOT A MULTI FLOAT ANTIFREEZE UNIT. Then look at STICKIES under "State Of Charge Readings" to confirm what your tests show. SONICJ is very correct that if battery pack is below 35-38 volts the charger will not come on and so you need to charge each batterys up enough to allow charger to come on. WARNING DO AS OWNERS MANUAL SAYS BEFORE DOING ANYTHING TO BATTERYS SUCH AS DISCONNECTING OR CHARGING ETC. If you have 12 volt batterys ( 6 fill holes ) this is simple if you have a 12 volt charger, if they are 8 volt batterys ( 4 fill holes ) then unless you are very savy on how to charge I would leave it to a dealer or qualified shop? If you know how to use hydrometer or digital meter great, but if you are in doubt how they are used on golf carts forum members can help walk you through tests.

02-26-2011, 12:35 PM	#4
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on OK. Dumb question - I have a multi-meter but how do I check the "pack voltage"?
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8

02-26-2011, 12:38 PM	#5
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,419	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on The batteries are cabled together in Series positive to negative. At each end of the pack there is a cable connection that does not go to another battery, these two connections are where you read the total pack voltage.

02-26-2011, 12:52 PM	#6
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on OK. Reading is 33.4, so proceeding with instructions in charger manual for chargaing a battery pack that has low voltage.
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8

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02-26-2011, 08:22 AM	#2
sonicj Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Panama City, FL Posts: 1,408	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on batteries are likely too low to trigger the charger. do you have a multimeter? can you measure the pack voltage? below 35v or so you have to "jump start" the charger. this involves jumping the trigger lead on the relay to ground. after the voltage gets up a bit, you can put the charger back to normal. my 2¢ -sj

02-26-2011, 12:58 PM	#7
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,419	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on Interesting. Yes, What exactly are those instructions?

02-26-2011, 01:11 PM	#8
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on Well, found them on this site for a Powerdrive Charger (page 6-30) but went I went to my charger and found I have a PowerDrive2 and can't find any instructions. So, back to square 1 (or maybe 1.5). Suggestions? Can I simply unhook the batteries one at a time and use an automobile 12 volt charger on each one?
cbiss Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8

02-26-2011, 04:55 PM	#9
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: 05 Precedent - Dead - Charger won't come on If your batterys are 12 volt ( 6 fill holes ) then just hook charger up across each one in turn ( Be sure polartity is correct ) and leave cables hooked up. WARNING GO BY OWNERS MANUAL FOR INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE CONNECTING CHARGER. If 8 volt I would have some one that knows all the dangers and requirements charge them.

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