2005 EZGO TXT: Sudden LED Meter Behaving Very Erratically.

Sid007

All of a sudden the charge state meter is behaving weirdly, as follows: For a few days I have noticed that my LED meter has fallen faster than it normally does and, yesterday, it plummeted from the second highest LED to next to the bottom (with flashing display). All this, within a half-mile of travel on relatively level road. Cart performance remained unaffected.

When I got back to the garage, all batteries in the pack read slightly over 6 volts (36 volt system). I switched the "ignition" switch back on and the LED meter showed the top capacity (I had charged the system just a few days before and didn't do much driving in between). Turned the key off/on and same, did that a second time and the entire display was dead and has remained so ever since.

I also performed a load test on each battery (all tests were performed with all the batteries still connected in series).

I put the charger on and the charger meter started with a mid-point reading and gradually dropped. Still no LED meter display. That's it!

So, I'm wondering if it's the LED meter (hopefully!), or, something much more complex.

Sorry for such a long and windy post.

Sid

BGW

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bdsii

I just purchased a digital meter to display pack voltage from a site sponsor Carts Unlimited. I received the package in about 3 days from across country which is crazy fast. The meter is very good quality and measures what my volt meter reads so I believe it to be very accurate as well. From what I have researched, the other meters that display percentage of charge versus the actual voltage readings are not reliable at best. Sounds like it is time to get a new meter. Good luck :-)

Volt_Ampere

If the cart was still performing normally, I suspect that your meter is faulty or there is a bad connection between it and your batteries. Check all of your small wire connections at the battery terminals.

woodrow256

If you have a multimeter u can view battery voltage drop compared to the bar meter's drop. At least then you will know if it is your batteries or bar meter.

Sid007

Wow, you guys are so responsive and helpful. I've learned tons from this thread so far. I have an update.

Today, I called my dealer (nearby town) and told him about my LED gauge. He immediately responded with, "How old are your batteries." When I said "five years" he immediately said that that was my problem.

Time-wise that fits with the fact that I replaced the first set almost exactly five years ago. I've been told that five years is very good. In any case, I have an appointment on Wednesday (this is Monday) to replace them. I'll report back with an update. My thinking is, if the meter is still acting up after new batts, I'll be able to coerce him into replacing the gauge free. I'll let you know how that goes, too.

cgtech

Free energy meter with every battery purchase? Bernie totally agrees! Feel the bern.

270Handiman

So you're gonna replace $800 worth of batteries to fix an $18 gauge? Great plan. I bet the sales guy is still laughing.

Sid007

Handiman, are you suggesting that five years on a set of batteries is short of what you have experienced? What's your average? May be that I've been hookwinked on expected life, but, I don't think so.

Anyway, thanx for your response (I think).

Volt_Ampere

Get a good meter first. I agree that 5 years is good life span for batteries. My last set started to falter after four. That being said, some folks get longer than 5 years and some far less. I took good care of mine - kept them charged, never ran below 50%, etc but since I bought my cart new in 2012, I don't know how it was handled before I got it.

270Handiman

No, buying new batteries is always a good thing. Just think those meters are junk, and I wouldn't buy new batteries based off the crappy meter acting up.

You didn't mention anything in your orig. post about the performance of the cart being affected, just that the meter is acting erratic. In this case, I would lean towards replacing the meter before I replaced the batteries. With the new batteries, I would definitely replace the meter now.