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Old 01-05-2012, 07:15 PM   #1
cnichol3
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Default EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

2002 EZ-Go with Trojan 105 batteries. Batteries all read 7.5v except for battery 5, which reads 7.1 volts while on charger. The series reads 37.2 while on charger. Golf cart has seemed to lose all power. Rides much easier on pavement but gets "bogged down" so to speak in the grass. Is battery 5 the issue or do I have another problem?
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Old 01-05-2012, 09:54 PM   #2
bigstik40
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

What is the age of the battery pack??? You will find out more about your batteries if you (1) - Give the pack a full charge. (2) - Let the pack rest 8 hrs. (3) - Now take voltage readings/SG readings to determine relative battery health. There should be a voltage-vs-% of charge up top in one of the stickies (ex. 6.37=100%, 6.25=80% etc.). Post results for help. - RAY
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Old 01-05-2012, 11:42 PM   #3
cnichol3
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately for myself, the batteries are about 4 years old but have been well maintained for the most part. After a full charge and a couple hours later, results yielded a 38.3 series voltage while all batteries read 6.4v except for battery 5. Battery 5 showed 6.1v.

To be more specific...
Battery 1 - 6.43
Battery 2 - 6.43
Battery 3 - 6.41
Battery 4 - 6.39
Battery 5 - 6.12
Battery 6 - 6.35

Last edited by cnichol3; 01-06-2012 at 12:14 AM.. Reason: specificity
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Old 01-06-2012, 12:45 AM   #4
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

I think you are reading batteries too soon after charge and you're still seeing some surface charge. They should rest 8-12 hrs. after charging. The % charge vs voltage is as follows:

100% = 6.37 v Full pack = 38.22
90 = 6.31 v
80 = 6.25 v
70 = 6.19 v
60 = 6.12 v

As you can see, one of your batteries plus the full pack is over 100%, but as you indicated, you probably have an issue with battery #5 for sure. You could try additional charging on bat # 5 alone (or 5 + 6 with a 12 v. charger) to see if it comes up, but it may be too late. Another set of readings are in order after more rest. Others should be along to offer additional advice. RAY
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Old 01-06-2012, 02:56 AM   #5
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Thank you for your assistance Ray. Any help on the issue is much needed. Will post updated voltage tomorrow.
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Old 01-06-2012, 11:40 AM   #6
JohnnieB
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Here's a State of Charge chart.
Let the batteries rest at least 6, preferably 12-24, before taking voltage measurements.
Also, a 10-15 minute drive, followed by a 10-15 minute rest, will get rid of the surface charge batteries acquire during the final charging phase.
However you do it, do it the same when making comparisons.

Sounds like B-5 is sick. To find out how sick it is try this.
After battery charger turns off automatically, attach voltmeter to B-1 and drive around until B-1 voltage is about 6.3V, wait 10 minutes.
If voltage climbs above 6.37 after resting, drive a little more.
Once B-1 is reading about 6.37V after resting, check and record the voltages of all six batteries.
These are your reference voltages.
Drive around until B-1 is down to about 90% SoC (after rest), measure and record voltages again. (I say B-1 because it is one of the best batteries you've got)
That should give you a pretty good picture of the health of you various batteries.
Like new batteries will all be within about 0.1V of each other, but older ones might have a wider voltage spread. I suspect B-5 will be a volt or more lower.

Since the cart seems to "bog-down" on grass, you could monitor the battery voltage on B-1 and B-5 while driving on grass and compare them.
In fact, doing this for all six batteries might be a good idea since they are all the same age and have been subjected to the same usage, charging and watering routines.

At four years old, your batteries are probable senior citizens in the battery world, so if one is bad (or more), all should be replaced.
If that isn't financially feasible, try to find good used batteries about same age as the rest of the pack. (Golf Cart shops often have trade-ins)
If you can't find a good used battery, be aware that a new battery will quickly degrade to the level of the rest of the pack and will need to be replaced at the same time they are, or it will drag down the new batteries.

If you want to learn more about batteries, go to Scottyb's website and read everything on the menu with "Battery" in the title.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/
Attached Images
File Type: jpg StateofChargeChart.jpg (53.8 KB, 13 views)
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Old 01-07-2012, 05:24 PM   #7
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Update with clearer results after a good 48 hours. B5 seems to be my biggest problem, as well as with the others.
B1 - 6.21
B2 - 6.20
B3 - 6.17
B4 - 6.15
B5 - 4.42
B6 - 6.15
Series v35.4
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Old 01-07-2012, 09:15 PM   #8
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Looks like bad news. Bat. #5 has a weak/shorted cell and is "toast". The other five range from 60% to 75% SOC and are probably on their way out. If you only make short runs, you could "limp" by for a while if you replace #5 with a used battery similar to the remaining 5 that are fair (shouldn't be very hard to do!!)and keep them charged. Looks like you will be needing new batteries in the near future, sorry for the bad news. Johnnieb may be able to give you some better advice. - RAY
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Old 01-08-2012, 08:45 AM   #9
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Can't add much to what bigstick40 said, but I'll try.

You've got two options:
1. Replace all six batteries now.
2. Replace one now and all six later.

I gave Option-2 a because all six batteries have lived the same life for 4 years and B5 is simply the first to fail. Any of the other five could have a similar catastrophic failure tomorrow, or they might live on for months, maybe even a year or more, but at best you will have a battery pack that is only capable of about a 65% to 70% SoC even if you replace B5 with a new battery, which should be avoided if at all possible.

Bad batteries are somewhat akin to bad apples. If you put a good apple in a bushel of bad ones, it doesn't stay good very long; And if you put a bad apple in a bushel of good ones, the good ones go bad sooner. The same is true with batteries and battery packs, so replace a bad battery with a used one about the same age and condition as the rest of the pack.
If a new battery must be used, consider it a sacrificial investment and replace all six when the inevitable comes to past.

----------------
No matter what you do now, you'll be replacing all six batteries in the foreseeable future and when you do, remember to do the following:
* Fully charge new batteries before they are used the first time. (This is also good time to establish baseline of Voltage and Specific Gravity for future reference.)
* Break them in properly to obtain the maximum storage capacity. (New batteries only have about 75% of their storage capacity and they have to be matured to reach their full storage capacity)
* Keep them charged to then highest average SoC as possible/practical. (The higher the average SoC maintained, the longer the life expectancy.)
* Establish a periodic (Monthly?) battery maintenance routine. (After inspecting, cleaning, tightening and watering, place $10 in jar to go towards the purchase of your next set of batteries. )
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Old 01-08-2012, 12:08 PM   #10
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Default Re: EZ-Go 36v battery issues?

Well said, Johnnieb, as usual!!! I especially like the maintenance step where you put $10 in the jar towards the next set of batteries. (Don't know why I decided to get an electric cart, anyway ) - RAY
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