Batteries Possibly Installed Wrong, Need Verification

AshleyAshna

Hello all!

Quick background: my wife got me a used gold cart for Christmas. Buddy and I decided to swap out old body for new body kit. In the process we took out all the batteries and brought the cart to the frame to clean and do maintence work. When we reinstalled the batteries, we believe we hooked them up just as they were (I no longer believe this is the case)but the cart would turn on but wouldn’t move. We thought it needed to reset so we put it on the charger. After a bit of time, it did move but it moved slow (we just ran it up the driveway maybe 5 feet. Didn’t drive long at all).

We have six Trojan six volt batteries.

1. Looking at the terminals, we do not have a positive to negative connection on every battery. There is one that is negative to negative and one that is positive to positive. All others are positive to negative. From what I’ve been reading, this is incorrect as it should always be a positive to negative connection to complete the circuit. Am I correct in that? Does it need to be rewired?

2. Assuming my number 1 point is correct and the wiring needs to be changed, could I have damaged the batteries? They have been wired this way for 24 hours and sitting on the charger for 12 of those hours.

Thank you for any help and advice you all have.

BGW

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scottyb

The batteries are connected in series from end to end. Connect the + to the - on every battery. When that is done there will be one + and one - terminal left on the ends of the pack. When measuring voltage between these two + and - posts you will see the battery pack voltage 36 - 38 volts.

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AshleyAshna

Thanks Scotty. What are the chances I have done damage to the batteries? I did all of the above and verified everything is correct. I powered it up and the cart slowly drove into the garage but then died. I have it on the charger now.

scottyb

The possibility of damage is real.
If you had 2 neg and 2 pos connected as described one battery was installed backwards. I saw this on a service call, I swapped the battery in question around the the cart ran and charged okay.
Check and monitor all 6 batteries. Record the readings, continue to use slightly and recharge repeatedly. (even daily)Keep recording the 6 individual voltage readings after each charge. If some are too high and the one too low, then you will have to charge the low one to very near the other 5, recharge and recheck.
The goal is to have all batteries within 2 tenths of a volt of each other. Use this chart attached.

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