Blinking Battery Light
 

I am new to the golf cart world. I am looking at purchasing a 98 Club Car 48v that has had a very easy life for $750. The cart runs and operates fine but while parked and the key off the battery light flashes for a sequence of 1 second and then 5 seconds. Any feedback on this situation will be greatly appreciated. On a side note I have had trouble getting the charger to kick on when I plug it in. Sometimes it takes a couple times of wiggling the receptacle and then it will take off. Not sure if the problems are connected. Thanks again.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

Remember there can be a 6-20 second delay from the time you plug the charger into the cart and the time the relay kicks on. I thought I had to keep wiggling it also until I read the manual online. Now I plug it in and wait about 8 seconds and it kicks on. Just food for thought.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

Thanks for the reply Storm, I will keep that in mind. I have also done a little research on the batteries that are in the cart and they were manufactured in 2009 hope I am giving enough information to receive help. If there is anything I can look at or do to give you guys more information just let me know.
Thanks in advance.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

It will take a few moments for the charger to kick on once you plug it in. Then it will come on for about 5 seconds and kick off then right back on. This is a pre-charge 'check' of the system to see if there are any problems before the charger begins its charging cycle.
At 4 years, your batteries are getting near the end of their life. Usually the max they can go is about 6 years.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

I just went out and tried to plug the charger in and even with waiting 5 min it did not come on. This is the same thing it did to me yesterday and then it just randomly started charging after I was messing with it for a while. The battery light is still blinking in the same sequence. 1 second on and then 5 seconds on repeating.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

Ok, the charger should kick on within 5 seconds of plugging it in. You may have an OBC problem. I would check all your connections throughout the cart, since you said it came on when you were messing with it. There could be a loose wire somewhere.
The battery light is probably flashing due to an incomplete charge cycle.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

Is that a common light sequence for an interrupted charge?? I have driven the car for quite awhile tonight and went over all the connections and the charger will still not come on. Even with wiggling it around. The light sequence continues.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

I found this picture.
I know there is more info about light codes on here, I will keep looking and will tell you what I find.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

Ok here we go:

BATTERY WARNING LIGHT
When the vehicle is in operation, the warning light is controlled by the onboard computer.
• Batteries’ voltage drops below 48 volts when there is no load on the batteries (the vehicle is stopped
and there are no accessories on).
• Batteries have discharged to less than 25% of rated capacity.

If the warning light illuminates when the vehicle is operating, there will be enough power remaining to drive the
vehicle for approximately 30 minutes. However, the vehicle should be charged at the first opportunity. If the
warning light illuminates and the vehicle is unable to operate for 30 minutes, have your Club Car distributor/
dealer check the vehicle for a possible battery or electrical system problem.

When the batteries receive an incomplete charge because:
1) the DC power cord is disconnected,
2) AC power to charger is interrupted,
3) automatic charger shut-off occurs after 16 hours of operation, or
4) charger malfunctions, the warning light will indicate as follows:

• The battery warning light will not illuminate if the charge is 90% or more complete. The onboard computer
will retain in memory the amount of charge needed to replenish the batteries and will complete
the charge during the next charge cycle.
• When the charger DC cord is unplugged during a charge cycle, the battery warning light will illuminate
and remain illuminated for 10 seconds if the charge is less than 90% complete but the vehicle has
enough power for 60 minutes of operation. This will alert the fleet operator that the vehicle may be
used, but that it must be charged to completion as soon as possible.
• The battery warning light will repeatedly illuminate for 10 seconds, at 4 second intervals, if the charger
times out at 16 hours and the batteries are not sufficiently charged. This indicates an abnormal charge
cycle. The charger and batteries should be checked by your Club Car distributor/dealer.
• The battery warning light will repeatedly illuminate for 10 seconds, at 4 second intervals, during a
charge cycle (with the DC plug still connected) if AC power to the charger is interrupted. The light will
go out when AC power is restored.
• When paired with version 3.0 or later onboard computers, the battery warning light will flash quickly,
after inserting the DC plug, indicating the charger’s voltage suppressor has failed closed.

Re: Blinking Battery Light
 

Thank you very much for the information. None of those sequences match what I am getting exactly but I think it gives me a direction to go. I am going to try to get a different charger and see if a different unit will plug in and charge the batteries to full capacity.