2008 EZGO PDS Cart

[bigstik40]

You should first double check all high current connections for cleanliness/tightness and then do a full cycle charge with the old charger. Make sure initial current is high and then that you are not getting "short cycled" on your charge. I think it should take 8 hrs or more of charging, if batteries are around 60% charged. Others can correct me if I'm wrong here !! A short cycle would be if the charger shuts off before this amount of time. After a full charge, batteries should rest to remove surface charge then record initial voltages/SG readings (before you run the cart). Now run the cart to check performance and measure loaded voltages. Let us know what you find. Good luck - RAY

PS - A 6 volt battery with a dead (shorted) cell would read around 4 volts, so probably weak cells.

[Owenr]

I took them while driving the cart. I would stop and do a different battery every couple hundred yards.

[Owenr]

I will tomorrow , I have them charging now and will check them tomorrow and reply back.

[bigstik40]

OK, that's good!! Battery testing, done right, is a pretty slow & tedious process. They have to be fully charged (or holding all they can) in order to get a meaningful test. Reading up on anything marked "batteries" at scottyb's website would be helpful in understanding things. Try it.- RAY

[JohnnieB]

My 2008 PDS does a bit over 18MPH with 17.4" diameter tires (Carlisle Links), Nov-2009 T-105 batteries that max out at 95% SoC, 2ga cables and a freedom "chip" (Red wires).

You get 4 beeps, so your controller is seeing the freedom chip.

The trick to meaningful battery voltage readings is letting the batteries rest for at least 6 hours (preferably 12 or more) after charger shuts off automatically.
This is to eliminate the "surface charge", which does not accurately reflect the State of Charge.

Also, the electrolyte stratifies during discharge, so let your batteries rest 10-15 minutes after they have been under load to get more meaningful readings.
This allows the sulfuric acid concentration to equalize throughout the battery.

Measuring battery voltages while under load will identify one or more batteries that are weaker than the rest, but if they all read about the same, after rest voltages are more meaningful.

Something is definitely wrong and the likely suspects are: Batteries, Cables, Motor RPM Sensor and Controller, but it could be some other things too.

Let's eliminate the batteries first, but I suspect your cables might have more resistance than is desirable also.
Mine looked pretty good, but they weren't. So measure the voltage drop across them under load individually, like you did the batteries.
If the sum of the voltage drops between batteries and controller/motor is more than a volt, new cables should be considered.

Here is the website bigstick40 was talking about.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/

Let us know what the battery voltages after rest are.

[Owenr]

The charger shut off during the night last night. I know it was off this morning at 6. I have researched this topic so much that I have already got confused on what I am suppose to do.

Correct me if I am wrong.

First: At 4:00 p.m. when I get off work the batteries should have had plenty of time to settle. I will take voltage off each individual battery.

Second: Take reading of all six together.

Then what?

[JohnnieB]

Yep. It is a bit mind boggling at first, but after a while it all starts to make sense.

Post the voltage readings here.

Then we'll go from there.

[Owenr]

Battery readings are:

1-6.42
2-6.42
3-6.37
4-6.41
5-6.41
6-6.39
All: 38.2

Now what is the next step? Thanks in advance !!!!

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Owenr

Battery readings are:

1-6.42
2-6.42
3-6.37
4-6.41
5-6.41
6-6.39
All: 38.2

Now what is the next step? Thanks in advance !!!!

Wow, didn't expect batteries going on 4 years old to read that high, or to be so close together in voltage. (Only a 0.05V spread)
You said the charger was off at 6AM and it's now 4PM (EST) so they've rested at least 10 hours.
You've either got some good batteries or a bad watch.

What charger are you using? It doesn't happen to have a built in trickle charge or maintenance mode does it? (That might explain the higher than expected voltages)

Take the cart out and run it around for about half an hour and measure voltages again. (Looking to see if B-3 & B-6 drop more than others)

Is cart still slow with fully charged batteries?

I did notice the sum of the six battery voltages is 38.42V while the measured battery pack voltage is 38.2. That's a 0.2V loss across the five interconnecting cables with very little current flow through them.
Do any of the cables or connectors get too hot to touch after driving a ways?

Also, have you driven through any water or washed cart lately?

Gotta go for now, be back in AM

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by Owenr

I took them while driving the cart. I would stop and do a different battery every couple hundred yards.

Then the readings are NOT under load.