Operation of EZGO Textron Total Charge

[esvencarlson]

The 61 year old rookie has another question?
Did a search and got mote confused.
My EZGO Textron Total Charge has a meter and timer.
When plugged in the meter does show it is charging.
The timer I have a few questions.
The timer at top (START) to 1 to 11 on counter clockwise and then OFF.
Where should I set the dial when charging the batteries, START, or on a # 1 to 11?
when I have set it on a number it charges but the timer doesn't move.
Need some expert information on what to do.
Thanks
E. Sven

[JohnnieB]

We all had to start somewhere, 61 is as good as any. I didn't until 68.

There are at least four flavors of the Total Charger chargers out there, so there might be some Roman Numerals behind the name.

There is one out there (IIRC, the TC II) with a timer marked "Start" and 1 - 11 hours, that works this way, but need to see a picture of faceplate and/or innards to be sure.

With charger plugged into AC power, plug charger into cart.
After a few seconds delay, the relay clicks, transformer hums and ammeter jumps to about 25A.
Set timer to "Start" at this point if you want to know how long it takes to charge your batteries.
After the bulk charge phase, the ammeter drops to about 5A during the gassing phase and stays until the control board senses a battery pack voltage in the 44-46V range and shuts charger off.
Timer also shuts off when charger shuts off so you know how long it took to charge the batteries.

How long it took to charge the batteries probably doesn't mean much to a private owner, but it does to golf courses with a fleet of carts and trying to meet a schedule.

[esvencarlson]

JohnnieB,
We are full timers in a 5th wheel and spend summers in NH or Maine and then come out to AZ for the winters.
This is my second cart here in AZ, had a 84 Yamaha, that I took the roof off, painted fire engine red, diamond plate all over the place, lifted and bigger tires.
The Marathon (1994) we just bought had been lifted, more of a home made lift, but it works.
It is one of those project carts, a little here a little there.
We are thinking about getting a small trailer and haul it cross country with us behind the 5th wheel, it is considered a recreational double.
So after all that, I will take a look at the front plate and get number and reply but I think you are right about just put it on start, goes to 25 then down after awhile.
Thanks Again
E. Sven

[TreeBass]

E. Sven, I have the same charger for my 91 EZGO. I set the timer to 10ish and let it go. it hums, seems to charge, but then shuts off after 20-30 minutes. the timer knob does NOT move at all, I just figured something was jacked up with it

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by TreeBass

E. Sven, I have the same charger for my 91 EZGO. I set the timer to 10ish and let it go. it hums, seems to charge, but then shuts off after 20-30 minutes. the timer knob does NOT move at all, I just figured something was jacked up with it

If it is the same charger, the timer won't start unless the knob is turned to the "Start" position. That's the only position that allows the self-holding relay that powers the timer's motor to energize. When the control board cuts the AC power to the transformer's primary shutting off the charger, the AC power to the self-holding relay is also cut and the timer knob shows how long the charger was on.
(The key is that timers that actually control charge time, count down, not up.)

Normally, the charger is jumping to about 25A (or about 10A if batteries are almost fully charged) for 15-20 minutes (or so) and then drops to 5-8 (or so) until the charge terminates.
If charge time is short, the charge was initiated with the batteries being close to being fully charged, or the batteries are not capable of taking a full charge, or the charger is malfunctioning.

Attached is a State of Charge chart comparing voltage to charge level and Specific Gravity of electrolyte.
The voltage readings are take 6-12 hours after a full charge.

This is an excerpt from a Lestronic II charger manual.

If the batteries have not been used or charged
regularly, they may be sulfated and will not
produce their full capacity. Repeated cycles (at
least 5) of a light discharge, followed by a full
charge, will generally result in the recovery of
most of the battery's capacity. Do not interpret
this reduced battery capacity as being caused
by the charger's turning off too soon. The
charger is working properly if, after several
charge cycles, the battery capacity increases to
near normal. Sulfation occurs most often when
the batteries have been stored without weekly
charging. New batteries may also be sulfated
due to extended shipment or storage time prior
to sale.

Give it a try and see what happens.
It might put some life back in some old batteries, but maybe not.

[TreeBass]

JohnnieB, so what your saying is we need to just mov ethe knob to start, and not put it on the timer times?

I have no idea how old my batteries are, but its doing waht I need so far.

I'll tinker with the charger tomorrow and see what I can figure out

thanks

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by TreeBass

JohnnieB, so what your saying is we need to just mov ethe knob to start, and not put it on the timer times?

I have no idea how old my batteries are, but its doing waht I need so far.

I'll tinker with the charger tomorrow and see what I can figure out

thanks

Yes. After the charger clicks on, move the knob to "Start" and it'll tell you how long the batteries were on charge.
If you don't care to know how long they were on charge, just leave the timer wherever it is at.

Note: There are some manual chargers out there with timers that have to be set to a time to turn the charger on. Like eluded to earlier, there are a lot of different golf cart chargers out there.

Post picture of your chargers and maybe we can identify them.

[Coltf1991]

You have been dosed with the drug the call JohhnieB. Don't take more than half in a 24 hour perios or you will overdose.

[TreeBass]

Ok, here's a pic of my charger



I'll play around with it tomorrow to see what I can get it to do

[JohnnieB]

@ TreeBass: Thanks for the picture. You've got the one I was referring to.

I've never (or at least not yet) found a manual or schematic for that particular version, but I'm pretty sure it is the same as a Total Charge IV except for the timer. (The TC IV has a digital time with LED readout)

While you are playing around with it today, please see if it the charger will start (ammeter deflects to a value) with the Timer in the "OFF" position.
I'm about 99.99% sure it will, but I want to be 100%

If it is like the TC IV, the charger operation is totally independent and the timer is more or less eye candy unless you have a need to know how long it took to charge a battery.

Some of the chargers on the market today have the same guts that is hidden inside that old case, dressed up with new lipstick and mascara.
Unless the transformer fails, everything else is replaceable, so it is a Keeper.