Lights won't come on...

[2rodee]

I'm new to the forum and a first time golf cart owner...

Here's what I have:
2011 EZGO Electric TXTE - 48V
SIX 8 volt Trojan batteries

I have the standard front and rear headlights that only come on when I pull the knob on the dashboard. I think the kiddos left the lights on while parked (maybe 20 minutes.) When I went back outside I turned them off. Later, I drove the cart for about 15 minutes afterward, and it seemed to run fine. My light cables are hooked up to 2 batteries. The fuse looks ok. Would leaving the lights on wreck all the batteries or just those two? The cart runs just fine, just no lights.


Thank you in advance..

Helen

[cgtech]

20 minutes should not have done any significant harm. The head & tail lamps draw a total of around 11 amps. The 8v batteries are rated 170-180 amp hours (depending on battery make & model). Your lights should have been able to run for 10 or more hours. Although, that would be a bad thing, as the 2 batteries powering the lights would have been at a significantly lower state of charge than the other 4 batts (this is called battery imbalance). The point is, if they were really only left on for 20 minutes, this shouldnt be a huge problem. Just charge the cart normally, then check the individual voltages of the batteries a few hours after the charge cycle completes. They should be as close to even as possible with each other, .05 volt variation would be great.

[2rodee]

Thank you for your quick reply CGTECH!

Did I read somewhere to test the batteries individually I have to disconnect each one from the other and let them sit for 12 hours or so?

I bought a NNOVA 3320 Auto-Ranging Digital Multimeter, but I have to go get a hydrometer I suppose... tomorrow.

I've never messed with these golf carts before, but I like knowing how things work (..or don't work, in my case.)

Thank you!

Below is how they are set up. (I actually took the picture to remember how they all go back together.)

[rib33024]

No you do not have to disconnect and cables to test the batteries. Make sure the water in the batteries is a 1/4" above the lead plates, use distilled water only, do not over fill or it will bubble out and make a mess. You charge the batteries untill the charger turns off by it's self, then let the batteries rest/settle for 12 hours to get a true reading. And you have a PDS drive system, so if you disconnect any wires, flip the switch on the controller cover to TOW before you touch any wires

[cgtech]

You do not need to remove any wires at all to do this testing. And voltage readings alone will do good enough. The hydrometer is nice to have but doesnt really help much, it will reveal a bad cell (a voltmeter can too), doesnt really matter which cell is bad because you cant change a individual cell in a battery anyway.

[rib33024]

Is that red wire with the fuse holder and the white wire the wires that run the lights? if so, have you checked the fuse to see if it's bad

[2rodee]

Thanks!! I checked the fuse, it looks ok, but I may go get one and change it out.

I'm topping off the charge right now. I did fill the batteries with distilled water a few days ago. All the water levels were good (over the silver plate) but I thought it said to fill within 1/4 inch from the bottom of the vent. It doesn't touch the plastic insert. I guess it might overflow a bit.. I'll watch that!

I'll google "PDS system" to see what that is.

Thanks so much! I'll report back when I get some readings.

Helen

[cgtech]

I prefer to fill at the lower end of the recommended area, a 1/4" inch above the plates, especially if the batts are not fully charged. It is recommended to only add water to a "not fully charged" battery if the plates are exposed, and then just enough to cover the plates. This is to avoid the acid mess altogether. The highest i ever intentionally fill a fully charged battery is about half-way between the plates and the very bottom of the "plastic tube" vent part built into the battery case.

[2rodee]

cgtech.. Next time, I wish I had found this forum first!

I don't suppose there is any good way to take water out.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by 2rodee

I don't suppose there is any good way to take water out.

Nope. Once it is in the battery, it isn't water, it is electrolyte.

If you remove any electrolyte from the battery, you reduce the storage capacity.

If it is 1/4" below the bottom vent tubes and the batteries are not discharged very much, it probably won't bubble out, or at least not much.

If it does, wipe up the overflow with disposable towels, spray the battery tops with a baking soda/water solution and rinse thoroughly with plain water.

Be careful, the electrolyte is a 30% solution of sulfuric acid.

-------
I also noticed you said your are topping off the charge and that you had filled the batteries with water a few days ago.

The batteries ought to be recharged after each use.
Water (distilled only) should be added only to completely charged batteries, unless the plates are exposed, then add just enough to cover plates, then charge, then fill to correct level.

What happens is the volume of electrolyte increases and decreases as the battery's SoC (State of Charge) increases and decreases.

FWIW: It is the migration of the sulfate ions from the electrolyte into the lead and lead dioxide plates that reduces the electrolyte volume while discharging and from the plates back into the electrolyte while charging causes the volume to increase.

No sulfate ions are lost during gassing, so only the water has to be replenished. Basically the same sulfate ions put into the battery when it was made, stay in it throughout its entire lifespan.