Dead batteries, won't charge

[jondrew]

We bought a used 2006 Precident last year to take with us with our RV. Mostly for when we go to Disney which is local to us.

I've not touched the cart in at least 3 months. Its just sat in the garage with the tow switch in the tow position. I decided to charge it up for our trip in a few weeks. I plugged in the charger and absolutely nothing. The charger never went into charge mode. I checked the 110V in, and that's good. But it wont go into charge mode. When I put the tow switch in the run position, nothing works at all. No lights, no low battery light. Nothing. I put the drive switch in fwd and reverse. Nothing.

Finally, I put a volt meter across the batteries (4 - 12 V Trojan batteries, still wired to the cart). They all read between 1.5 and 2 volts. Am I jumping to conclusions in assuming my batteries are goners and need to be replaced? Will the charger not engage because the batteries may be completely dead, or shorted out internally?

Any options besides biting the bullet and buying new batteries?

One other note which may or may not be related. These batteries always have water on top of them. And when I say water, I mean acid. I found this out when some leaked out onto my garage floor and ate a hole in it. Is this normal? It was doing this before my latest dead battery issue.

Thanks,

[Hawk1]

If they are 12 V batteries you can try to charg them up one at a time with a normal car charger set on low, The big charger needs to see voltage before it will turn on.
give each one a hour with a slow car charger then try your cart charger

[teecro]

Being they are 12 volts you can charge them one at a time with a regular 12 volt automotive charger, this can be done without disconnecting any of the cabling. Once you get the overall voltage up over 42 volts the carts 48 volt charger will once again start charging... But judging by what you have described your batteries are bad and need to be replaced or don't drive the cart further than you're willing to walk and keep it on the charger as much as you can.

do not use the 12v automotive charger to make your golf cart charger come on

[Kashmir]

ok, I'll bite.
CTD, why not use an auto charger to get the batteries enough voltage so the PowerDrive charge can "see" them and kick in?

Seems like plenty of people on here have done it themselves and lived to tell the tale....
I've done it myself on the advice of folks here.

Is it the prefered way to do things? I would imagine it's not, but will it do any harm to do it occasionally? I'm guessing that it would not do enough harm.

Otherwise, how would you suggest getting the batteries charged enough to let the PD kick on?

yes you are correct BUT .. some people try using the 12v charger(s)
power (hooked to a battery) so the PowerDrive charge can "see" them and kick in
the minete you unhook them the powerdrive will shut down

charge each battery fully then try the PowerDrive

[Aflyer]

I have never tried to fully charge the batteries with the 12 volt charger. I have only charged each one for 15 minutes to get enough voltage in them to allow the Power drive to kick in.

My rational was that the Power drive was pumping 15 - 17 Amps, which was more than most 10 AMP car battery chargers.

But I am guessing either method will work.

Aflyer

Originally Posted by Aflyer

I have never tried to fully charge the batteries with the 12 volt charger. I have only charged each one for 15 minutes to get enough voltage in them to allow the Power drive to kick in.

My rational was that the Power drive was pumping 15 - 17 Amps, which was more than most 10 AMP car battery chargers.

But I am guessing either method will work.

Aflyer

yes it will but his are really dead

Originally Posted by jondrew

One other note which may or may not be related. These batteries always have water on top of them. And when I say water, I mean acid. I found this out when some leaked out onto my garage floor and ate a hole in it. Is this normal? It was doing this before my latest dead battery issue.

Thanks,

yes ... batteries gas when charging and they will have water (acid) on top sometimes , clean them with a baking soda mix and wash them off
never fill before charging only 1/4" over plates after fully charged



good info here >>> http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...batteries.html

[teecro]

Originally Posted by crash test dummy

yes you are correct BUT .. some people try using the 12v charger(s)
power (hooked to a battery) so the PowerDrive charge can "see" them and kick in
the minete you unhook them the powerdrive will shut down

charge each battery fully then try the PowerDrive

I should have been more clear... Cart charger not plugged in...

[NoleFan4Ever]

Did anyone mention to try and charge them individually with a automotive charger yet....

And jondrew, that acid is "somewhat" normal, but if you keep the water level and only 1/4" or so above the plates, it usually doesn't happen. Anytime mine get much above there, they always cause acid mist on the battery tops.

And I have to ask, why didn't you leave the charger plugged in these 3 months? It has a complete auto function and would have kicked on if the back got below a certain voltage or automatically every 15 days. That is a great feature and since your batteries were that low, you obviously have a current draw somewhere outside the system. Ie: an accessory, add-on, or something because it pulled them to the bottom and that should have never happened. And the chances of all four (4) batteries going out simultaneously are slim to none so you need to get a meter out or probe when you can and check all your fuses, converters, etc. to locate and render it.

Good Luck!