battery

[ejt60-1]

how doi test the cells of a 6v battery, and what reading should i get. using a didital multimeter what setting should i have on the dial? thank you dont know much about what i am doing

[scottyb]

If you don't have a loadtester, the best way to test individual cells is with a hydrometer.

[hitmanharleyk]

With your multi-meter you would set it on the 6v, 9v or 12v setting and then touch a probe to each battery post, doing each battery one at a time. Before starting let the batteries charge and then wait 45 minutes to a hour to let them settle. Post your numbers for each battery here and someone will advise you as to how good they are.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by hitmanharleyk

With your multi-meter you would set it on the 6v, 9v or 12v setting and then touch a probe to each battery post, doing each battery one at a time. Before starting let the batteries charge and then wait 45 minutes to a hour to let them settle. Post your numbers for each battery here and someone will advise you as to how good they are.

HE is asking about readings for individual cells. Not batteries.

[Boyd]

OK... Here is the best answer I can give you. If you are trying to find out if one of your batteries is bad using the volt meter, check each battery from positive and negative posts. Fully charged they should read about 6.5 volts. If you have 5 batteries reading 6.3 volts and one reading way less, then the battery that is out of whack is bad. With batteries, you are looking more at the spread than the actual voltage. High spreads means that you need new batteries. If you are wanting to check individual cells, then you will have to check with a hydrometer. There isn't much you can do to bring back a bad cell in a golfcart battery. It is easier to just replace it. I hope this helps.

[mikesmotortoys]

Originally Posted by ejt60-1

how doi test the cells of a 6v battery, and what reading should i get. using a didital multimeter what setting should i have on the dial? thank you dont know much about what i am doing

What are you trying to find out? The only TRUE way to test your batteries fully is on a Discharge Machine...

[ejt60-1]

Originally Posted by Boyd

OK... Here is the best answer I can give you. If you are trying to find out if one of your batteries is bad using the volt meter, check each battery from positive and negative posts. Fully charged they should read about 6.5 volts. If you have 5 batteries reading 6.3 volts and one reading way less, then the battery that is out of whack is bad. With batteries, you are looking more at the spread than the actual voltage. High spreads means that you need new batteries. If you are wanting to check individual cells, then you will have to check with a hydrometer. There isn't much you can do to bring back a bad cell in a golfcart battery. It is easier to just replace it. I hope this helps.

thank you, a test of each battery shows the following 6.6--6.7--6.6-- on one side the other 5.99--6.0--and 5.98. should i replace all the batteries or just some i do not know the age of them. hope to lear some day what i am doing

[ejt60-1]

Originally Posted by Boyd

OK... Here is the best answer I can give you. If you are trying to find out if one of your batteries is bad using the volt meter, check each battery from positive and negative posts. Fully charged they should read about 6.5 volts. If you have 5 batteries reading 6.3 volts and one reading way less, then the battery that is out of whack is bad. With batteries, you are looking more at the spread than the actual voltage. High spreads means that you need new batteries. If you are wanting to check individual cells, then you will have to check with a hydrometer. There isn't much you can do to bring back a bad cell in a golfcart battery. It is easier to just replace it. I hope this helps.

thank you, a test of each battery shows the following 6.6--6.7--6.8-- on one side the other 5.99--6.0--and 5.98. should i replace all the batteries or just some i do not know the age of them. hope to learn some day what i am doing

[Boyd]

you either need to replace the 3 low batteries or find a way to charge them individually. If you can charge the three that are around 6 volts, you may not need to replace them. if you try to charge them but get nothing out of it, replace them. you can usually tell the age of most batteries by a sticker or stamp somewhere on the battery that will have a letter and a number such as (A-9) The letter indicates the month in order...A for Jan, B for Feb, C for March...etc. the number indicates the year of purchase 9 would be 2009 or 1999. usually batteries last about 5 years if you take care of them. Hope this helps