Charger Issue and Question

[Chicken Helmet]

I have a TXT and a Medalist here and being new to carts I haven't found an answer to what i'm looking for. Both were abused carts at the dealership I work and the Medalist was my payment for fixing the TXT. I was charging the TXT with a Power Wise II charger and the AMP gauge only reads like 2 amps while charging. I hooked the Power Wise up to the Medalist and it doesn't come on. I hooked the II up and still nothing. Out of curiosity I hooked the Power Wise up to the TXT and the amp gauge reads approx 17 amps. First question;
A)why would the Medalist not "excite" either charger.
B)why is the Power Wise II charging at 2 amps and the Power Wise charging at 17 amps.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[Chicken Helmet]

Further internet searching suggests that the batteries may be too weak to get the charger to start charging. Still curious as to why the difference in charging amps.

[cgtech]

The one that is charging at 2 amps likely has a bad capicitor or 1 bad diode. To test the cap, unplug charger, unplug the 2 wires from the round or oval aluminum container. Connect your multimeter to the terminals with meter set to 20M ohm. The reading should start low and increase to 20, then infinity. If you dont get this result, the cap is definitely bad. If this test is good, next, locate the diodes to test them, if you dont know what the diodes in your charger look like, search interwebs for cart charger diodes. A diode is a one-way valve for electricity, so use the ohm setting on your meter, check for connection with the leads connected, then reverse the leads and check for connection.

[bigstik40]

Originally Posted by Chicken Helmet

Further internet searching suggests that the batteries may be too weak to get the charger to start charging. Still curious as to why the difference in charging amps.

A badly sulfated battery will not allow much current to flow. It will act like a high resistance and have most of the voltage dropped across it with not much current through it. A poor connection in the charging loop will act similarly. Measuring the individual terminal voltage of each battey in the pack (while under charge) will allow you to see if something like this is happening. -RAY

[Chicken Helmet]

Originally Posted by cgtech

The one that is charging at 2 amps likely has a bad capicitor or 1 bad diode. To test the cap, unplug charger, unplug the 2 wires from the round or oval aluminum container. Connect your multimeter to the terminals with meter set to 20M ohm. The reading should start low and increase to 20, then infinity. If you dont get this result, the cap is definitely bad. If this test is good, next, locate the diodes to test them, if you dont know what the diodes in your charger look like, search interwebs for cart charger diodes. A diode is a one-way valve for electricity, so use the ohm setting on your meter, check for connection with the leads connected, then reverse the leads and check for connection.

Sounds simple enough. Thanks for the help!

Originally Posted by bigstik40

A badly sulfated battery will not allow much current to flow. It will act like a high resistance and have most of the voltage dropped across it with not much current through it. A poor connection in the charging loop will act similarly. Measuring the individual terminal voltage of each battey in the pack (while under charge) will allow you to see if something like this is happening. -RAY

The batteries on the Medalist are probably shot. at least two have swelled to the point of touching and when I removed the caps several of them had the plates exposed. Thanks for the explanation.

[Chicken Helmet]

Originally Posted by cgtech

The one that is charging at 2 amps likely has a bad capicitor or 1 bad diode. To test the cap, unplug charger, unplug the 2 wires from the round or oval aluminum container. Connect your multimeter to the terminals with meter set to 20M ohm. The reading should start low and increase to 20, then infinity. If you dont get this result, the cap is definitely bad. If this test is good, next, locate the diodes to test them, if you dont know what the diodes in your charger look like, search interwebs for cart charger diodes. A diode is a one-way valve for electricity, so use the ohm setting on your meter, check for connection with the leads connected, then reverse the leads and check for connection.

I did the test and the number doesn't change at all. Based on this I assume the cap is bad. Will it still charge with a zero reading or am I doing something wrong?

Last question, it still charged the batteries at 2amps and the batteries all show between 5.97-6.03 after a short trip down the street and sitting overnight and gps speed of 14mph. Is the charger doing its job just slower than normal?

[cgtech]

The charger is charging at 2 amps, but it is charging. The capacitor is a "tuning" device for the charger, the transformer is operating inefficiently without the cap doing its job. I dont know what the result of continuing to use the charger with the bad cap would be.

[Chicken Helmet]

Understand. If it needs replacing to work properly so be it. I hate things working half assed.