State of charge meter showing 1 bar

[snappa]

Hello, I installed a state of charge meter on my ez-go cart that I purchased from ez-go. This is the vertically mounted model with bars from E to F. When I powered the cart on after a full charge only one bar is lit at the top of the meter (i.e. Full).

Should this meter show only a single bar at a time or should all the bars be lit from E to F and bars dropping out as the charge goes down?

Looking to understand if I am seeing the correct behavior or if I have done something incorrect with the installation. Also, this is what I observed on the meter after letting the cart sit for 4 months after just installing the meter before charging the batteries on the cart. Something seems odd.

Thanks in advance.

[scottyb]

The meter is working as designed. It takes whatever voltage you connect it to as 'full' and works down from there in percentages. It will reset when the charger's auto-shutoff voltage is hit.

You need to check this meter with your handheld DMM. When it moves down one or two bars, it may be time to recharge.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by snappa

...............Also, this is what I observed on the meter after letting the cart sit for 4 months after just installing the meter before charging the batteries on the cart.................

Welcome to BGW!

Hopefully, you didn't let the batteries sit for four months without recharging.

If so, they may no longer be in very good condition.

While in storage the batteries should either be on a float charger or be recharged about once a month, or more often, to minimize plate sulfation.

[snappa]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Welcome to BGW!

Hopefully, you didn't let the batteries sit for four months without recharging.

If so, they may no longer be in very good condition.

While in storage the batteries should either be on a float charger or be recharged about once a month, or more often, to minimize plate sulfation.

Yes, I did leave it for 4 months without recharging as it was sitting in a vacation home during the winter months and the batteries while on the trickle charger seemed to be leaving acid all over my garage floor. I have a feeling that these batteries are due to be replaced this year. Hoping I can replace them with sealed ones but have no idea.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by snappa

Yes, I did leave it for 4 months without recharging as it was sitting in a vacation home during the winter months and the batteries while on the trickle charger seemed to be leaving acid all over my garage floor. I have a feeling that these batteries are due to be replaced this year. Hoping I can replace them with sealed ones but have no idea.

Ouch! Lead-Acid batteries self discharge at about 1% per day and when they sit with less than about a 70% State of Charge, the plates become irreversibly sulfated.
So they need to be charged about once a month (or sooner) or kept on a trickle/float charger.

If the batteries are getting wet on top, they are being overfilled. Some dampness may occur, but not enough to spill over and get on floor.
Here is what Trojan recommends.
http://www.trojanbattery.com/Battery...ngDiagram.aspx

I use a water filler bottle with auto cut-off similar to this and haven't noticed any significant bubbling over when out gassing.

http://www.amazon.com/Plews-LubriMatic-75-030-Professional-Battery/dp/B000K1HNSQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1335109942&sr=8-5

http://www.amazon.com/Plews-LubriMatic-75-030-Professional-Battery/dp/B000K1HNSQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1335109942&sr=8-5

Also, a mat under the cart would protect the floor.


Wet cell batteries have more Amp-Hours than Gel cells and AGM, so I haven't looked at what is available, but there are some that use them floating around here, maybe they'll chime in.