New batteries (old charger)

[Budule]

haven't rode it much since I put the new batteries in it but BOY, what a difference , I rode the hell out of it yesterday TRYING to run them down so I could recharge them, up ever hill I could find (1 STEEP hill at least a half mile to the top....slow but steady)......got them down to 37 but they creeped back up a little, anyway hooked them up to the charger and expected the same thing so I keep checking as not to boil them, I was getting close to calling it as I could hear them pretty good and what do you know, the charger shuts off and the green "full charge" light comes on!.......ill check tomorrow evening and see what they go down to....

[RPatten]

From what I have read there is a proper way to break batteries in and running them down before charging is not the prescribed procedure as I understand.

[Budule]

Originally Posted by RPatten

From what I have read there is a proper way to break batteries in and running them down before charging is not the prescribed procedure as I understand.

which is what I was doing, ran them down to about 70%......

http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Batter...n_Methods.html

[RPatten]

Most importantly, NEVER run the battery pack down below 50% of capacity throughout their entire life. Never leave the batteries in a state of discharge for extended periods of time. Recharge the pack every 2 weeks if the cart is sitting idle or in storage. And when in doubt, recharge it. A Battery SOC Meter can be installed in the Dash of your cart.

That is from the source you posted.

Yet you have run them down to 70%??

At the same time if I have read correctly, another source says not to charge them until they drop to 80%.


Wonder what's right?

[RPatten]

I see what you have said, I think, you have discharged 30% of capacity. Is that right?

Still, why would the other source say not to charge until 80% is gone? I need to re-read crap.

[RPatten]

OK, I can't find a certain post. There was a post citing instructions from a controller manufacturer that said "do not charge until 80% was gone" or that is what I thought I read. Where did I see that?

[RPatten]

I found it (jjance posted this up under "which club car"):

"Damage to a battery and/or a truck caused by deep discharge is the result of failure to detect the 80% discharge point of the battery and its continued use. In the case of component failure, inadequate maintenance is often at fault.

The use of a reliable, accurate and repeatable "fuel" gage on the truck will always prevent both battery and truck damage because the "fuel" gage will always detect the 80% recommended discharge limit. A properly designed "fuel" gage with a lift lockout will actually prevent the driver from working the truck past this limit and will force him to return for battery charging.

To get the most out of traction batteries, every truck should be equipped with a reliable, accurate, repeatable "fuel" gage and controller; operating procedures should be arranged so that batteries are placed on charge only when 80% discharged; chargers should be maintained in good operating condition; and a regular routine of inspection and preventive maintenance should be followed. To do less is to waste energy, time, and money. "

Am I reading this correctly, Curtis says to use 80% of the battery's capacity before charging?

[Budule]

Well hell, now I'm confused.....but I ran them down to 37 and they went back up to 37.3 before i hooked them up......which is 70 something %.......70 % charged, not 70 % discharged.......if you do 80% discharged, i don't think the charger would even come on so not sure if you read that right or not.....

[mrgolf]

Simple, if I sell you a batteries and tell you not to run them below 50% charge! and you bring them back to me with them run down to 20%, I am not going to warranty them. The maker of the controller will not warranty the batteries.

Go by what the maker says.

[Budule]

My batteries came from sams and said 12 month replacement......i didn't see anything on state of charge......and while I'm sure it's not good to do, my previous batteries in this cart were REPEATEDLY ran down to the point of "daddy the golf cart is stuck and won't move"......and pretty much 0 maintance.......much lead showing when I did check them......just now replaced them , date code march 2006......