Charger Test

[420ma]

How can I check to see if my charger is doing it's job? I ask because it shuts off after an hour. The pack hasn't been on a charger for three weeks, hasn't been run either. I know I need new batteries but I's like to verify the charger is doing what it should be.

[Dixie Chopper]

What charger do you have and voltage is it?


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[yamahaguy97]

Problem is your pack voltage is likely too low to even run the charger. But If it shuts off after an hour your batteries are conflicting with the charger and its not properly charging because of a bad battery or more. If you want to know if your charging output is normal then measure pack voltage when you plug in charger, should read around 40v or 51 depending on if its a 36v cart or 48v cart

[kernal]

Is this for a '93 Marathon 36v?

Put a volt meter (digital) on the battery mains and note (post) the voltage.
Plug in the charger and if it has a timer on it rotate it all the way clockwise to the start position. Every few minutes check the pack voltage and check that it increases. This indicates the charger is charging. Normally it would shut off again when voltage reaches 44-46v. If it shuts off before that voltage then there is possibly a problem with the charger but if the voltage hangs up at somewhere below 44v and the charger keeps running until the timer expires there is likely a problem with the batteries.

If the batteries are in reasonable condition and have sat for 3 weeks after being fully charged, a reasonable expectation is that the charger could top them off again in an hour. May be noting wrong at all.

[yamahaguy97]

Originally Posted by 420ma

How can I check to see if my charger is doing it's job? I ask because it shuts off after an hour. The pack hasn't been on a charger for three weeks, hasn't been run either. I know I need new batteries but I's like to verify the charger is doing what it should be.

Well if you already know you need new batteries, then that’s probably your issue to begin with. You didn’t mention yet whether you have an auto shutoff charger or old charger with timer

[scottyb]

If the charger killed the batteries he doesn't want to buy new batts and leave their well being to a charger of questionable service...... seems to me that if the batteries were old and had very high resistance to amperage flow in or out the charger would be running all night not for 1 hour, hmm? .

[kernal]

Originally Posted by yamahaguy97

Well if you already know you need new batteries, then that’s probably your issue to begin with. You didn’t mention yet whether you have an auto shutoff charger or old charger with timer

EZGO chargers of this era had a timer but they were still automatic cut off at a preset voltage.

[yamahaguy97]

Originally Posted by kernal

EZGO chargers of this era had a timer but they were still automatic cut off at a preset voltage.

Sorry I should have said smart charger instead of auto shutoff lol

[yamahaguy97]

Originally Posted by kernal

EZGO chargers of this era had a timer but they were still automatic cut off at a preset voltage.

And your absolutely right if the batteries were good enough after 3 weeks of sitting it may only take an hour to charge. Given he fully charged it before leaving it for 3 weeks, and not just a few hours

[yamahaguy97]

Originally Posted by scottyb

If the charger killed the batteries he doesn't want to buy new batts and leave their well being to a charger of questionable service...... seems to me that if the batteries were old and had very high resistance to amperage flow in or out the charger would be running all night not for 1 hour, hmm? .

I agree he would still want to be sure the charger is ok, I was just repeating what he already mentioned, that he knows he needs new batteries anyway. Not implying in any way that he should ignore a possible charger issue