DPI Charger 3 Red Lights - Cart won't charge

[pike1181]

We have what I think is a 2014 Yamaha electric 48v golf cart.
6 x 8v Trojan batteries.
The cart gets driven for about 20 minutes twice a month but ended up sitting undriven for about 3 months (Charger stayed plugged in the whole time).
Tried starting the cart but it was dead - no lights, nothing.
When attempting to reconnect the DPI charger all 5 lights would blink.
Did some research online to support my thought that it was because the batteries were dead.
I made sure all batteries were topped up with distilled water and attempted to jump start them individually using my CTEK 7200 12v car charger.
4/6 batteries charged up to 1/4 bars on the charger (<25%) in about 30 minutes and 2 batteries displayed an error. I ended up connecting each of the 2 errored batteries in series with a "good" battery and was able to bring them up to charge.
Tested all batteries with a multi-meter and they were reading 8v.
Tested the batteries at the charging port with the multi-meter as well as the main positive and negative posts and I was getting a 48v reading.
Connected the DPI charger again and it would pulse yellow/charging (which from what I read means it's running a test on the batteries) and I tested the main posts with the multi-meter and was getting a reading of 51-53v.
After about 30 minutes the DPI charger would error and all 3 red lights would light up solid.
The batteries are from 2014 and were maintained by being connected to the charger 24/7 (not sure if that was the right thing to do) and the cart was driven once every 2 weeks for about 20 minutes and water topped off when needed. I also took the charger to a shop to have them run a quick test on it to make sure the charger wasn't bad. Test went well and they said the charger was good.
Not sure where to go from here. Do I get it towed to a shop? Take the batteries out and have the shop run a charge/discharge test? Any guidance or help would be appreciated - We're fairly new to golf-cart ownership.
Thanks!

[cgtech]

"Topping off" dead batteries just about guarantees you will have an acid mess when you do get it charged. Adding water doesnt magically charge dead batteries (I wish that myth would die, and I wish whoever keeps spreading that myth could be around to clean up the mess).

[pike1181]

Originally Posted by cgtech

"Topping off" dead batteries just about guarantees you will have an acid mess when you do get it charged. Adding water doesnt magically charge dead batteries (I wish that myth would die, and I wish whoever keeps spreading that myth could be around to clean up the mess).

Thanks for the response. I know that adding water doesn't charge the batteries due to the lack of electrolytes and such. I was simply implying that I made sure the water was topped up and not below the plates prior to charging.

The goal was to desulphate them. I assume the fact that they are displaying 8v with a multi-meter means the plates are still good. I don't expect them to hold a full charge but I do expect them to at least charge.

So far no acid leaks from the posts that I could tell.
I did clean all the posts and cables with CRC battery terminal cleaner and sprayed them with CRC battery terminal protector.

My question is more based around why is the charger shorting out with the 3 red lights and what are my next steps in attempting to fix it.

I was able to take the golf cart for a 10 minute spin without any issues and what felt like full power with what little charge I was able to give it with the CTEK charger and the DPI charger in its "testing" phase.

I do hear the batteries bubbling while the DPI charger is testing before it errors out.

[cgtech]

Another thing I find odd, im pretty sure that Gen1 dpi was out of production before that battery configuration appeared in Drives, suggesting the charger is older than the cart.

[pike1181]

Originally Posted by cgtech

Another thing I find odd, im pretty sure that Gen1 dpi was out of production before that battery configuration appeared in Drives, suggesting the charger is older than the cart.

Please forgive me ignorance, but how does this affect my situation?
The charger worked on this cart for the year or so that we've owned it and was tested to be OK at the shop.

Is it not "smart" enough? Should we attempt upgrading to the Lester II? Would that even help in such a situation?

[cgtech]

It's not relevant to compatibility with your vehicle. Just "mix & match" with parts. If your chargers front label error codes dont help you, check for more info in the charger owners manual. I'm wondering if you have a bad control board.

[pike1181]

I just ordered a Lester Summit II. Let's see if that helps or gives me any more details as to where the issue may reside.

[pike1181]

Looks like the new Lester Summit II charger did the job!!!
I was really surprised by its light weight - did not expect it to be 1/4 the weight of the DPI.
Such an amazing charger - Love the interface and details it provides.
Simply blows the DPI out of the water.