Cheaping out on batteries

[Monstermaker]

I don’t know that you’re wrong, but just to ‘splain why it doesn’t appear to make sense to me - with my very short duration uses of my cart (running the garbage cans 1/4 mile down the road, hauling stuff around my yard, etc ) I’m not going to be subjecting the controller to low voltages. A healthy set of marine batteries wouid have a whole lot more capacity than the original batteries I have now that are near boat anchors at this point.
I don’t run my cart for miles across a golf course or around town.

I’m losing faith in the economy of buying $1000 set of batteries when the originals in the cart now only made it 4 years, and the last year of that wasn’t a good one. If I manage two years on a set of marine batteries, I’m ahead of the game.

$1000 for four years use is $250 a year.
$400 for two years use is $200 a year. And still way more range than I need.

Keep talking me out of this, I truly am interested in learning it and why it isn’t a good idea.

I’ve also heard that Korean batteries are the better ones lately, because they copied Japanese ones, not Johnson Controls.

[LabRat]

IDK but the RXV being such a temperamental beast may not like those fishing batteries. Have you found any history from someone else doing this?

[rockfordpi]

Originally Posted by Monstermaker

I don’t know that you’re wrong, but just to ‘splain why it doesn’t appear to make sense to me - with my very short duration uses of my cart (running the garbage cans 1/4 mile down the road, hauling stuff around my yard, etc ) I’m not going to be subjecting the controller to low voltages. A healthy set of marine batteries wouid have a whole lot more capacity than the original batteries I have now that are near boat anchors at this point.
I don’t run my cart for miles across a golf course or around town.

I’m losing faith in the economy of buying $1000 set of batteries when the originals in the cart now only made it 4 years, and the last year of that wasn’t a good one. If I manage two years on a set of marine batteries, I’m ahead of the game.

$1000 for four years use is $250 a year.
$400 for two years use is $200 a year. And still way more range than I need.

Keep talking me out of this, I truly am interested in learning it and why it isn’t a good idea.

I’ve also heard that Korean batteries are the better ones lately, because they copied Japanese ones, not Johnson Controls.

1. You are saving $200 over 4 years not counting the time you spend switching out batteries.

2. In central Alabama you can get a good set of 12v crowns a good bit less than $1000.

3. You are losing the value of your golf cart battery cores when you trade for marine batteries. Golf cart cores are worth $20-25 each, marine battery cores around $10. So, if you do get ready to buy real GC batteries, you will have an additional $15-$25 (depending on how much core credit dealer will give for marine batteries) core charge because you do not have golf cart batteries for cores.

4. For the limited use you are referencing, I have seen good golf cart batteries properly maintained last for 8 years and still have the limited capacity you need. Even if they were down to 25% capacity, they would still serve the purpose you referenced.

4. Honestly, there might be a narrow scenario where you could possibly come out a little ahead with what you are referencing. However, there is a every small chance of that and to me just not worth the risk and headache. Just buy a good set of golf cart batteries, spend your time maintaining them, and you will come out ahead in the long run.

5. I would also consider going to a golf cart shop and buying a set of used batteries that have been load tested. These probably would cost less than marine batteries, would have same or better capacity and life, and you would still have golf cart cores when you finally come to the realization what the best route is.

[Monstermaker]

Ok, solid points.
Core charge isn’t an issue, I’ve got batteries I can turn in as cores other than the cart batts.

[Mooncarter]

Some places require cart batteries as cores or will charge as much as $30 each for a core charge.

[Monstermaker]

What I mean is if I don’t buy GC batteries I have other cores to exchange, I wouldn’t give up the GC cores for that.

I’ve figured out what to do. I found out there is a local battery manufacturer nearby in Ballard, WA. Dyno Batteries.
They make quality stuff. Spec sheets include things like plate thickness, you can get the terminals you want, and I can get them at wholesale through a boat shop owner friend of mine.

I’m gonna get a set a little smaller than the originals but well suited for my needs and they aren’t the low quality garbage that all the familiar brands now are.

[Mooncarter]

Originally Posted by Monstermaker

What I mean is if I don’t buy GC batteries I have other cores to exchange, I wouldn’t give up the GC cores for that.

I’ve figured out what to do. I found out there is a local battery manufacturer nearby in Ballard, WA. Dyno Batteries.
They make quality stuff. Spec sheets include things like plate thickness, you can get the terminals you want, and I can get them at wholesale through a boat shop owner friend of mine.

I’m gonna get a set a little smaller than the originals but well suited for my needs and they aren’t the low quality garbage that all the familiar brands now are.

Are they golf cart batteries?

[cgtech]

Originally Posted by Mooncarter

Are they golf cart batteries?

He's (mooncarter) not saying they're crap, just asking if they're the type of cell that is designed to be discharged to 20% every cycle. I'm ready for the "never go below 50%" thing, but that's for "best life", we are talking the battery design. And Marine Batts arent when subjected to high impulse loads of hundreds of amps (they like running 40a trolling motors & RV lights for hours). I thought I was "staying out of the heated argument" , but here I am.

I have converted several "group 27" guys to T-105 batteries, RVs, tool trucks, ect. They never come back saying "this sucks", it's always "why didn't I do this last time". But the smaller batteries they used are just not suited for big impulse loads required by carts (like your carts 300, 400, 500 amp controller & motor needs). If you really wanna do the "save money, all else be dammed", go with at least a Group 27, or Group 31 deep cycle. Those both suck in my opinion, but if you have to do this experiment for yourself, at least try not to fail & use one of these 2 types.

[Mooncarter]

I'm just trying to understand if he is ordering GC batteries through a dealer wholesale or marine batteries wholesale.
Nor do I understand what "familiar" brands he is talking about that are inferior ("garbage") to less familiar brands.

[cgtech]

Originally Posted by Mooncarter

I'm just trying to understand if he is ordering GC batteries through a dealer wholesale or marine batteries wholesale.
Nor do I understand what "familiar" brands he is talking about that are inferior ("garbage") to less familiar brands.

I dont know, and wasn't dragging you down. It sounded like he found access to the battery builders & they were building his batteries to his specified plate thickness (there's much more to it than that, considering the package it fits in). which would be amazing, because there would be some situations where I would accept some batteries that beat T-145 levels at the expense of "maybe a year or 2 less life for better performance". This situation comes along very rarely, and no one would buy enough to make it a viable product to "put on the shelf".

I sure wasn't "beating you down".