Sunken Batteries??

jeremykent · 08-09-2018, 10:21 AM

I have a cart I bought that was in a flood, salt water I believe. Long story short I charged the batteries, rebuilt the motor or and put in my test controller. The cart ran for a second then smoked the controller. I have since ordered all new switches, motor and controller.

My question is could the batteries be messed up from being under water? They charged ok and the gravitates are where they should be, just hate to smoke another controller cause the power is some how goofed up.

Steve390Gold · 08-09-2018, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremykent

I have a cart I bought that was in a flood, salt water I believe. Long story short I charged the batteries, rebuilt the motor or and put in my test controller. The cart ran for a second then smoked the controller. I have since ordered all new switches, motor and controller.

My question is could the batteries be messed up from being under water? They charged ok and the gravitates are where they should be, just hate to smoke another controller cause the power is some how goofed up.

The flooded controller smoked? Test the voltages coming from the battery pack with a DMM. It may be also useful to use a load tester on the battery pack. It is possible that they may hold a decent voltage under no load, but when placed under load, the voltage may severely sag...

Also check the polarity coming off of the pack, though I would imagine most controllers should have a protective fuse to prevent damage from a reverse polarity condition....

bronsonj · 08-09-2018, 11:37 AM

Even if the voltage sags that shouldn't smoke the controller. Because it's a salt water flood cart you will have issues with all the switches and wires on the cart sooner or later. Could be any number of things, but the last thing I would be worried about is the batteries if they charge well.

jeremykent · 08-09-2018, 11:45 AM

Ok kinda what I was thinking. I believe the controller smoked because of the run tow switch, it was acting kinda funny. Any how replacing everything before I try again. Pretty much have nothing in the 2 carts since I m,are my money back off the parts I wasn’t gonna use.

E36Racer · 08-09-2018, 12:47 PM

It’s probably the harness that killed it.

With a flood car and/or golf cart (even fresh water) you need to replace every harness, switch, plug, cable, etc. that got wet. Harness wires get shorted from corrosion in any of the harness plugs and also sometimes in the middle of the harness as well. When it’s under water basically everything is shorted out to some degree and that can cause wires to get hot and melt their insulation somewhere in the middle of the harness. Plus the go pedal is most definitely wasted and that could have some internal short that may have fried the controller.

Moral of the story, get a new harness and every electrical component and you will be fine. Also brake cables, even if they survived they are not long for this world. And don’t forget to check for water in the diff oil.

bronsonj · 08-09-2018, 06:14 PM

Also check your bearings in the front. They'll not be happy if they were under water too.

jeremykent · 08-09-2018, 08:00 PM

Yep. It will be down to the frame next week. Waiting on parts now. When I got them I was told the seat was lost while transporting. Now that I have seen water marks all the way up to the key switch I think it probably floated away

08-09-2018, 10:21 AM	#1
jeremykent Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 277	Sunken Batteries?? I have a cart I bought that was in a flood, salt water I believe. Long story short I charged the batteries, rebuilt the motor or and put in my test controller. The cart ran for a second then smoked the controller. I have since ordered all new switches, motor and controller. My question is could the batteries be messed up from being under water? They charged ok and the gravitates are where they should be, just hate to smoke another controller cause the power is some how goofed up.
jeremykent Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 277

08-09-2018, 11:37 AM	#3
bronsonj Gone Wild Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 2,089	Re: Sunken Batteries?? Even if the voltage sags that shouldn't smoke the controller. Because it's a salt water flood cart you will have issues with all the switches and wires on the cart sooner or later. Could be any number of things, but the last thing I would be worried about is the batteries if they charge well.

08-09-2018, 11:45 AM	#4
jeremykent Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 277	Re: Sunken Batteries?? Ok kinda what I was thinking. I believe the controller smoked because of the run tow switch, it was acting kinda funny. Any how replacing everything before I try again. Pretty much have nothing in the 2 carts since I m,are my money back off the parts I wasn’t gonna use.
jeremykent Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 277

08-09-2018, 12:47 PM	#5
E36Racer Gone Wild Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 1,061	Re: Sunken Batteries?? It’s probably the harness that killed it. With a flood car and/or golf cart (even fresh water) you need to replace every harness, switch, plug, cable, etc. that got wet. Harness wires get shorted from corrosion in any of the harness plugs and also sometimes in the middle of the harness as well. When it’s under water basically everything is shorted out to some degree and that can cause wires to get hot and melt their insulation somewhere in the middle of the harness. Plus the go pedal is most definitely wasted and that could have some internal short that may have fried the controller. Moral of the story, get a new harness and every electrical component and you will be fine. Also brake cables, even if they survived they are not long for this world. And don’t forget to check for water in the diff oil.

08-09-2018, 06:14 PM	#6
bronsonj Gone Wild Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 2,089	Re: Sunken Batteries?? Also check your bearings in the front. They'll not be happy if they were under water too.

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08-09-2018, 08:00 PM	#7
jeremykent Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 277	Re: Sunken Batteries?? Yep. It will be down to the frame next week. Waiting on parts now. When I got them I was told the seat was lost while transporting. Now that I have seen water marks all the way up to the key switch I think it probably floated away
jeremykent Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 277

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