Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries

Corey_W · 03-01-2020, 11:04 AM

So there are some threads out there but none that really show this method (I could’ve missed it so I’m sorry if there is one)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ut53ma4Gko

This is a pretty interesting watch and going to try it on a 02 club car that I just picked up for $50. I was just trying to by the rear seat kit for an old ezgo that I got for free, she said I’ll take $50 but take the whole cart. I was thinking the cart would be trashed but actually looks ok. So I want to try and get enough juice to test the motor (48v)

Any tips or advice on the battery fix or the cart in general are appreciated.

WalterM6 · 03-01-2020, 08:21 PM

Don't waste your time or money on the batteries.

Fairtax4me · 03-01-2020, 09:14 PM

If you wanna know if the motor works, just test the motor with a 12v battery.

You want to see if the cart will operate, you can try charging those batteries with a 12v charger to see if they will come up enough to turn the cart charger on. But doing anything with the liquid inside them is not worth the time or hassle. If they're truly dead, nothing will restore them to usable service. Just because the pack gets back up to 48v doesn't mean you'll ever get more than 10 minutes of run time from them. If you just want to test the cart to see if it will drive, then charge them. But if you intend to actually use the cart by new batteries for it.
If you're gonna sell it, then sell it not running, or buy new batteries for it and get it running.

Corey_W · 03-01-2020, 09:26 PM

Ok thanks guys. Good info...so I’m not sure how long they have been sitting...but I think it’s been several months. I put a meter on them and they have 3.6ish volts. The are 8 volt batteries. I was going put them on a trickle charger...I’m not in a rush to get this moving...but try and get each one up.

So just a 12v direct to the motor or how do I test it.

I’m new to the golf cart world.

I am wanting this to be a cart for me and my family riding around the neighborhood, out camping, down at the ranch...etc.

Thanks for the help guys.

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WalterM6 · 03-01-2020, 09:35 PM

Quote:

So just a 12v direct to the motor or how do I test it

Depends on what kind of motor you have. Is it a series or a sepex motor?

Corey_W · 03-01-2020, 10:09 PM

How do I tell which one?

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Fairtax4me · 03-01-2020, 11:05 PM

3.8 is pretty dang low, but charge them and they'll probably be OK for a little while.
A trickle charger is gonna take forever.
You did get a charger with it right? Is it a Powerdrive charger?
There's a relay inside that can be bypassed to turn the charger on so it can charge the pack. It's pretty easy to do, just open the charger up and if it's a Powerdrive or Powerdrive 2 the relay is right at the front by the circuit breaker. Take the Black wire that goes to the transformer and unplug it from the relay, then unplug the short black wire from the circuit breaker (the other end stays on the relay). Plug the black from the transformer onto the breaker.
Now plug the charge cord into the cart, and then plug the AC cord into the wall outlet. The charger will come on and should start charging pretty high around 20 amps.
You'll let that run for about 20-30 minutes and then unplug the AC cord from the wall. Check the pack voltage and see if it's up above 36v. If it is then make sure to unplug the cord from the cart, then you can refit the wires in the charger to the correct places, close the charger up, and then plug it back in, and it should turn on and charge on its own from that point. There should be a delay of 5-10 seconds when you first plug the charger in, but it should click on and run on its own after that.

Corey_W · 03-02-2020, 10:08 AM

No I didn’t get a charger. I was just wanting her rear seat and she agreed to $50 but said I have to take the whole cart.

So I was getting just a trickle charger and let each one sit on it for a couple days. In the meantime I’m searching around for a deal on a 48v charger. Didn’t want to spend $250ish without looking for a deal.

Dragracer_Art · 03-04-2020, 11:18 AM

I was able to revive a 9 year old set of batteries that had ZERO volts.

They were far from "good", but would hold charge long enough to run the kids around the neighborhood a few times.

See my old thread here for inspiration.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=121424

Having learned from that cart... my most recent cart got brand new Trojans and I dont regret it at all.

Corey_W · 03-04-2020, 01:28 PM

The batteries in it are Trojans. I was able to pick up a charger for $125. I’ve have one one the trickle charger and it’s now ready 7.3v. Looking like there might be some life. I’ll check out that post you recommended.

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03-01-2020, 11:04 AM	#1
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150	Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries So there are some threads out there but none that really show this method (I could’ve missed it so I’m sorry if there is one) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ut53ma4Gko This is a pretty interesting watch and going to try it on a 02 club car that I just picked up for $50. I was just trying to by the rear seat kit for an old ezgo that I got for free, she said I’ll take $50 but take the whole cart. I was thinking the cart would be trashed but actually looks ok. So I want to try and get enough juice to test the motor (48v) Any tips or advice on the battery fix or the cart in general are appreciated.
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150

03-01-2020, 08:21 PM	#2
WalterM6 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: SE TN Posts: 2,226	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries Don't waste your time or money on the batteries.

03-01-2020, 09:14 PM	#3
Fairtax4me Bonafide Nincompoop Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Charlottesburg Va Posts: 8,987	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries If you wanna know if the motor works, just test the motor with a 12v battery. You want to see if the cart will operate, you can try charging those batteries with a 12v charger to see if they will come up enough to turn the cart charger on. But doing anything with the liquid inside them is not worth the time or hassle. If they're truly dead, nothing will restore them to usable service. Just because the pack gets back up to 48v doesn't mean you'll ever get more than 10 minutes of run time from them. If you just want to test the cart to see if it will drive, then charge them. But if you intend to actually use the cart by new batteries for it. If you're gonna sell it, then sell it not running, or buy new batteries for it and get it running.

03-01-2020, 09:26 PM	#4
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries Ok thanks guys. Good info...so I’m not sure how long they have been sitting...but I think it’s been several months. I put a meter on them and they have 3.6ish volts. The are 8 volt batteries. I was going put them on a trickle charger...I’m not in a rush to get this moving...but try and get each one up. So just a 12v direct to the motor or how do I test it. I’m new to the golf cart world. I am wanting this to be a cart for me and my family riding around the neighborhood, out camping, down at the ranch...etc. Thanks for the help guys. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150

03-01-2020, 10:09 PM	#6
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries How do I tell which one? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150

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03-01-2020, 11:05 PM	#7
Fairtax4me Bonafide Nincompoop Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Charlottesburg Va Posts: 8,987	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries 3.8 is pretty dang low, but charge them and they'll probably be OK for a little while. A trickle charger is gonna take forever. You did get a charger with it right? Is it a Powerdrive charger? There's a relay inside that can be bypassed to turn the charger on so it can charge the pack. It's pretty easy to do, just open the charger up and if it's a Powerdrive or Powerdrive 2 the relay is right at the front by the circuit breaker. Take the Black wire that goes to the transformer and unplug it from the relay, then unplug the short black wire from the circuit breaker (the other end stays on the relay). Plug the black from the transformer onto the breaker. Now plug the charge cord into the cart, and then plug the AC cord into the wall outlet. The charger will come on and should start charging pretty high around 20 amps. You'll let that run for about 20-30 minutes and then unplug the AC cord from the wall. Check the pack voltage and see if it's up above 36v. If it is then make sure to unplug the cord from the cart, then you can refit the wires in the charger to the correct places, close the charger up, and then plug it back in, and it should turn on and charge on its own from that point. There should be a delay of 5-10 seconds when you first plug the charger in, but it should click on and run on its own after that.

03-02-2020, 10:08 AM	#8
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries No I didn’t get a charger. I was just wanting her rear seat and she agreed to $50 but said I have to take the whole cart. So I was getting just a trickle charger and let each one sit on it for a couple days. In the meantime I’m searching around for a deal on a 48v charger. Didn’t want to spend $250ish without looking for a deal.
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150

03-04-2020, 11:18 AM	#9
Dragracer_Art Gone Wild Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: GA Posts: 352	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries I was able to revive a 9 year old set of batteries that had ZERO volts. They were far from "good", but would hold charge long enough to run the kids around the neighborhood a few times. See my old thread here for inspiration. http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=121424 Having learned from that cart... my most recent cart got brand new Trojans and I dont regret it at all.

03-04-2020, 01:28 PM	#10
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150	Re: Attempting to recondition Trojan batteries The batteries in it are Trojans. I was able to pick up a charger for $125. I’ve have one one the trickle charger and it’s now ready 7.3v. Looking like there might be some life. I’ll check out that post you recommended. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Corey_W Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 150

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