Newly purchased 1996 36V EZ-Go Electric cart

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by the05blueredlinguy

Great! Thanks for the help guys. I'll give it a go and hope they take a charge (with out any explosive gas). Happy Thanksgiving!

When wet cell lead-acid batteries are recharged, out-gassing of hydrogen and oxygen is unavoidable.
When this type battery explodes, in addition to launching shrapnel, they shower everything in the vicinity with sulfuric acid.
So take proper precautions when working around them.

Well ventilated area (Moving air)
No smoking, sparks or open flames.
Eye protection
Skin protection

Basically, use the same care and caution you use (or should be using) when you're handling gasoline and you'll be okay.

[the05blueredlinguy]

Ok guys so i am confused on what i should do here. So i borrowed a Snap-on charger from a friend and started charging 1 battery, he recommended i leave the cap loose on the battery so i did. It is a 6 Volt battery as i read on the battery so i set the charger to 6V LO and let it charge for approximately an hour or so. I checked on the battery and it was boiling over so i unplugged the charger and disconnected it from the battery. i checked the charge its at 5V but the amp meter only reads 20%.

2 questions and keep in mind i am pretty green in knowledge when it come to electricity.

1 is what do i do if the battery is boiling when i charge it?
2 is shouldn't the meter read around 80-90%

[rmarcusy]

1 try charging at a slower rate,, if already at the lowest rate then replace battery
2 if you check the voltage during charge you will see it go quickly from the 5v, you see now, to about 7.4 or so, causing the charger to slow down in the amp department.

[the05blueredlinguy]

so if i have the same problem with all the batteries should i just replace all the batteries? I priced a few different places and i am lookin about $480 to $800

[rmarcusy]

batteries do MUCH better if they are all the same (brand/date/size) If you plan on enjoying this car for the next several years,,, then get the batteries now. And then take care of them. If you are driving short distances,, under 25miles a day(not far from home charger) go for the smaller/cheeper batteries, If you are wanting more drive time you can go for the higher price/more amp storage.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by the05blueredlinguy

so if i have the same problem with all the batteries should i just replace all the batteries? I priced a few different places and i am lookin about $480 to $800

Here's a comparison between batteries typically used in carts.
http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...omparison.html

Basically, the heavier a battery is, the longer it's run-time. Go with the heaviest you can afford or willing to spend.
The Trojan T-105 is the de facto standard that other batteries are compared to and considered a "stock" battery.
People have had success with batteries for NAPA, Costco, Sam's Club and numerous other sources.
As rmarcusy said, cart batteries do better as a matched set.

When you get a new set of batteries, be sure to charge them fully before using them. (Okay to test the cart for a few feet, but don't take it out for a spin until they have been fully charged!)
Note: The first charge will take up to 12-16 hours, so plan ahead.

Also, a new battery will only have about 75% of its rated capacity. They have to be "Matured" (Broken-in properly) to obtain their maximum storage capacity.
Got to Scottyb's website and read everything he has with "Battery" in the title.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/

With proper care, you'll get 5 years or more from a set of batteries. (There are lots of variables, so some people get a lot more than 5, others less.)
One of the tricks many of us use is to service our batteries (Clean terminals & Cables and water, etc.) at least once a month and when we are finished, toss a $10 bill in a Mason Jar.
That way we have the cost of new set of batteries on hand when we need a new set.

There is a wealth of knowledge lurking around here, so feel free to ask any questions you may have about your new (to you) cart.
If you are not quite sure what it is (There are different flavors of "96 E-Z-GO carts) enter the serial number in this site and it'll tell you year and type.
http://www.shopezgo.com/customer-ser...ialNumber.html