Fried a couple batteries!

[TexPI]

I'm sure all the experienced owners are aware of this, but wanted to relay a costly mistake this newbie just made.

My cart is a 1996 Club Car with yet-to-be-determined modifications... still learning about the cart.

Wanting to make a small improvement to our riding experience, I set about installing a new stereo - a minor feat and no issues encountered, However, in the course of disconnecting and then reconnecting the positive cable to the batteries (several time during the course of the install), the final connection was apparently not properly tightened ... as I would soon learn, a very costly mistake.

Fast forward to test drive ... awesome stereo, beautiful sunset, nice sea breeze we're heading home from our evening jaunt (about 5 miles one-way). First sign of trouble was the (analog) battery status meter dropped to the red (zero) zone a couple times and then ... all was OK. But a minute later, I lost all power to the cart. Coasted to a stop and a quick look at the battery compartment revealed a little smoke and the #1 and #6 negative battery posts were nearly just a puddle of lead!

Fortunately, the nearby city park had some rent-a-bikes so the 3-mile trek to get the trailer was not quite as difficult as it could have been.'

Again, being that newbie, I relied on a local cart dealer to help me out and he was kind enough to explain that the loose connection and lack of proper battery tie-downs (causing the batteries to bounce around) were probably the cause ... and added that the convenient but not recommended wingnut connections were not a good idea either. Finally, he said I was probably luck that no fire or other damage was done to the cart.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're a newbie and your cart does not have batterie tie downs, you are using wing not connections, OR you do not ensure your cables are properly tightened, plan on spending several hundred dollars on replacement equipment.

[Cruise Master]

Sorry to hear about your lesson learned.

Kinda curious, is your TexPI and your salt air cart cruise means you run around in the town of the Tarpons? If so, I sure do miss that place.

[rib33024]

You can fix them batteries. Tap a bolt in the flat lead post of the battery. And move the batteries to a different location. So it's not your main connection. And some new cables. And yes a loose connection will cause the battery post to melt. There is a few threads here that will show you how to fix a melted post

Originally Posted by rib33024

You can fix them batteries. Tap a bolt in the flat lead post of the battery. And move the batteries to a different location. So it's not your main connection. And some new cables. And yes a loose connection will cause the battery post to melt. There is a few threads here that will show you how to fix a melted post

i sort of remember that post

You Tube

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[FluxCapacitor]

Good advice. I'm going to re-torque my batteries now.

[NoleFan4Ever]

Originally Posted by TexPI

-snip-... and added that the convenient but not recommended wingnut connections were not a good idea either.

This is correct, but when you do go and get nuts, these are special oversized nuts (broader in diameter), so do not get the standard size 5/16" nuts as they do not provide enough surface area contact.

And I hope you haven't purchased new ones yet as Rib's post is spot on and CTD's video will walk you through it.

Good Luck!

[Nsane]

It's best to retorque battery connections and check battery water level often .