36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills

Hubb · 10-08-2018, 05:04 PM

Hi,
I apologize in advance as I have seen this question posted many times. I have an 05 Ezgo Series Txt 36 volt golf cart that is very sluggish even on moderate hills.

My batteries are just over a year old and I don't use the cart that much. I've had this problem for some time and I've just put off fixing it. I charged my batteries to full charge about a week ago. The cart has been unplugged from the charger for at least a week.

I show right at 36 volts across the terminals.
Jacking the cart up and checking across M- and B+, I show the same with full throttle.

Checking the voltage across the motor terminals when the cart is struggling to go up hill, I see voltage drop to almost 30v.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

orangeman6 · 10-08-2018, 05:10 PM

Take a look at this chart supplied by johnnieb. It sounds like you have battery problems.

yurtle · 10-08-2018, 05:38 PM

36 volts is dead. Do you always put your cart on charge after driving it? Do you restart the charge every month?

Hubb · 10-08-2018, 06:15 PM

Most of the time, I do put it back on charge after riding it. This past time I did not. My thinking was: if I left it off charge for a week and still had plenty of voltage, that might rule out batteries. That was only my thoughts. I put it on charge about an hour ago after seeing orangeman6's response

yurtle · 10-08-2018, 07:11 PM

One week without charger can't account for your voltage, assuming it was fully charged, a week ago. Try connecting a digital multimeter (DMM) to each battery, one at a time, and write down the voltage while driving uphill. Repeat using the same hill for each battery. Report back.

BobBoyce · 10-08-2018, 07:33 PM

Partially discharged lead/acid battery cells begin to degrade (sulphate) immediately, and the rate of degradation (sulphation) is directly tied to the level of discharge. Keeping cells fully charged prevents this degradation. So... Always charge your batteries as soon as possible after using them, to help prevent this degradation. This extends the useful life of the cells in your batteries.

Hubb · 10-09-2018, 05:39 PM

Hello All,
I charged my batteries to full charge and ran the cart this evening as yurtle suggested. I tested the voltage of the batteries before running and while running up hill in the struggling condition. I have the following results.

Before running the cart:
Across battery terminals= 37.6 V
battery 1 =6.33v
battery 2 =6.30v
battery 3 =6.26v
battery 4 =6.22v
battery 5 =6.28v
battery 6 =6.26v

While running the cart uphill, 6 passes, 1 pass for each battery:
(I'm reporting the lowest voltage I saw during each pass, this was not constant)
battery 1 =5.70v
battery 2 =5.65v
battery 3 =5.63v
battery 4 =5.58v
battery 5 =5.67v
battery 6 =5.60v
I made a 7th run up the hill and I connected the meter to the motor terminals to determine the voltage delivered to the motor and got 30.1 volts.

When I returned home, I checked the voltage across the battery terminals again and got 37.1 volts.
Thanks

yurtle · 10-09-2018, 05:55 PM

Try repeated back to back charges. JohnnyB did this and improved the storage capacity of his old batteries. Yours are only one year old, but little more than 80% SOC. Are they still covered by warranty?

Your reading of 37.1 volts right after you drove it, was not really a valid reading. The voltage recovers with time, after letting it rest.

Hubb · 10-09-2018, 06:13 PM

The warranty of the batteries ran out in June. This problem has been present since the batteries were new. I'm not saying they couldn't be bad but I distinctly remember this problem the day I put the batteries in. I just have put it off.

Hubb · 10-09-2018, 06:17 PM

Looking back on my previous data, I see that I got the same voltage delivered to the motor on batteries that had not been charged in over a week (yesterday) and batteries with a fresh charge (today). Is it possible for my batteries to be bad?

10-08-2018, 05:04 PM	#1
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10	36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills Hi, I apologize in advance as I have seen this question posted many times. I have an 05 Ezgo Series Txt 36 volt golf cart that is very sluggish even on moderate hills. My batteries are just over a year old and I don't use the cart that much. I've had this problem for some time and I've just put off fixing it. I charged my batteries to full charge about a week ago. The cart has been unplugged from the charger for at least a week. I show right at 36 volts across the terminals. Jacking the cart up and checking across M- and B+, I show the same with full throttle. Checking the voltage across the motor terminals when the cart is struggling to go up hill, I see voltage drop to almost 30v. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10

10-08-2018, 05:38 PM	#3
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills 36 volts is dead. Do you always put your cart on charge after driving it? Do you restart the charge every month?

10-08-2018, 06:15 PM	#4
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills Most of the time, I do put it back on charge after riding it. This past time I did not. My thinking was: if I left it off charge for a week and still had plenty of voltage, that might rule out batteries. That was only my thoughts. I put it on charge about an hour ago after seeing orangeman6's response
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10

10-08-2018, 07:11 PM	#5
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills One week without charger can't account for your voltage, assuming it was fully charged, a week ago. Try connecting a digital multimeter (DMM) to each battery, one at a time, and write down the voltage while driving uphill. Repeat using the same hill for each battery. Report back.

10-08-2018, 07:33 PM	#6
BobBoyce Gone Insane Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: TN/NC/GA Tri-state area Posts: 3,952	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills Partially discharged lead/acid battery cells begin to degrade (sulphate) immediately, and the rate of degradation (sulphation) is directly tied to the level of discharge. Keeping cells fully charged prevents this degradation. So... Always charge your batteries as soon as possible after using them, to help prevent this degradation. This extends the useful life of the cells in your batteries.

Today
BGW	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum

10-09-2018, 05:39 PM	#7
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills Hello All, I charged my batteries to full charge and ran the cart this evening as yurtle suggested. I tested the voltage of the batteries before running and while running up hill in the struggling condition. I have the following results. Before running the cart: Across battery terminals= 37.6 V battery 1 =6.33v battery 2 =6.30v battery 3 =6.26v battery 4 =6.22v battery 5 =6.28v battery 6 =6.26v While running the cart uphill, 6 passes, 1 pass for each battery: (I'm reporting the lowest voltage I saw during each pass, this was not constant) battery 1 =5.70v battery 2 =5.65v battery 3 =5.63v battery 4 =5.58v battery 5 =5.67v battery 6 =5.60v I made a 7th run up the hill and I connected the meter to the motor terminals to determine the voltage delivered to the motor and got 30.1 volts. When I returned home, I checked the voltage across the battery terminals again and got 37.1 volts. Thanks Last edited by Hubb; 10-09-2018 at 05:40 PM.. Reason: misspell
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10

10-09-2018, 05:55 PM	#8
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills Try repeated back to back charges. JohnnyB did this and improved the storage capacity of his old batteries. Yours are only one year old, but little more than 80% SOC. Are they still covered by warranty? Your reading of 37.1 volts right after you drove it, was not really a valid reading. The voltage recovers with time, after letting it rest.

10-09-2018, 06:13 PM	#9
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills The warranty of the batteries ran out in June. This problem has been present since the batteries were new. I'm not saying they couldn't be bad but I distinctly remember this problem the day I put the batteries in. I just have put it off.
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10

10-09-2018, 06:17 PM	#10
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10	Re: 36 Volt Ezgo slow up hills Looking back on my previous data, I see that I got the same voltage delivered to the motor on batteries that had not been charged in over a week (yesterday) and batteries with a fresh charge (today). Is it possible for my batteries to be bad?
Hubb Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 10

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Forum
92 d's 36 volt slow up hills	Electric Club Car
91 marathon 36 volt slow up hills	Electric EZGO
1999 Ezgo slow up hills	Electric EZGO
2000 CC 48 volt very slow on hills	Electric Club Car
EZGO Slow up hills	Electric EZGO