Battery Solution

[schley_cat_65]

Has anyone ever done the Golf Cart Battery Solution? It looks like it would work but i want to get some kind of response from the group before i do this to my cart... here is the site i found it on...

http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~crisitel...y%20repair.doc

you may have to copy and paste to read it

[DOOmsman]

Cat, that is the most debated subject in the cart world.
Every one with experience feels it is snake oil.
Some have tried it and claim success others not.
Good luck.

[schley_cat_65]

ok thanks doomsman i just wonder ya know...

[bartmann]

I just got a 1990 ezgo for $100 without a charger... I tested the batterys and they all tested about the same 5.7 volts. The cart would not move at all and had been sitting for 3 to 4 years in a heated garage. I charged the batterys in two packs 12volts to get the cart working and see if the batterys would charge. after charging all the batterys and doing a major cleaning and renewal of the cables , The cart came alive !!!! I went to drive it down the street and pulled it home ! it went about two blocks and DEAD ! I started researching and did not want to stick 6 or seven hondo into this cart. I did the epson salt to all six batterys and recharged them. retest I got about 15mins of run time ! they showed improvment. recharged them overnight again and now there at about 1/2hr run time.... every time I charge them there getting more run time. when I started they would test at 6.0v to 6.1 volt charged after sitting for 1hr. now im getting 6.5-6.6 volts .... Im hoping they continue to improve. So far I'm happy. the cart will work great for my use. I just have a long driveway and a second garage I need to go back and forth to with parts and supplies. I will just slap the charger on it at night....

Just my story ... thanks .....

[schley_cat_65]

bartmann that sounds like it really does work... i am just contemplating doing it because my batteries are only 2 years old... i will look more into it though

[bartmann]

new test ...

idle batterys sitting at 38 volts even ..
drove it around the naborhood for 25mins (yes 25mins) I got scared and drove it another 10 min on my driveway and (I) gave up .... retested idle voltage and got 37.4 volts ... So im guessing its about dead there right ?

So its safe to say I went from 5 min to 15min to 30 min in three charges ...thats pretty dang good results I think ...

Now all I need is a 36volt charger ....

Ied like to charge them as a pack and equilize them also .. Im thinking if I get a hour drive time some day It will be worth it ...

p.s. no more tests untill friday ! they need a good charge

[Brushpup]

Interested to see what you wind up getting out of those old batts.

Curious....Any idea what happened to the charger for the cart?

[JohnnieB]

From what I have been able to determine, there is some validity to the various lead-acid battery rejuvenating additives, but for the most part, the same , or very similar, results can be obtained by simply charging, slightly discharging and recharging multiple times.

Bottom line is that if you get a significant improvement by adding Epson salts or some other contaminant to the electrolyte, you were not taking proper care of your batteries.

Of course, we cannot control, or even know in most cases, how well the batteries were previously maintained when we buy a used cart.

My batteries would only charge to 85% SoC and after about six weeks of just charging the daylights out of them they charged to 95%.
The net result was I got acceptable performance out of the cart last summer and delayed replacing the batteries until this coming spring.

My batteries were only about two years old, so the results were pretty good. Older batteries and more abused batteries won't recover as much.

[bartmann]

a little something for today

I went out and bought a used lester 09611. It has the wrong plug on it but I cut it off and installed rings on it and got it charging.

P.S. I need the male plug for the charger got one ?

My notes... I dont think my 10amp 12 volt charger was getting it done.

My new charger is lighting the batterys up ! I removed all the tops and the batterys are gassing pretty good right now. lots of action there. the amp gauge is at about 7 or 8 just alittle off the green done bars. It's got the pack voltage at 44 volts. I tested each batt with the charger on them and there all at 7-7.5 volts .. hopfully they hold voltage higher than the last test.

Im not sure how long to over charge /gas them because I dont have the tool to check the water..... Ill keep a eye on them and probly remove the charger when she gets in the green .....

p.s. .... my batts are trojen t105s and are stamped j 6 .. does this mean there january of 06 ?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by bartmann

a little something for today

I went out and bought a used lester 09611. It has the wrong plug on it but I cut it off and installed rings on it and got it charging.

P.S. I need the male plug for the charger got one ?

My notes... I dont think my 10amp 12 volt charger was getting it done.

My new charger is lighting the batterys up ! I removed all the tops and the batterys are gassing pretty good right now. lots of action there. the amp gauge is at about 7 or 8 just alittle off the green done bars. It's got the pack voltage at 44 volts. I tested each batt with the charger on them and there all at 7-7.5 volts .. hopfully they hold voltage higher than the last test.

Im not sure how long to over charge /gas them because I dont have the tool to check the water..... Ill keep a eye on them and probly remove the charger when she gets in the green .....

p.s. .... my batts are trojen t105s and are stamped j 6 .. does this mean there january of 06 ?

J6 = Sep-06. (Letters are month numbers - A=1, B=2, etc. "I" isn't used)

Don't let them get too hot. About 115F max.

Lester 09611 is a timer controlled, totally manual charger, so you have to keep an eye on the on-charge voltage. 45.5V is the max I'd charge to unless I was equalizing or rejuvenating, then I'd go to 46.5V or so.

Keep an eye on electrolyte level and don't let plates get exposed, but don't water to fill level until fully charged. Use distilled water only. Don't overfill.

When the batteries first come off charge, they have a surface charge, so you have to let them rest for several hours to get meaningful readings. At least 6, 12 or more preferable.