BadBoy Ambush IS state of charge meter proble

[eda9049237]

I just purchased a 2014 Badboy Ambush made by EZGO. I have charged it until the light on the charger is solid green and the light at the charge receptacle on the Ambush is also solid green. This should indicate fully charged batteries but the state of charge meter on the dash indicates only half charged. Where I purchased it is a hour from my home and was hoping it might be a simple fix. Any ideas?
Thanks

[cgtech]

Usually, a "10 led bar-graph" meter will not reset to full when a pre-determined voltage is not reached DURING charge process (it doesnt reset during partial recharge). Is this the type of SOC meter you have, or a "needle gas gauge like this (\ )=empty, ( /)=full"?

[remac]

Get a Digital Multi Meter (DMM) and test the voltage.
The bar graph SOC meters are only an indication
but they are not reliable.

[eda9049237]

cgtech.....it is the needle gas gauge type

[cgtech]

Those meters are more accurate than the "led bar graph" type. They are instructed by the motor controller, based on what the controller thinks SOC is. This meter is based off voltage, with software to keep the needle smooth under load & braking. The cool trick this meter does is the gauge will do weird stuff when accelerating (usually goes toward full) if a battery is bad, this is because the battery voltage is not responding the way the software expects it to for the amp load applied. These are the same meter in an RXV. Is it possible that it is Not getting charged? Have you checked the voltages on & off charge?

[eda9049237]

Just checked. Gauge still at 1/2 when buggy turned on. With charger plugged in the meter still is at 1/2. With this buggy, it is a 48 volt system with six 8 volt batteries. 4 are under the seat and easy to get to. With a volt meter they individually register 9.10 volts. The other 2 batteries are up front and not easy to get to. You have to pull a piece off the "hood" area that is held on by snaps that look similar to the snaps that hold the inside door panel on a car. Don't want to pop loose easily and I don't want to force them. At the electric motor, I find three cables coming in colored as follows: yellow, blue, green. Is there anywhere I can use my voltmeter to check to make sure the motor is getting 48 volts which would indicate the batteries are charged? I am not an electrician and not sure what to do.

[remac]

I do routine pack voltage checks at the charging plug
it is real quick and easy to check there.
When I want or need more detail, I can lift the seat
and check the individual batteries.

Find the leads that come from the batteries under the 'hood'
and check the voltage across them, should be in the range of 18.2v.
Added to the 36.4 (9.1*4) from the other batteries is 54.6v.
That sounds pretty good for a new 48v system.

Check some of the other posts for discussions about voltage
and the different voltages you will see when the cart is running.
'On-charge', 'at-rest', 'under-load', etc, all mean something different
and tell you something about the batteries health.

[cgtech]

First, batteries under the hood that "you dont want to force", how you gonna check the water? Second, the motor is AC, you aint gonna find 48v there, unless you test while driving, & its gonna be AC (this test is not worth your time, it will prove nothing). Based on the voltages you have given, some power is being applied to the batteries, i think you will need to contact the dealer. I would tell them "i have verified the battery voltage does increase when on charge (so i know that my wall outlet is not the problem), my meter not resetting"

[eda9049237]

I'll contact the dealer. The front batteries have an automatic refilling reservoir attached to them to keep the water level up.

[remac]

Uh oh - the old refilling system interconnecting all the cells in the batteries so that one spark and all the hydrogen in the all cells goes BANG!!! trick.... ....not to scare you but there are several threads about refilling systems making loud noises