Battery Problems on TXT

[basshawk84]

My neighbor has a late 90's Fleet cart that his wife had fixed up for him a few years ago. He had a cart shop replace the batteries back in December. They installed a new set of 6V Interstate batteries. He used it over the holidays, charged it back up and put it in his shed at the lake haouse. he showed up yesterday and the cart was totally dead. I looked at each battery with a volt meter and all 6 batteries were 2V or less. Of course the charger wouldn't turn on when he plugged it in which is why I got the phone call.

My question is that it seems very strange to me that the batteries would all totally drain in 2 months without being on a charger. Is that normal? He's calling the cart shop today that replaced the batteries. I am wondering if it would help to use a 12 v charger and charge the pack two batteries at a time? Not sure if they can be brought back from the dead or not, so thought I would ask.

[JohnnieB]

I'd wait to hear what the cart shop says before messing with them.

If he stored the cart on January 1st, it's been sitting for about 72 days and at the nominal self discharge rate of 1% per day, they should still be reading close to 5.8V each, unless there was something else drawing current from them.

You didn't mention location, but if they froze they are junk.

If the cart shop tells your neighbor to go fly a kite, try the 12V charger on two at a time and see if they'll come up to about 6V each and then connect up the 36V charger.

Be sure the electrolyte covers the plates and use only distilled water, but only add enough to cover plates until batteries are fully charged.

I doubt if they will recover 100%, but he still might get some use out of them.

It doesn't sound like they were ever broken in, so if they take a charge, try doing the new battery break in procedure found here.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Batter...n_Methods.html

[basshawk84]

I checked the acid and everything is good there. All the connections are good and they isntalled new cables. We have had some freezing weather, but I've got two carts two doors down in an unheated garage with no issues. The only difference is mine were on their chargers and his wasn't plugged in.

Thanks for the help!

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by basshawk84

I checked the acid and everything is good there. All the connections are good and they isntalled new cables. We have had some freezing weather, but I've got two carts two doors down in an unheated garage with no issues. The only difference is mine were on their chargers and his wasn't plugged in.

Thanks for the help!

That makes a big difference. Batteries with less than a 50% charge are easily frozen. The batteries have been left in a state of a 72% discharge. That may void the warranty. A certain amount of responsibility comes along with owning a golf cart. Keeping the batteries charged up is an important part of that.

[basshawk84]

We're in East Texas and it's been a pretty mild winter. Most everyone in this addition has some kind of golf cart as well. So anytime someone has an issue, I get to hear about it!! Thanks!