92 Marathon at the Ranch, doesnt run long

[Brownwood]

Many of you have helped me with my 92 Marathon SHV (stealth hunting vehicle). Its a 36 volt cart that I have upgraded to a 480 amp linksys controller, 6 guage cable all around, heavy duty solenoid, rebuilt F/R switch and new pot. It has been lifted 4 inches and has 21 inch tires. The batteries are fresh Trojan rebuilds in April of 2009 (thats the way I got the cart). The cart does great, 10 or 12 MPH and will do the 2 small hills on my 80 acre ranch. The only probelm is, it will only operate for about an hour or less. It will only make lone pass around my place, about 2 miles total with a small 30 foot high hill in the middle. Is this all I can expect from the cart? Are those rebuilt batteries worthless? It will do fine for getting me back and forth to my deer stands each morning and evening as long as I charge it between runs but I think it should do better. Are the rebuitl batteries worthless?

[Full_Throttle]

Post up the following voltages;

After charging, wait a couple of hours and measure the entire pack voltage.
I believe you want at least 38 volts.
Now measure each individual battery.
you are looking for 6.35-6.4 or better.
Also do a gravity test on each battery.

Finally, hook up a volt meter so that you can watch the battery voltage while you drive it, and report back on your findings.

Have you checked the water level of the batteries?

BTW... I think I would upgrade those 6 gauge wires to 4 gauge.

[Brownwood]

Originally Posted by Full_Throttle

Post up the following voltages;

After charging, wait a couple of hours and measure the entire pack voltage.
I believe you want at least 38 volts.
Now measure each individual battery.
you are looking for 6.35-6.4 or better.
Also do a gravity test on each battery.

Finally, hook up a volt meter so that you can watch the battery voltage while you drive it, and report back on your findings.

Have you checked the water level of the batteries?

BTW... I think I would upgrade those 6 gauge wires to 4 gauge.

My bad, the wires are 4 guage! Water level on the batteries is good. I wont be back down to the ranch until October but Ill take my meter and run those tests. Thanks for the input!

[scottyb]

Really no such thing as a 'rebuilt' battery.... you could have one weak battery causing these symptoms but, run time on a good pack is 90 minutes under stock conditions (stock cart on a mild golf course) . Minus the extra draw for big tires and big hills 1 hour of peddle time probably isn't too bad?