power wise charger

[scottclose]

I have a power wise charger for my 36 volt ezgo cart. I just bought new batteries and the dealer told me they had been on the shelf for 3 months and would probably need charged for a couple hours. I plugged my charger in and after 8 hours they were still charging. My question is, how does the charger know when the batteries are fully charged and how can i trouble shoot my charger to make sure it is fuctioning properly. Could i have possibly damaged my new batteries from overcharging?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by scottclose

I have a power wise charger for my 36 volt ezgo cart. I just bought new batteries and the dealer told me they had been on the shelf for 3 months and would probably need charged for a couple hours. I plugged my charger in and after 8 hours they were still charging. My question is, how does the charger know when the batteries are fully charged and how can i trouble shoot my charger to make sure it is fuctioning properly. Could i have possibly damaged my new batteries from overcharging?

Welcome to BWG

You haven't damaged your new batteries from overcharging because they probably aren't charged yet.
After sitting on the shelf for 3 months, the batteries will probably need several hours of charging rather than just a couple.

New batteries will charge for a very long time, up to 16 hours or more.
Your Powerwise charger monitors the battery voltage and shuts off when the voltage reaches 44 to 46 volts (36V battery pack)
Since your charger has a 16 hour safety timer, you might have to restart the charge cycle to get new batteries fully charged.

The 44-46V the pack reaches is called a Surface Charge and depletes rapidly down to about 38.2V for a fully charged 36V pack.
Attached is a chart that shows State of Charge.

New batteries have be broken in properly to get full storage capacity. You can find the procedure here:
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Batter...n_Methods.html

Just relax and let your charger do its thing. If you've got a DVM, you can monitor the Battery Pack voltage while it is charging. If it is below the 44-46 volt cutoff point, the charger should still be on.

Your new batteries will last longer if you keep them as fully charged as possible. Deep discharging between recharges shortens battery life.

[scottclose]

Thanks for your help. I will plug the charger back in a let it charge until it shuts off. I was just a little worried when the batteries started getting warm and i could hear the water bubbling. Just spent a lot on new batteries and want to make sure to properly maintain them and make them last as long as possible. Thanks for the link to battery care.

[JohnnieB]

You're welcome.

FYI:
Batteries have an internal resistance and you're running a current through it, so you'll get heat. Warm is normal.
The bubbling is hydrogen gas being released. Also normal. (Be careful - hydrogen is explosive. Charge batteries in well ventilated area - No flames or sparks.)

Clean and water batteries monthly (more or less depending on usage)
As needed, add water to fully charged batteries. (If plates are exposed, add enough water to cover before charging - fill to normal level afterwards.)
Add distilled water only. (Tap water can ruin batteries)
Put a $10 bill in a Mason Jar each time you service your batteries. (That way you'll have enough for a new set when you need them and maybe have enough left over to take the better half to dinner)

Stick around and read the posts. Lots of good info floating around as well as some humor every now and then.

[n8huntsman]

Old thread but I found this useful so Im just posting an updated link for the above mentioned charging procedure. Previous link is dead.
https://www.cartsunlimited.net/battery-break-in-.html