4-12 volt Battery Pack Run Times compared to 6 8 volt

[scubabud]

It's been mentioned many times that 4 12volt battery packs have a lesser run time then other packs. Since I’m in an area where I can now really run my cart as much as I want I decided to keep track through my Garmin660 actual miles, actual moving time, max speed as well moving speed average to get a true perspective on this including ending voltage readings of the battery pack. So far today here is what I have:

Max Speed 26.6 mph
Average Speed 9.4 mph
Moving time 1hr 54 minutes
Actual Miles 18
Current Battery Pack Voltage 49.5 volts or around 70%

Last time we were at Ft. Wilderness we got over 32 miles on the pack in one day with pack voltage at 48.3.

So my question is... is this less than what one would get with 6 month old 8 volt Trojans, about equal or more? I'm not trying to be smart since my only other cart experience was really a friends 83 CC with 6 6 volt Costco batteries that wouldn't even make it half that amount. I'm just trying to provide solid data on the 4 12 volt packs.

[oxfordlawn]

My question here is a question of procedure and I would like to compare my 6 8V batteries made by Johnsosn Controls bought at Wal-Mart in 12/08. I drove 19 miles today and still was showing 49.9 when checked voltage a while after parking....so here is my question for our testing continuity and sameness.....
When do we test pack voltage after a long period of use to determine where the pack is at. Is it iimmediately after parking, 5 min. later or 30 min. later?
I have 2 sets of batteries---brand new Trojan 12V bought last week and on its third full rechg. cycle ina Precedent, and a 5 month old set of Walmart 8V batteries in a resistor cart with a reworked 36V motor. I would really like to see how the WalMart ones compare to some others members findings who have Trojans and other brands.
I think this could be a good thread and test series you got started here

[phasetim]

On my 48v discharging machine brand new 12v trojans make about 90 mins.. 60 mins is 2 rounds of golf..

brand new trojans or exides usually get about 140 mins..

brand new johnson controls get around 80 mins.

three years later the typical findings are 12v trojans about 45 mins, exide and trojan 8vs about 100 mins, and johnson controls 30 mins or so.. (or totally dead).

the 12vs dont have quite the same run time, and they are extremely sensitive to improper water sources.

[scubabud]

Originally Posted by oxfordlawn

My question here is a question of procedure and I would like to compare my 6 8V batteries made by Johnsosn Controls bought at Wal-Mart in 12/08. I drove 19 miles today and still was showing 49.9 when checked voltage a while after parking....so here is my question for our testing continuity and sameness.....
When do we test pack voltage after a long period of use to determine where the pack is at. Is it iimmediately after parking, 5 min. later or 30 min. later?
I have 2 sets of batteries---brand new Trojan 12V bought last week and on its third full rechg. cycle ina Precedent, and a 5 month old set of Walmart 8V batteries in a resistor cart with a reworked 36V motor. I would really like to see how the WalMart ones compare to some others members findings who have Trojans and other brands.
I think this could be a good thread and test series you got started here

I'll check tomorrow to see what the difference is between 5, 15 and 30 minutes to be on the safe side.

Originally Posted by phasetim

On my 48v discharging machine brand new 12v trojans make about 90 mins.. 60 mins is 2 rounds of golf..
brand new trojans or exides usually get about 140 mins..
brand new johnson controls get around 80 mins.
three years later the typical findings are 12v trojans about 45 mins, exide and trojan 8vs about 100 mins, and johnson controls 30 mins or so.. (or totally dead).
the 12vs dont have quite the same run time, and they are extremely sensitive to improper water sources.

Thanks Phasetim.
In your opinion what is the equivalent on your discharge machine to real world? Are you drawing them down to 50% or all the way? Also for example you show 90 minutes on a 12 volt battery and 140 minutes on an 8 volt battery. Based on that the 8 volt pack should last 36% longer then the 12 volt pack with fresh batteries. So if I can go for over 2 hours and 15 minutes like today and still have some left over after normal driving on a 4-12 volt pack someone with a 6-8 volt pack should go almost 3 hours. It will be interesting to see how other 6-8 volt packs do in real world. That is quite a big gain for sure!

[oxfordlawn]

[QUOTE=phasetim;191618]On my 48v discharging machine brand new 12v trojans make about 90 mins.. 60 mins is 2 rounds of golf.........

......brand new trojans or exides usually get about 140 mins..

QUOTE]

This surprises me. Im new to the cart world, but I know in the automotive world, Exide really has a lower reputation or reliability factor.
Thats it. my 2 cents worth

[scubabud]

Looking at the Trojan Battery site it shows three 8 Volt batteries.

T860, T875 & T890

The T860 is close to the 12 volt T1275 but the other 2 8 volts clobber the 12 volt in AH ratings. And as mentioned before you would have 2 more batteries in the pack with an 8 volt setup. Which one of the 8 volt batteries is the norm for most?

[CC-John]

Originally Posted by scubabud

Looking at the Trojan Battery site it shows three 8 Volt batteries.

T860, T875 & T890

The T860 is close to the 12 volt T1275 but the other 2 8 volts clobber the 12 volt in AH ratings. And as mentioned before you would have 2 more batteries in the pack with an 8 volt setup. Which one of the 8 volt batteries is the norm for most?

I believe the T875 is the OE battery for the 48V DS models, if supplied with six 8V batteries..

[phasetim]

Thanks Phasetim.
In your opinion what is the equivalent on your discharge machine to real world? Are you drawing them down to 50% or all the way? Also for example you show 90 minutes on a 12 volt battery and 140 minutes on an 8 volt battery. Based on that the 8 volt pack should last 36% longer then the 12 volt pack with fresh batteries. So if I can go for over 2 hours and 15 minutes like today and still have some left over after normal driving on a 4-12 volt pack someone with a 6-8 volt pack should go almost 3 hours. It will be interesting to see how other 6-8 volt packs do in real world. That is quite a big gain for sure!

The machine takes it down to something like 46 volts. It is a hard stress test. The 6 8vs do real well. If someone really wants gain go to 8 6vs.

This surprises me. Im new to the cart world, but I know in the automotive world, Exide really has a lower reputation or reliability factor.
Thats it. my 2 cents worth

Our company is 50 years old, and for the last 30 of them we have used primarily exide batteries. I pull 6 and 7 year old sets of trojans and exides out at the same rate, and the same year discharge times are extremely comparable. I do feel that trojan is a slightly better battery, if nothing else for the increased warranty. 18 months instead of 12 months.

[oxfordlawn]

well I am back to my earlier question...
When checking pack voltage to see whats left, is the true reading best done immediately after stopping, after 15 mins. or so, or what. We all say to watch the packs discharge voltage, but at what point is this the true voltage left. Doesn't the voltage go back up a little when left sitting(a couple hours), which may give a false reading?

[scubabud]

Originally Posted by oxfordlawn

well I am back to my earlier question...
When checking pack voltage to see whats left, is the true reading best done immediately after stopping, after 15 mins. or so, or what. We all say to watch the packs discharge voltage, but at what point is this the true voltage left. Doesn't the voltage go back up a little when left sitting(a couple hours), which may give a false reading?

Oxfordlawn

Yesterday I checked at 5 minutes, 15 minutes and 30 minutes give or take. Didn't stay and watch the whole time but... 5 minutes showed 49.5, 15 showed 49.9 and 30 minutes showed 49.9 so I'd say 15 minutes is plenty of time. Next time I'll stay up to the 15 minutes to see exactly when the final number stays up. I'm attaching 2 pictures of my Garmin, from Sunday and Monday. Monday I hit 27.8 WOT and many times hit 27mph going around without wife or fur kids on the cart. Overall at 49.9 I had 80% left of the pack, (30% usable taking it down to 1/2,) after going 16.42 miles with a moving time of 1.34 hours and an average moving speed of 10.4mph.

Oh, and did I mention 27.8 mph with my PlumQuick motor without wires or controller but with 22" tall tires? LOL It's ALL Good!