Batteries or MCOR???

[cyberclectic]

Well, took delivery of our cart around the first of October and everything seemed awesome. Put in the dash and radio, etc. All work perfectly no issues etc. Cart runs great, until late Friday night after heading home from TorT with the kids and a couple times since.

FYI - 48V ( 6x8 ) 2010 Precedent - complete rebuild and new Powetron 8000's (and that's my daughters doll - hahaha just noticed that)

Battery "fuel gauge" had dropped to second bar from full, and as we went to go up the last hill before home (about a 2 mile straight run) the cart starts "bucking" or "jerking" hard. Go down to a half throttle to limp it home and get it in the garage. I checked batteries and all seemed OK - across pack was about 47v if I remember and each battery was showing around 7.8 or 7.9 if I remember correctly.

Next day, kids took it for a drive and it ran fine for about a 1/2 mile and then started doing the same thing, this time it was a lot farther from home. So they reset the Tow Run switch for a couple minutes and tried to proceed, but it eventually would barely go 1 MPH.

The battery gauge was dropping fast and ended up at the 1/2 way point before they got it back home. Again, decent enough readings - I didn't write them down unfortunately.

So decided I would charge it overnight, charger shut itself off as normal and I just took these readings with DVM and Hydrometer. Took it for a quick spin (maybe 1/2 mile round trip) and all works perfectly - readings on batteries immediately after this trip were 8.5 to 8.51 across each and right at 51 across bank.

I wonder if I have a bad battery - that after a long load (or slightly below full state) it begins to drop fast or does this sound like it could be the MCOR?

Either way, I hope the dealer I bought it from can assist without driving it back to their main office almost 2 hours away.

I have read many threads, that's why I did all the steps I have done - but thought that if it is MCOR related it would be more "consistent" in nature.

Thanks again...

[Volt_Ampere]

Sure sounds like a battery problem. You need to load test them.

[scottyb]

I agree, you are describing a low or weak battery problem. You were not clear if you had recharged the cart between limp home incident #1 and #2.
Recharge the cart overnight between each use of 15 minutes or more.
Get a digital battery meter here > http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Digita...ry_Meters.html

The simple 2 wire meter will allow you to monitor your battery pack under load (as you drive) and this will tell if you have a weak battery or low charge.

[cyberclectic]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

Sure sounds like a battery problem. You need to load test them.

Originally Posted by scottyb

I agree, you are describing a low or weak battery problem. You were not clear if you had recharged the cart between limp home incident #1 and #2.
Recharge the cart overnight between each use of 15 minutes or more.
Get a digital battery meter here > http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Digita...ry_Meters.html

The simple 2 wire meter will allow you to monitor your battery pack under load (as you drive) and this will tell if you have a weak battery or low charge.

Thanks Volt & ScottB - Yeah, I had bought the "fuel gauge" type meter before I did my research and I put that in when we took delivery and said to myself then - I should have got the numeric digital instead - but figured the bars would be better for the little ones (haha).

There wasn't a charge between incident #1 and #2 - sorry about that missed detail.

Question - would one of these work for a load test until I receive the new meter (placing order right after this)? I assume I set it to 12V, but what reading will it show I wonder?

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...ster-voltmeter

Also, what's the cut dimension of the meter shown above - just curious what I may have to hack up to get it to fit in my existing hole or make a plate for it?

[Sergio]

...Put in the dash and radio, etc...

I would guess You tapped the first 2 batteries for the 12v, You need to get a 48v-12v converter or you will continue to have battery problems.

[cyberclectic]

Originally Posted by Sergio

I would guess You tapped the first 2 batteries for the 12v, You need to get a 48v-12v converter or you will continue to have battery problems.

Reducer is installed - was actually installed before delivery.

All accessories are hooked to the reducer through a terminal bus / distribution block I put behind the dash.

[Sergio]

The way the first 2 batteries from the pack negative are lower than the rest is usually an indication of a OEM voltage reducer (16v-12v), not a converter (48v-12v)... Curious why those first two batteries would be lower otherwise, no extra wires connected to that 2nd battery?

[cyberclectic]

Originally Posted by Sergio

The way the first 2 batteries from the pack negative are lower than the rest is usually an indication of a OEM voltage reducer (16v-12v), not a converter (48v-12v)... Curious why those first two batteries would be lower otherwise, no extra wires connected to that 2nd battery?

Nothing else connected that I can tell - I did just retake readings knowing it has been off charger for a couple hours for sure now...

All batteries show 8.5 volts individually and 51 across pack...

Here is a picture of the battery bay...

Best I can tell...

The blue wire coming from Negative on #4 is for lights goes down into wire loom under battery bay. Unplugged connector and no lights.

Small red off #1 is going to reducer on front of bay wall
Larger red off #1 is going under battery bay and into wire loom

Small blue coming from #6 is negative to negative side accessories off reducer

Thanks

[teecro]

Originally Posted by cyberclectic

the cart starts "bucking" or "jerking" hard. Go down to a half throttle to limp it home and get it in the garage. I checked batteries and all seemed OK - across pack was about 47v if I remember and each battery was showing around 7.8 or 7.9 if I remember correctly....

How long had the cart been used since last charge where you reported the 47 volts? At 47 volts the batteries are not OK they are *** near dead with only 25 % SOC....

Lead acid batteries need to be kept as close to 100 percent SOC as much as possable which means recharging between use even if the use was only for 20 minutes. If you are not charging between uses and you've got batteries with a little age on them (2010 cart?) they tend to die down quickly and with frequent charging you can even mask the issue....

[cyberclectic]

Originally Posted by teecro

How long had the cart been used since last charge where you reported the 47 volts? At 47 volts the batteries are not OK they are *** near dead with only 25 % SOC....

Lead acid batteries need to be kept as close to 100 percent SOC as much as possable which means recharging between use even if the use was only for 20 minutes. If you are not charging between uses and you've got batteries with a little age on them (2010 cart?) they tend to die down quickly and with frequent charging you can even mask the issue....

They are brand new batteries - which is why I keep asking myself - how can it be the batteries... I hate second guessing my first guess, but I wonder if I just got a dud battery (or two)...