How to get a free cart (eventually) (long)

[Webber67]

I have a stock controller from my 2010 TXT 48 that I just pulled out of my cart. If you're interested in purchasing it, let me know.

[dundeebarnbuggy]

Not knocking your "strategy" but, when I went "shopping" for a buggy 2 years ago, Trojan or Crown batts was a big selling point. Passed on 2 carts with jobber batts cause I knew what they will cost to replace.

[LSUgoTIGER]

So when I put my multimeter on any of the individual batteries, I only get a reading of .01 volts. I'm on the volt setting, and it's set to 20 which is the smallest setting I have. As I understand it, this setting should give me an accurate reading of anything from 0-20 volts. If it's only reading .01, that led me to believe they were all REALLY dead.

However, last night, I put a big DieHard 6v/12v automotive charger/starter on one of the batteries, and set it to 20amps manual charge just to see if I could pump anything into it. The meter on the charger was displaying 6.7 V after just a few minutes of charging, which is supposedly the measured voltage of the battery being charged.

Which one do I believe, or what am I missing? good battery or not? (I know a load test is the true measure of good or bad, but is .01 or 6.7 the true starting point?)

[bobbycason]

Originally Posted by LSUgoTIGER

So when I put my multimeter on any of the individual batteries, I only get a reading of .01 volts. I'm on the volt setting, and it's set to 20 which is the smallest setting I have. As I understand it, this setting should give me an accurate reading of anything from 0-20 volts. If it's only reading .01, that led me to believe they were all REALLY dead.

However, last night, I put a big DieHard 6v/12v automotive charger/starter on one of the batteries, and set it to 20amps manual charge just to see if I could pump anything into it. The meter on the charger was displaying 6.7 V after just a few minutes of charging, which is supposedly the measured voltage of the battery being charged.

Which one do I believe, or what am I missing? good battery or not? (I know a load test is the true measure of good or bad, but is .01 or 6.7 the true starting point?)

You'll want to take your reading 12-24 hours after the charging is done. Taking a reading while its charging only means the charger is doing it's job, it's the batteries job to hold that charge. One chart below is from Trojan website showing the charge voltages for their batteries. The other is the SOC(State Of Charge) chart from ScottyB website showing what the voltage should be after the 12-24 period.

[R.Boyd]

Check the battery under the hood of your car to be sure the meter is set correctly and actually working. Sounds to me like you may have it set to AC rather than DC. Once it reads correctly on a known working battery go back to checking the cart batteries.

Originally Posted by LSUgoTIGER

So when I put my multimeter on any of the individual batteries, I only get a reading of .01 volts. I'm on the volt setting, and it's set to 20 which is the smallest setting I have. As I understand it, this setting should give me an accurate reading of anything from 0-20 volts. If it's only reading .01, that led me to believe they were all REALLY dead.

However, last night, I put a big DieHard 6v/12v automotive charger/starter on one of the batteries, and set it to 20amps manual charge just to see if I could pump anything into it. The meter on the charger was displaying 6.7 V after just a few minutes of charging, which is supposedly the measured voltage of the battery being charged.

Which one do I believe, or what am I missing? good battery or not? (I know a load test is the true measure of good or bad, but is .01 or 6.7 the true starting point?)

[bobbycason]

Originally Posted by R.Boyd

Check the battery under the hood of your car to be sure the meter is set correctly and actually working. Sounds to me like you may have it set to AC rather than DC. Once it reads correctly on a known working battery go back to checking the cart batteries.

I was thinking that too but mine jumps all over the place when it's on AC. I saw he was getting 6.7 volts while charging so I thought he meant with is meter but I see now he meant that was on the charger's gauge.

[LSUgoTIGER]

Same multimeter results on my tahoe.

.01

This is exactly how my meter is set up
http://acidx.net/wordpress/wp-conten...u_test_003.jpg

[yurtle]

Do you have access to another meter? Is the battery in your meter good?

If your meter says a good battery is bad, may be time for another meter?

[dezrcr822]

Originally Posted by yurtle

Do you have access to another meter? Is the battery in your meter good?

If your meter says a good battery is bad, may be time for another meter?

Your meter is only as good as the battery thats in it. I also like to use a refractometer to get a really good look into each cell. I have an Extech refractometer I got form Grainger for about $100.00 and you can also use it to test engine coolant as well. Anyway sounds like a great project! I really want to build a toaster cart or three now that my G1 is pretty much done but id have to park them side by each and throw a tarp over them cause id be living in them per the wife. Good luck and post some pics!

[LSUgoTIGER]

I put a brand new battery in the meter, and still the same .01 all around.

I'll have to try a different meter.

Until then, here are the only 2 pictures I had during the auction to go by.

10ae0665-1972-4cf5-99c8-63c69325b944_fullsize.jpg

88f8dc1f-1ab9-4a98-9ae9-f31bb9c86c53_fullsize.jpg