Over two days charging

[bousto]

Looking to buy my friends 2004 ez go series cart. Batteries are two years old. Don't know how well the batteries were taken care of in the last two years but we pulled out of storage and the cart had some power. We live in indiana so winters are cold. The batteries have been charging for over two days and has been on 5 amps. I'm going to test them. Is it possible the charger is bad he sad the timer might be bad in charger. I think batteries are going bad what you all think.

[JohnnieB]

Welcome to BGW!

If the cart has been in storage without the batteries being charged every month or so, it is very likely the batteries are bad.

What is the make and model of the charger??????

Most golf cart chargers have a back-up timer that shuts them of in a bout 16 hours, but not all of them and sometime things are done to chargers that by passes the charger's normal control circuitry.

Since the batteries have been on charge for two days, disconnect them from the charger, let them sit without using them for about 12 hours and then measure the individual battery voltages as well as the pack voltage.

That should give us a pretty good idea what shape the batteries are in.

[gornoman]

Welcome to BGW!

[scottyb]

It would be good to note the pack voltage before you disconnect the charger too. It is nice to have a starting point when asking about a charger and batteries.

[bousto]

two days charging. 2004 ez go txt series 36 volt. the charger is a power wise 28115 go4 or hard to read c04 volt pack is 38.4 not sure about each cell I got this meter that you dip into acid. One cell way past 4 volts middle cell is 2 volts other cell reads nothing. thank you for replying so fast by reading the post you sure now your stuff. I was glad you responded. thanks tom

[scottyb]

Any battery with 1/2 volt difference between cells is suspect. Any battery with 2 volts difference between cells is a goner. Looks like you may need new batts

[bousto]

So that meter I described is the right type of meter to use. What is that meter called. Does that type of charger have a timer in it?

[scottyb]

Most people use a multi-meter for golf carts.
The charger should have had an internal timer ( cut off) it also has a voltage cutoff. Typical if the batteries are bad they can't come up high enough to trigger the auto cut off.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by bousto

two days charging. 2004 ez go txt series 36 volt. the charger is a power wise 28115 go4 or hard to read c04 volt pack is 38.4 not sure about each cell I got this meter that you dip into acid. One cell way past 4 volts middle cell is 2 volts other cell reads nothing. thank you for replying so fast by reading the post you sure now your stuff. I was glad you responded. thanks tom

How exactly is this meter use?
Do you touch one lead to one of the battery posts and dip the other lead into the cell?

Suggest you pick up an inexpensive Digital Multi-Meter at a discount store and measure the battery voltages from post to post, that is what our charts are based on.
(The meter should read battery voltages with two digits to the right of the decimal point. IE: A fully charged 6V battery reads 6.37V)

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The Powerwise 28115 charger normally shuts of when the on-charge voltage reaches 44-46 volts and has a backup timer that shuts off after 16 hours if the battery pack fails to reach that voltage.
So, the relay in the charger has been by-passed and it needs a new control board to operate properly.

[bousto]

Ok I got a mutimeter and each battery is reading 6.3v after setting for 12 hours. yes this a the type that you dip in the acid but really don't now if accurate. Any other battery test to preform like a individual load test. Looking to buy a cart that the grandkids can drive around on our land, no hills just grass. Is it better to have series 36v or I can buy 1999 48v cc pds for about
1550.oo with good trojen batteries.