i think my charger or batteries are bad

[cgtech]

Charger should be making around 45v for topping off 36v batts, could be capacitor, diodes, or transformer.

[radioman]

There is usually a big rectangular looking fuse in the charger wire at the positive battery post. It might be blown. According to your voltage measurements you are loosing 2.8 volts between the charger terminals and the battery bank. Does the charger hum when you plug it into cart? Check for the voltage drop across the fuse. A charger puts out unfiltered DC and voltmeters do not measure it accurately. Batteries provide filtering which increase the voltage reading. Just something else to check. You could also borrow another charger or take yours to your neighbor and see if it works on his cart.

I got to thinking if the fuse was blown the charger wouldn't try to turn on. But the voltage drop between charger and batteries is excessive and needs to be checked into especially since there is little or no current flowing in the wires to the batteries.

[mazdawg(Mikey)]

the charger does hum when I plug it into the wall but it doesn't hum as loud as it did before. my cart didn't come with a fuse for the charger cable on the batteries. theres a window on the front of the charger with what looks like a fuse and it isn't blown. I pulled the cover off of the charger and checked continuity on that fuse and it was good.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by radioman

A charger puts out unfiltered DC and voltmeters do not measure it accurately. Batteries provide filtering which increase the voltage reading.

Sometimes I think analog meters are better, as the mechanical movement would tend to dampen the unfiltered DC and may give a better average value.

[radioman]

Originally Posted by mazdawg(Mikey)

the charger does hum when I plug it into the wall but it doesn't hum as loud as it did before. my cart didn't come with a fuse for the charger cable on the batteries. theres a window on the front of the charger with what looks like a fuse and it isn't blown. I pulled the cover off of the charger and checked continuity on that fuse and it was good.

The charger should not hum until you plug it in to AC AND the receptacle on the cart with batteries having at least 30 volts or so. Something is suspicious because of the 2.8 volt drop between the charger connections at the connector and the batteries. With charger connected check for voltage drop between receptacle positive and battery + and likewise on the negative side. Also try substituting charger if you can borrow one. Once you determine the charger is defective you will have to repair it of get it fixed.

[mazdawg(Mikey)]

so will this charger work? it looks like it has 3 leads that are 12v each. i assume i would hook them up to a pair of batteries each and it says its 20amp charging split between the 3.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ProMariner-P...ht_1517wt_1016

[Knothead]

Originally Posted by mazdawg(Mikey)

so will this charger work? it looks like it has 3 leads that are 12v each. i assume i would hook them up to a pair of batteries each and it says its 20amp charging split between the 3.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ProMariner-P...ht_1517wt_1016

That charger would work great for 3 marine batteries on a boat.....not for golf cart batteries.....

[mazdawg(Mikey)]

will I be ok buying a 5amp charger for overnight charging or should I shoot for something like 10amps or higher? will slow charging affect the batteries any or only just take longer to charge?

[Knothead]

You need something higher than 10 amp to properly charge golf cart batteries. I'm no "expert"......you need JohnnyB to chime in.......

Originally Posted by mazdawg(Mikey)

will I be ok buying a 5amp charger for overnight charging or should I shoot for something like 10amps or higher? will slow charging affect the batteries any or only just take longer to charge?

please read


http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Batter..._Tutorial.html

http://www.cartsunlimited.net/How_Batteries_Work.html