Dead In 3 Years

[Randa]

Thanks, grrrr. Yep, I didn't really want to hear that. Probobly time for me to check out the battery forum.

[Randa]

Ok. I have checked out some batterie specks. My current batteries are rated better than the Trojan T-105 batteries. Other than my batteries being labeled as Utility batteries, what is the difference (other than brand and I realize that can mean alot) ?

[SpoiledRotten]

If you charger cuts completely off after charging and you left them plugged that long, it might be that you simply could have unplugged and driven it about 20-30 mins, recharged and been on your way. They might have just discharged after sitting so long and the charger wasn't unplugged and plugged back in to recharge after the long sitting spell. Just a thought.

[JohnnieB]

Setting aside what the application batteries were designed for, they served you well, or at least acceptably for your purposes and expectations, before the cart was stored for the winter.

Apparently, your charger doesn't not initiate a charge cycle when the batteries self-discharge to a predetermined voltage, so they set for three months without being charged, and you've ended up with some sulfated plates.

I'm afraid you have suffered an expensive lesson in proper battery storage techniques, and they will never be as good as they were last summer.
However, you just might recover a little storage capacity if you go through the new battery break-in procedure.

Basically, charge them fully as your charger will charge them, discharge them slightly, dow to about 90% SoC for a half dozen cycles, then down to about 80% for another six or so.
Keep track of the voltages and keep doing fulll charges and light discharges until the voltages (as measured 6 hours or more after charger shuts off automatically) ceases to get any higher.

That is as good as those batteries will get, if they won't run your cart like you want them to, they'll have to be replaced.

Personally, I will not recommend anything anything be added to flooded lead-acid batteries other than distilled water as needed.

[kab69440]

A battery maintainer will provide a minute trickle of current each time the battery voltage drops slightly. When the battery is fully charged again, it shuts off. What I mean is that after the initial recharge, if the charger does not have some sort of maintainer feature, it shuts off and stays off until unplugged and reconnected. I don't like to leave my charger plugged in to the cart any longer than necessary and try to remember to check periodically to see if it has shut off. I charge once per month when it is sitting unused. Monthly seems to be an average of 80-85% remaining charge before recharging.