Pds cart with short run time

[JohnnieB]

It takes the same amount of energy to move a cart from point A to point B, regardless of voltage, so to compare apples to apples when comparing battery packs of different voltages or battery packs of the same voltage made up of batteries with different voltages, you need to compare kWh of storage capacity. (kWh = Volts volts X Amp-Hours /1000. I used 2.122VPC times the number of cell in the battery for the voltage and the published AH rating at the 20 Hour rate.)

Here is a comparison of 48V battery packs made up from different makes and models of batteries.

The batteries in Blue are 8V batteries, so there are 6 of them in a 48V battery pack.
The batteries in Black are 6V, so there are 8 of them in a 48V battery pack.

A 48V battery pack made up with six 170AH 8V batteries will have approximately the same run-time as a 36V battery pack made up of eight 225AH 6V batteries. The Yellow highlighted area are 170AH 8V batteries and are used as the comparison basis for the rest since the run-time of a 48V battery pack made of them, more or less equates to the run-time of a standard (36V 225AH) golf cart battery pack.

[Turbo_Pumpkin]

So I just got pricing on some batteries at the local golf cart shop and was looking for opinions on what you would do. The local golf cart shop has the following Trojans:

T105 for $105
T125 for $122
T145 for $150

Obviously I have the bigger is better mentality.... But I'm leaning towards the T125's cause they seem to be the best bang for buck. Is there a compelling reason the T145's are worth my investment. I know they have the 260 AH rating but otherwise will they last longer or in some other way pay me back for my investment?

[JohnnieB]

It depends on how you want to measure pay-back for your investment.

With the prices you listed and based on an average daily discharge of 67.5AH, which is down to 70% Soc for the T-105, and nightly recharging:
a. The T-105 will be the least expensive cost per battery per year.
b. The T-125 will be the least expensive cost per run-time minute per year
C. The T-145 will last the greatest number of years and provide the longest run-time per charge during its usable lifespan.

Granted, Trojan is one of the better brands of golf cart batteries, but if you shop around a bit, you may find batteries with equal or greater Amp-Hours at better prices.

The best bang for the buck is typically the greatest number of Amp-Hours for the least amount of money, no matter what name is printed on the label.