Batteries Sizzling Noise

[crowe211]

I purchase a 2000 txt series 36 volt cart and it seems to have 2015 batteries engraved on them. It looks like the batteries are from Batteries Plus who knew they even made them for golf carts? I had no idea. Anyway I have several questions with regard to different things going on.

1) i have noticed a sizzling noise coming from the batteries both while charging and not on the charger. Is this bad?

2) I installed a new motor on the cart and everything seemed great for short trips around the neighborhood but over the weekend I traveled around 1.5 miles in one direction with cart reaching 22 and about 14 up a steep hill in the middle of this run. The cart ran great but on the way back it started being real slow to speed up after stops and then when I hit hill it almost did not make it up and probably reached the top at about 2 miles an hour if i am lucky. Could this be a battery problem stemming from type of battery (batteries plus for 5 of them and 1 some off brand)? Could this be due to one battery?

3) I put a multimeter to the batteries and the 5 BP batts read 6.42-6.47 and the odd man out battery read 6.3 right after being charged over night. I also measured the acid using a hydrometer and 5 were well above the 1400 and the odd man out was at 1200 but still in what the meter called good. Would this point to the problem?

4) I have a stock controller in the cart as well and Chuck at EMP motors said the motor he built would be fine for this controller. Would going up to an alltrax 450-500 help me out?

I appreciate any advice on this as I have already found lots of help here. Thank You

[harleychief]

Sizzling is not good; I'll assume you've checked the water level since you said you put a hydrometer on them. Do you smell anything when it's plugged in? It sounds like one battery is bringing down the whole pack. Do you have a SOC installed? Also, why do you think they are 2015 batteries? How are they coded?

[crowe211]

Okay so after further inspection and forgive me for not looking more closely but it appears that there are 3 to 4 different types of batteries. I am guessing they were replaced at different times. Does this affect the batteries? Bad one or ones ruining the good ones? What is SOC?

[Volt_Ampere]

The "sizzling" noise is the batteries gassing and this is normal during the end of the charge cycle. Mix and match batteries are not a very good idea. SOC is State of Charge which is the percent of capacity remaining in the batteries during use. It starts at 100% when they are fully charged. A good rule of thumb is to not run them down below 50% and to charge them often.

[crowe211]

Thank you for your help. I am trying to get pricing now on a set of 6 and may go that route along with the new controller.

[harleychief]

Originally Posted by crowe211

Thank you for your help. I am trying to get pricing now on a set of 6 and may go that route along with the new controller.

Not trying to sound like Captain Obvious, but check out this sticky about Battery Comparison, http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...omparison.html. Many of us have bought controllers, cables, etc. from scottyb of Carts Unlimited, http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/ads/c...Odz09&z=20&d=1. I think if you talk to him he'll set you right on what controller will work best for your set up.