Battery replacement help. 36 volt cart. Replacing all.

[SpeedyVol]

Hello. I have an EZGO TXT cart. I believe it is 97' or 98' model 36 volt. I am buying a new bank of batteries today and I'm a little nervous about the replacement process. I'm saving money by doing it myself and I am generally pretty handy with stuff like this. I do not have a run/tow switch on this cart. What is the process of removing the old batteries and replacing the new ones safely? I want to also clean my battery tray when I get the old ones out. I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I just don't want to damage myself or the cart. Thanks.

[Volt_Ampere]

Take pix first. Remove cables, remove old batteries, clean everything. Replace any cables that are not in perfect shape. Install new batteries in same orientation as originals, replace cables. Don't misconnect anything and don't short anything out.

[SpeedyVol]

Should I start be taking the positive wire that goes from the solenoid to the first battery then take off the last negative wire that goes to the solenoid? I was just wondering if there was a specific order of how the wires come off and how they go back on when the new batteries are installed?

[mgray70]

The order doesn't really matter. Just make sure you label the wires and get them back in the right place and order and you'll be fine.

[Volt_Ampere]

Order really does not matter. It is one big series circuit.

[cgtech]

Also, all battery negative battery terminals point toward the center of the battery tray (as delivered from ezgo).

[JohnnieB]

This drawing may help.

Be careful not to over-tighten the nuts on the battery studs, about 8.75 ft/lb is the max torque. (95 to 105 in/lb is the spec)

Also be sure to fully charge new batteries prior to first use. (Even if battery vendor says the are fully charged, charge them before using them, but okay to move cart a few feet to make sure it works.)

Go to linked page and after reading linked page, go to menu at top left and read everything with the word battery in title.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Batter...n_Methods.html

[Gr8hntr]

I was always told to unhook negative first so the positive didnt spark when unhooked .. that in a car tho but I'd guess the cart would be the same and negative gets hooked up last for same reason. . But I could be wrong in the cart world .. I'm still learning myself

[cgtech]

I have been told "unhook negative first, reconnect negative last", but i dont see how it makes a difference. The amount of energy passed would be the same no matter where its done. I always carefully hold a extra precharge resistor in between the last connection points just before, and as i connect the last terminal to allow the current to "fill" the system more slowly. I never get a loud spark, and if there is a problem, you will know (the resistor in your hand will get uncomfortably hot).

[Volt_Ampere]

It makes sense in a car where the Negative is connected to the frame. The reason is safety. If you touch a wrench from pos to ground, you short the battery to ground so it's safer to remove the negative first. In a cart, the battery should not be grounded to the frame. (again for safety reasons) If you feel better about it, disconnect the negative first but it really doesn't matter.