Dead batteries?

jchal3377 · 08-12-2018, 10:37 AM

I have a 36v cart. All batteries read between 6.2 and 6.4 at full charge. Cart is pretty sluggish and batteries fade quickly. Is it time for new batteries?

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scottyb · 08-12-2018, 10:45 AM

It could be. Old batteries can show descent surface voltage at rest but no longer hold the capacity they once did. These batteries drop unacceptably under load adversely effecting performance and run time.

jchal3377 · 08-12-2018, 11:53 AM

Is doing a voltage drop test on each battery the best way to tell? I'm really disappointed in the carts performance. It has been this way since I got it. It is my first cart, so I'm not sure if I should expect more, or this is just the way a 36v cart performs

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cgtech · 08-12-2018, 07:26 PM

When batteries are fully charged. Clip the meter leads to main B+ & B- and drive it (could also be carefully plugged into charge port). Monitor voltage while flooring it from a stop, cruising at top speed, and climbing a hill. We don't want to see voltage dropping below 31.5v during any test. Full speed cruising voltage above 35v would be good.

jchal3377 · 08-12-2018, 08:02 PM

So I had been messing with the cart for about 10 min before reading that post, but I did the tests. The cart was at full charge when I started to mess with it. 38.2v was full charge, but to settling time.

When I started the tests at a stop they read 37.3 ( like I said I had been messing around for about 10 min. Driving it around). Flooring the pedal it drops to 31.2, cruising is holds around 34.6. (This was a slightly uphill cruise. On a steep hill from a stop it read 29.3.

An important note. After these tests I drove around with my kids for about a 1/2 hour, around the neighborhood up and down some slight hills, and a couple of times up and down the hill I got the 29.3v reading on, and the cart was reading 36.4 at rest, and won't pull me and the cart up the 29.3v hill.

It ran for about an hour from dull charge and now it won't pull the hill....Is this normal? It's not a mountain, it's my backyard haha.

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cgtech · 08-12-2018, 08:50 PM

Well, the 29s are bad.

jchal3377 · 08-13-2018, 04:19 AM

So test each battery, or look at replacing the pack as a whole?

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bronsonj · 08-13-2018, 05:39 AM

If you put a new battery in an old pack the new one will quickly degrade to the level of the old batteries.

If one battery is really having an issue then you may want to get a used battery that is as similar as possible to your existing.

FWIW, 36v is dead on a 36v cart.

jchal3377 · 08-13-2018, 06:21 AM

So full charge is getting to 38.2, which I thought was okay, but they should still run longer than an hour right?

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36racin · 08-13-2018, 10:20 AM

So very glad you are posting this. New to carts also. And having the exact same problems.

Todd

08-12-2018, 10:37 AM	#1
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123	Dead batteries? I have a 36v cart. All batteries read between 6.2 and 6.4 at full charge. Cart is pretty sluggish and batteries fade quickly. Is it time for new batteries? Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123

08-12-2018, 10:45 AM	#2
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,418	Re: Dead batteries? It could be. Old batteries can show descent surface voltage at rest but no longer hold the capacity they once did. These batteries drop unacceptably under load adversely effecting performance and run time.

08-12-2018, 11:53 AM	#3
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123	Re: Dead batteries? Is doing a voltage drop test on each battery the best way to tell? I'm really disappointed in the carts performance. It has been this way since I got it. It is my first cart, so I'm not sure if I should expect more, or this is just the way a 36v cart performs Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123

08-12-2018, 07:26 PM	#4
cgtech Over This Interview Is... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: AZ Posts: 17,449	Re: Dead batteries? When batteries are fully charged. Clip the meter leads to main B+ & B- and drive it (could also be carefully plugged into charge port). Monitor voltage while flooring it from a stop, cruising at top speed, and climbing a hill. We don't want to see voltage dropping below 31.5v during any test. Full speed cruising voltage above 35v would be good.

08-12-2018, 08:02 PM	#5
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123	Re: Dead batteries? So I had been messing with the cart for about 10 min before reading that post, but I did the tests. The cart was at full charge when I started to mess with it. 38.2v was full charge, but to settling time. When I started the tests at a stop they read 37.3 ( like I said I had been messing around for about 10 min. Driving it around). Flooring the pedal it drops to 31.2, cruising is holds around 34.6. (This was a slightly uphill cruise. On a steep hill from a stop it read 29.3. An important note. After these tests I drove around with my kids for about a 1/2 hour, around the neighborhood up and down some slight hills, and a couple of times up and down the hill I got the 29.3v reading on, and the cart was reading 36.4 at rest, and won't pull me and the cart up the 29.3v hill. It ran for about an hour from dull charge and now it won't pull the hill....Is this normal? It's not a mountain, it's my backyard haha. Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123

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08-12-2018, 08:50 PM	#6
cgtech Over This Interview Is... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: AZ Posts: 17,449	Re: Dead batteries? Well, the 29s are bad.

08-13-2018, 04:19 AM	#7
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123	Re: Dead batteries? So test each battery, or look at replacing the pack as a whole? Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123

08-13-2018, 05:39 AM	#8
bronsonj Gone Wild Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 2,089	Re: Dead batteries? If you put a new battery in an old pack the new one will quickly degrade to the level of the old batteries. If one battery is really having an issue then you may want to get a used battery that is as similar as possible to your existing. FWIW, 36v is dead on a 36v cart.

08-13-2018, 06:21 AM	#9
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123	Re: Dead batteries? So full charge is getting to 38.2, which I thought was okay, but they should still run longer than an hour right? Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk
jchal3377 Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 123

08-13-2018, 10:20 AM	#10
36racin Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Gonzales, La Posts: 6	Re: Dead batteries? So very glad you are posting this. New to carts also. And having the exact same problems. Todd

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