Charging Rate T-105 batteries

barcoman · 04-06-2008, 02:26 PM

Hello all,
I believe I may have made a mistake. I used a commercial forklift charger to charge my 36v pack of trojan T-105 batteries. It started out charing at rate of ~120A for about 1/2 hour. Then it would lower down to complete the charge. The batteries would make a bubbling noise. We only charged the pack like this once or twice then we looked up online to see that most golf cart chargers run at ~20A. Have we ruined the pack? We now have a proper charger but the pack does not have as much life compared to before we hooked it up to the forklift charger.

roady89 · 04-06-2008, 02:55 PM

120 AMPS!!!! Yes you more than likely hurt the Trojan golf cart T-105 batteries. Golf cart batteries can't handle that of charge rate.

barcoman · 04-06-2008, 05:07 PM

Yes 120Amps for about 30min then it would drop to 100,80.... it was a large 440v converted to 220v industrial fork lift charger. We had no idea what we were doing at the time. We assumed all commercial lead acid batteries could handle it.

How can we determine if that batteries are damaged? Can they be rebuilt,repaired,change the fluid...

Any help would be great.

roady89 · 04-06-2008, 05:43 PM

You can't rebuild them. You can't change the electrolyte either. It's not chemical damage it's physical damage to the plates. You can get a load tester and check them.

barcoman · 04-06-2008, 07:36 PM

I can borrow a load tester from a friend. Can you give me the specs to look for?

roady89 · 04-06-2008, 08:07 PM

They should hold a steady rate for a few seconds and when you let off the battery should come up after several minutes. I would like to add it could possibly be one battery instead of them all. You may find one thats far off from the others and it could be the problem.

barcoman · 04-06-2008, 08:12 PM

OK they used to bounce back very quickly when we first tested them. I will have to get the load tester again. How many Amps should I load the batteries with?

How much current can you safely run continuously with these batteries?

Nate · 04-13-2008, 02:00 AM

Load testing will not show capacity it simply shows a bad battery with no capacity.

Did your batteries get hot on the forklift charger? If not they are probably OK.

scottyb · 04-13-2008, 11:34 AM

How about a hydrometer? Would that tell the true condition?

Nate · 04-14-2008, 01:38 AM

A hydrometer will show you state of charge. If you charge till the battery feels warm and the hydrometer showed 3/4 charge you could estimate you are down in capacity by 25%. Charging till the battery felt warm would indicate the battery was not accepting any more current and is as fully charged as it is going to get. Measure heat on the battery posts.

How to measure capacity:
Get a multiple of 12 volts (One 12V or two 6V in series sorry 8V guys)
Charge 12V battery(s) with automatic automotive charger, if you use a manual charger note the voltage just before you disconnect the charger.
Hook a DC to AC power inverter to your 12V source and plug in one or two 250W halogen shop lights.
Time how long it takes for the fully charged battery to run down to where the inverter howls at you then stop the test.

If you can't measure the actual amp load you will have to calculate and this is close enough for all practical purposes. Be sure to charge your batteries up again, don't leave them discharged. Charge till the automatic charger shuts off or back to the same voltage on your manual charger. For better accuracy repeat test and average your numbers.

250W is 20.8 amps on the DC side not including inverter losses but 20 amps is probably close enough. 40 amps for those who use two 250W halogens that is closer to actual golf cart amp draw. If all batteries ran 40 amps for 2.5 hours you know you are good for 2 hours of pedal time.

04-06-2008, 02:26 PM	#1
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Charging Rate T-105 batteries Hello all, I believe I may have made a mistake. I used a commercial forklift charger to charge my 36v pack of trojan T-105 batteries. It started out charing at rate of ~120A for about 1/2 hour. Then it would lower down to complete the charge. The batteries would make a bubbling noise. We only charged the pack like this once or twice then we looked up online to see that most golf cart chargers run at ~20A. Have we ruined the pack? We now have a proper charger but the pack does not have as much life compared to before we hooked it up to the forklift charger.
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4

04-06-2008, 02:55 PM	#2
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Charing Rate T-105 120 AMPS!!!! Yes you more than likely hurt the Trojan golf cart T-105 batteries. Golf cart batteries can't handle that of charge rate.
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

04-06-2008, 05:07 PM	#3
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries Yes 120Amps for about 30min then it would drop to 100,80.... it was a large 440v converted to 220v industrial fork lift charger. We had no idea what we were doing at the time. We assumed all commercial lead acid batteries could handle it. How can we determine if that batteries are damaged? Can they be rebuilt,repaired,change the fluid... Any help would be great.
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4

04-06-2008, 05:43 PM	#4
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries You can't rebuild them. You can't change the electrolyte either. It's not chemical damage it's physical damage to the plates. You can get a load tester and check them.
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

04-06-2008, 07:36 PM	#5
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries I can borrow a load tester from a friend. Can you give me the specs to look for?
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4

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04-06-2008, 08:07 PM	#6
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries They should hold a steady rate for a few seconds and when you let off the battery should come up after several minutes. I would like to add it could possibly be one battery instead of them all. You may find one thats far off from the others and it could be the problem.
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

04-06-2008, 08:12 PM	#7
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries OK they used to bounce back very quickly when we first tested them. I will have to get the load tester again. How many Amps should I load the batteries with? How much current can you safely run continuously with these batteries?
barcoman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4

04-13-2008, 02:00 AM	#8
Nate Gone Wild Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 679	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries Load testing will not show capacity it simply shows a bad battery with no capacity. Did your batteries get hot on the forklift charger? If not they are probably OK.
Nate Gone Wild Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 679

04-13-2008, 11:34 AM	#9
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,417	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries How about a hydrometer? Would that tell the true condition?

04-14-2008, 01:38 AM	#10
Nate Gone Wild Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 679	Re: Charging Rate T-105 batteries A hydrometer will show you state of charge. If you charge till the battery feels warm and the hydrometer showed 3/4 charge you could estimate you are down in capacity by 25%. Charging till the battery felt warm would indicate the battery was not accepting any more current and is as fully charged as it is going to get. Measure heat on the battery posts. How to measure capacity: Get a multiple of 12 volts (One 12V or two 6V in series sorry 8V guys) Charge 12V battery(s) with automatic automotive charger, if you use a manual charger note the voltage just before you disconnect the charger. Hook a DC to AC power inverter to your 12V source and plug in one or two 250W halogen shop lights. Time how long it takes for the fully charged battery to run down to where the inverter howls at you then stop the test. If you can't measure the actual amp load you will have to calculate and this is close enough for all practical purposes. Be sure to charge your batteries up again, don't leave them discharged. Charge till the automatic charger shuts off or back to the same voltage on your manual charger. For better accuracy repeat test and average your numbers. 250W is 20.8 amps on the DC side not including inverter losses but 20 amps is probably close enough. 40 amps for those who use two 250W halogens that is closer to actual golf cart amp draw. If all batteries ran 40 amps for 2.5 hours you know you are good for 2 hours of pedal time.
Nate Gone Wild Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 679

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