Trying to determine if I need new batteries; 48V

[MrRon]

Hi guys. I am new to the golf cart game. I made the mistake of price shopping rather than really getting picky when looking at golf carts. I was told that the Trojan T1275's were two years old, but after further inspection, there is no way they are only two years old. Either way, the cart is running fine, but I am a bit paranoid about the batteries crapping out on me. I live in a fairly large neighborhood and I would hate for my wife to take the kids to the pool using the cart (part of my justification as to why we "needed" a golf cart) and the batteries crap out on her.

I have a Yamaha YDRE 48V. Trojan T-1275's. Two of the batteries tend to maintain about 12.4-12.5 V if I am lucky. One of the other batteries is 12.2, and the other is 12.3. However, immediately after a charge they will ready close to 13V. After a couple hours of sitting they will drop to the aforementioned voltages. I have tried removing water and adding an Epsom salt mix (this actually made a 12.3V battery read 12.2, and 12.4 battery read 12.3). I bought a slow trickle charger with desulfator but after 24 hours, it still said it did not have a full charge (and I put this on after my cart charger read a full charge). I also bought a desulfator and ran that for about 12 hours with no change in voltage after charging. After a full charge and full "rest" period, my cart will read about 48.8V. No problems running - I haven't timed to see how long I can drive before the cart dies, but I have driven for about 30 minutes without any sign of dying.

My question is does anybody have any tricks up their sleeves I could try so I don't have to shell out 600 bucks for new batteries? I know everybody says Trojan, but are there any cost effective alternatives? Realistically I am going to sell my house in about a year or year and a half when my wife finishes her residency and starts working and I am planning on including the cart with the house. I'm talking about saving a significant amount of money; anything less than a couple hundred bucks then I will just go with the Trojans (found a local place where I can get 4 12v's for around 600). Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

[smallblock450sl]

This not in any way trying to belittle you sir, but the things you have done most likley hurt the batteries more then helped. The ownly true way to test the capacity of deep cycle batteries is with a "download" machine, a volt meter and maybe a specific gravity test meter. If the batteries "do" the job", keep useing them. When time comes to sell, you will take a sale dollar hit for old batteries, a new set will increase the value to a buyer. 600.00 is cheap compared to northern area's. I've alway's used Trojan batteries, but I have been told latley, US batteries are better performers now. Good luck on your car

[Volt_Ampere]

The date code is on the battery terminals so you can find out when they were made. I agree that you should use them as long as they get the job done. Desulfation takes weeks to have any effect IMO. The best treatment is to charge them often and keep them properly watered.

[TopherAndTick]

Ride it. Go on an experimental test run. When it starts to slow, you will know.
Do not run them dead and creep home.. that's bad.

[#MACtion]

Originally Posted by MrRon

Hi guys. I am new to the golf cart game. I made the mistake of price shopping rather than really getting picky when looking at golf carts. I was told that the Trojan T1275's were two years old, but after further inspection, there is no way they are only two years old. Either way, the cart is running fine, but I am a bit paranoid about the batteries crapping out on me. I live in a fairly large neighborhood and I would hate for my wife to take the kids to the pool using the cart (part of my justification as to why we "needed" a golf cart) and the batteries crap out on her.

I have a Yamaha YDRE 48V. Trojan T-1275's. Two of the batteries tend to maintain about 12.4-12.5 V if I am lucky. One of the other batteries is 12.2, and the other is 12.3. However, immediately after a charge they will ready close to 13V. After a couple hours of sitting they will drop to the aforementioned voltages. I have tried removing water and adding an Epsom salt mix (this actually made a 12.3V battery read 12.2, and 12.4 battery read 12.3). I bought a slow trickle charger with desulfator but after 24 hours, it still said it did not have a full charge (and I put this on after my cart charger read a full charge). I also bought a desulfator and ran that for about 12 hours with no change in voltage after charging. After a full charge and full "rest" period, my cart will read about 48.8V. No problems running - I haven't timed to see how long I can drive before the cart dies, but I have driven for about 30 minutes without any sign of dying.

My question is does anybody have any tricks up their sleeves I could try so I don't have to shell out 600 bucks for new batteries? I know everybody says Trojan, but are there any cost effective alternatives? Realistically I am going to sell my house in about a year or year and a half when my wife finishes her residency and starts working and I am planning on including the cart with the house. I'm talking about saving a significant amount of money; anything less than a couple hundred bucks then I will just go with the Trojans (found a local place where I can get 4 12v's for around 600). Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

Just curious, you buy at Lowcountry Golf Carts off of HW-41?

.

[ProsperDad]

Gotta chime in here...desulfation gadgets are harmful! Really, they are sold to mask a bigger problem; undercharging or leaving batteries in a discharged state.

If a battery is undercharged or left in a discharged state, sulfate crystals begin to form and attached themselves the the surface of the plate. As these build up, you lose available capacity from the plates leading to shorter run time. This also leads to the batteries getting hotter during recharge.

These desulfation devices will send a high pulse current through the plate trying to "jolt" the sulfate crystals off the plates. They will do exactly that, however the plate is not a smooth surface (think kitchen sponge when magnified 10k times). As the sulfate crystals come off the plate, they take good active material with them; an irreversible condition.

Trust me, as a director for the manufacturer of your current maroon batteries, you are best to keep the batteries charged and never leave them in a discharged state.

Have to agree with smallblock450sl; discharge testing and gravity readings are the only true way to test a battery's remaining capacity.

As an aside, also building on smallblock450sl's post; I'd be happy to share third party independent lab data, performed to Battery Council International's BCIS-06 deep cycle battery life test that the maroon batteries outperform every other battery available.

[rib33024]

At 12.10 is 50% charged, and time to recharged