Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Electric Cart Batteries
View Single Post
 
Old 08-25-2011, 07:01 AM
Jim Straz's Avatar
Jim Straz Jim Straz is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Tamarind Grove Jan 12
Posts: 217
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I think you should rethink that 8 volt idea, but no offense it's just the facts that are out there, not me saying it.

"DISadvantages of the 8 volt golf cart battery for your EV



Shorter life. Amp hours are heavy, and deep-cyclable electrode plates are heavy; since the amp hours in these 8 volt batteries are reasonably comparable to their 6 volt counterparts (although see next item on the list!), this can only mean that the electrode plates are somewhat less sturdy...which means you can't charge and discharge them as many times as their six volt cousins before they refuse to recharge again. This is the cycle life of a battery, and in general, the cycle life of an 8 volt golf cart battery is shorter than that of a 6 volt golf cart battery.
Range is shorter. Lead is fuel, and it's heavy. Less weight means less lead...and less lead means less miles. Additionally, and for reasons only the physics-minded among us can fully appreciate (that's not me!), the 8 volt batteries can be drained faster by a lead FOOT than the 6 volt variety, leaving you with fewer miles than you might like.
Are you wondering about 12 volt batteries, then, why they weren't mentioned in this discussion? It's because the "Lead Foot Factor" I just mentioned becomes a REAL issue with 12 volt batteries. These are usually reserved for either AC drive systems, which use batteries more conservatively, or EV racers who are simply looking to pour as many amps into their electric motors for the quarter-mile as quickly as possible. They don't care if the range is stunted by the drivers lead foot, just as long as they win; "