Electric Cart Batteries

[Mark1130]

If you use most of the charge of the batteries then charge them for a short time and use the cart before they fully recharge, does that shorten the life of the batteries or the capacity?

[Bogie Shooter]

If you use most of the charge of the batteries then charge them for a short time and use the cart before they fully recharge, does that shorten the life of the batteries or the capacity?

Lead acid batteries do not have a memory.

[rubicon]

I once read on a post where a member recommended that an owner wait 20 minutes after use to charge batteries. there is a caveat. When tempatures fall below 65 degree (F) batteries charged in an unheated garage should be placed on the charger immediately because batteries are at their warmest and cold batteries take longer to fully charge

There seems to be a split opinion on the wear of batteries if you allow them to fully or close to being fully discharge. I recharge after each use. I also spray my plug and receptacle with WD40 to lessen the wear and help ensure good contact and a disconnect once the batteries are fully charged.

If anyone has some good tips I would be glad to hear them

[ajbrown]

If you use most of the charge of the batteries then charge them for a short time and use the cart before they fully recharge, does that shorten the life of the batteries or the capacity?

It is a good question. I have never read a single thing that says you should partially charge a deep cycle golf cart battery. In any battery charging conversation the one giving advice will always say let the charger complete all of the stages and shut off.

IMO if you understand your pack's state of charge (voltage) you can do this in a pinch and I have. I would rather charge the pack partially than to allow the pack to discharge more than 70%.

That said, I have only needed to even consider this a few times in three years. Do you have a specific example you are concerned about?

[ajbrown]

I once read on a post where a member recommended that an owner wait 20 minutes after use to charge batteries. there is a caveat. When tempatures fall below 65 degree (F) batteries charged in an unheated garage should be placed on the charger immediately because batteries are at their warmest and cold batteries take longer to fully charge

There seems to be a split opinion on the wear of batteries if you allow them to fully or close to being fully discharge. I recharge after each use. I also spray my plug and receptacle with WD40 to lessen the wear and help ensure good contact and a disconnect once the batteries are fully charged.

If anyone has some good tips I would be glad to hear them

The 20 minute thing likely comes from a general rule that you should never charge or discharge your batteries if they are hot. In my experience with my carts, I have never found them hot when I arrive home.

I cannot find any split opinion on life of pack versus level of discharge. The more shallow the discharge per cycle the longer the life. Here is just one example: http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Cycles vs Life

There is even a nice graph there, all numbers are guidelines. The one statement about 5% is interesting. This may be why folks say to charge the cart every time you have more than 10 minutes of pedal time.

[Jim Straz]

If you use most of the charge of the batteries then charge them for a short time and use the cart before they fully recharge, does that shorten the life of the batteries or the capacity?
This link is all you need, just pick out any subject in the related links section and you'll have all your questions answered. http://www.trojanbattery.com/Tech-Support/BatteryMaintenance.aspx

[renrod]

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Gelled electrolyte

[cybermuda]

some great links here, but I couldn't see anything explaining why having 8 x 6v batteries in a golf cart is deemed better than having 4 x 12v

what is the logic behind this, assuming it is not just a myth?

The Windsun link states that "All Lead-Acid batteries supply about 2.14 volts per cell" so presumably a 12v battery has six cells whereas a 6v battery has only three.

However, within the battery these cells are connected in series, and in the cart each battery is connected in series, so regardless of the configuration you really just have 24 2v cells linked in one long series.

[ajbrown]

some great links here, but I couldn't see anything explaining why having 8 x 6v batteries in a golf cart is deemed better than having 4 x 12v

what is the logic behind this, assuming it is not just a myth?

The Windsun link states that "All Lead-Acid batteries supply about 2.14 volts per cell" so presumably a 12v battery has six cells whereas a 6v battery has only three.

However, within the battery these cells are connected in series, and in the cart each battery is connected in series, so regardless of the configuration you really just have 24 2v cells linked in one long series.

In battery discussions about range, amp hour rating is king or queen depending on who is boss. The higher the amp hour rating the longer the battery can deliver amps. I will poke around for links, but I do remember posting this which I learned somewhere along the line....

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showpost.php?p=257945&postcount=3

[cybermuda]

Thanks AJ

my 6v batteries are considerably more than half the size and weight of a standard 12v car battery, so I guess each 2v cell packs more punch


now, how about one, huge 48v battery?

there would be no connecting cables, and no-one could steal it while you were shopping at WalMart as they''d need a winch to haul it out

[GolfCart]

I kinda like the big 48 volt idea no loose connections, why not even a 60 volt unit better top speed when using a 48 volt motor.

its not one battery vs the other its the total Ah of the pack, off the top of my head its something like 15% more with the 6 eights, I have 4 twelves in mine and I do not push them anywhere near there limits so this works great for me, now if you are always running low then you either need new batteries or you need to switch to 6 eights figure out how man miles you need to travel and work from there.

[zcaveman]

I have the 4X12 and am not having any problems. The range is further than I usually drive. However, when it comes time to replace them I am thinking about going to the 6X8 package. Does anyone know what the price would be and is it just the battery rack and the batteries or are there changes that need to be made to the electronics n the cart - controller, etc?

[Jim Straz]

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; "

[cybermuda]

One or two of the batteries in the pack have additional connections to them, presumably for things like lights that don't run on 48 volts.

I assume those batteries suffer more strain than the others.

Is it a good idea to rotate them every six months so that, over the life of the pack, each battery takes its turn and they all wear down equally?

[ajbrown]

I have the 4X12 and am not having any problems. The range is further than I usually drive. However, when it comes time to replace them I am thinking about going to the 6X8 package. Does anyone know what the price would be and is it just the battery rack and the batteries or are there changes that need to be made to the electronics n the cart - controller, etc?

Club Car sells a conversion kit which I cannot seem to find on the Internet. If I recall it is a new battery tub AND it includes a new OBC. I am not sure why a new OBC is required, unless it has to do with the increased amp hours and how it affects the charger.

Depending one how your lights are hooked up, you may need adjustment to the harness and a converter and of course new battery pack wires.

If it were me, I would call a Club Car dealer to start my research. I would likely discover that it cost way to much for my blood and look for other alternatives, other shops, DIY, etc, but CC would get me started :D

[zcaveman]

Club Car sells a conversion kit which I cannot seem to find on the Internet. If I recall it is a new battery tub AND it includes a new OBC. I am not sure why a new OBC is required, unless it has to do with the increased amp hours and how it affects the charger.

Depending one how your lights are hooked up, you may need adjustment to the harness and a converter and of course new battery pack wires.

If it were me, I would call a Club Car dealer to start my research. I would likely discover that it cost way to much for my blood and look for other alternatives, other shops, DIY, etc, but CC would get me started :D

Thanks for the info. My cart is an EZGO but I suspect the conversion kit would work. I am not having any problems yet and the batteries are still going strong. I will check the internet for the conversion kit and put out some feelers when I get ready.

When I bought the EZGO in 2008, there was a note at the bottom of the ad that mentioned that they would convert the 4X12 to 6X8 for a price when you bought the cart. The cost did not seem that high - $200 range.