Golf Carts

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I'm thinking of buying a new one and would like to hear opinions. I have an older Club Car and I have always liked Club Car. The problem that I see is lack of range. I am told that the realistic range of my 48 volt CC is 12-15 miles. I live in Silver Lake and that is not enough for me to go to Brownwood and back once it is built.
I can't seem to find a lot of information about Columbia Par Car. They have an advertisement that claims they get "up to" 80 miles per charge. A claim like that makes me very skeptical. Many manufacturers take there carts out to a place like the Bonneville Salt Flats and run them dead straight with the pedal to the metal and then make claims about how far they can go. Stopping starting and turing will reduce that number significantly.
I have always had an aversion to gas carts, but that's because I worked at a golf course. I am beginning to wonder if gas makes more sense as a personal transportation vehicle. Electric is less expensive to operate and has fewer moving parts so there is less that can go wrong. Gas needs an annual tune up whereas electric needs the batteries replaced every few years.
So let's here from all of you. I'd like to hear you're good experiences and bad ones.

[rp001]

I have only seen gas carts towing elec carts..I think if you are planning on travelling from Silver Lake all the way to Brownwood, then gas is the only way to go...I got a 2010 Yamaha last yr from Village Golfcarts witha 4 yr warranty,bumper to bumper..The annual maint fee is 75 bucks and they have free pick up and delivery, with one day service in the off season...

[Mikitv]

I've had a gas cart 2010 Yamaha since July 2010 and now have over 5000 miles on it. I use mine so much I prefer the gas for all my traveling in TV.

[jgbama]

I've had a gas cart 2010 Yamaha since July 2010 and now have over 5000 miles on it. I use mine so much I prefer the gas for all my traveling in TV.

We went through the gas vs electric discussion, but now that we will have a place in Rio Grande, I'm leaning back to electric. We looked at Star when we were down last week making the offer on our now, soon to be home, and he quoted 80 miles and charging only every other day. The dealer also said the Star was geared for 21 mph, and has a "low gear" switch for golf course use. Haven't made the final decision yet, but was impressed with the Star.

[Tom Hannon]

Because of the size of TV, gas carts are the only way to go. My wife has a electric club car with new batteries (6) and she can go from Spanish Springs to Colony and back to Buttonwood without the cart showing any signs of battery deadness. Gas of course is better but perhaps change your batteries with your old cart and perhaps you can push 35-40 miles per charge.

[ajbrown]

I'm thinking of buying a new one and would like to hear opinions. I have an older Club Car and I have always liked Club Car. The problem that I see is lack of range. I am told that the realistic range of my 48 volt CC is 12-15 miles. I live in Silver Lake and that is not enough for me to go to Brownwood and back once it is built.
I can't seem to find a lot of information about Columbia Par Car. They have an advertisement that claims they get "up to" 80 miles per charge. A claim like that makes me very skeptical. Many manufacturers take there carts out to a place like the Bonneville Salt Flats and run them dead straight with the pedal to the metal and then make claims about how far they can go. Stopping starting and turing will reduce that number significantly.
I have always had an aversion to gas carts, but that's because I worked at a golf course. I am beginning to wonder if gas makes more sense as a personal transportation vehicle. Electric is less expensive to operate and has fewer moving parts so there is less that can go wrong. Gas needs an annual tune up whereas electric needs the batteries replaced every few years.
So let's here from all of you. I'd like to hear you're good experiences and bad ones.

Get what you want of course, I have expressed what I like in enough threads already, but I at least want to share some information based on my experiences. Everything here is just my opinion, I am no expert.

I assume you were told your cart will only get 12-15 miles due to the condition of the batteries and not as a guideline for electric carts :).

As far as Par Car. They really did this. From what I understand they had an upgraded 6 volt battery, I believe the T125, but the results are real and was done for a good cause. Here is an old post that has some details:
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/348808-post17.html

This 80 mile test took the batteries to DEAD. This is very bad for lifespan of deep cycle batteries. You need to ask any dealer how many miles they can go discharging the pack 50% (would love to hear some of the answers you get :)). My gut feel for Par Car is about 50-60 miles when the pack is fresh.

Range will vary for sure depending on the battery configuration. Simple thought, the more batteries that make up the 48 volt pack the further the range. A pack with 8-6v goes further than a pack with 6-8v which goes further than a pack with 4-12v. One caveat, a cart with an AC motor will have a bit more range than a cart using DC as it is more efficient. I have read numbers about the RXV that they are 30% more efficient. All that means is you cannot compare a Club Car with 4-12 v batteries to a new RXV with the same configuration.

Looks to me like Brownwood will be about a 21 mile round trip for you. This is a pretty close, just a bit further than the distance for me to round trip to Lopez golf course (no golf).

I budget to buy batteries every three years. Will see how that goes.....

I expect a Club Car with a pack of 6-8v batteries to reliably take me more than 30 miles** per charge for at least 3 years. One of my carts has 6-8v batteries that are freshly broken in and the cart just went 45 miles***. This is a new pack, so range is a good as it will get.

I would expect a Club Car with 8-6v batteries to reliably take me 40 miles** for three years. My pack is now two years old and it will still go 45-50 miles*** without discharging too deeply. Here is a pretty picture I shared:
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/479280-post13.html

** - if you expect to drive 35 miles per day (this is ALOT) you are pushing the limit of electric IMO. My examples above are the range I expect to be able to go on a particular day. My daily average is more like 10-15 miles.

*** The mileage examples above discharge the packs 50%. That is a deeply as I like to discharge them. In a pinch you could go further.

Forget the cost of electric versus gas, IMO it is close enough that it should not be the determining factor.

Keep in mind if you go electric, you will get the most of the pack by first understanding a bit about batteries and lifespan, how to maintain, etc. It is not rocket science, but can be intimidating for some :D

Not sure what you have for a Club Car, but if a DS it can be modified to hold 8-6v batteries like mine. Frank7 just gave some information here on the cost to do something like that:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/460963-post5.html

I did my own to learn a bit about carts and it was fun.
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/all-about-golf-carts-things-156/my-experience-converting-cart-6-8-8-6-volt-batteries-38887/


Good luck!

[aljetmet]

Get what you want of course, I have expressed what I like in enough threads already, but I at least want to share some information based on my experiences. Everything here is just my opinion, I am no expert.

I assume you were told your cart will only get 12-15 miles due to the condition of the batteries and not as a guideline for electric carts :).

As far as Par Car. They really did this. From what I understand they had an upgraded 6 volt battery, I believe the T125, but the results are real and was done for a good cause. Here is an old post that has some details:
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/348808-post17.html

This 80 mile test took the batteries to DEAD. This is very bad for lifespan of deep cycle batteries. You need to ask any dealer how many miles they can go discharging the pack 50% (would love to hear some of the answers you get :)). My gut feel for Par Car is about 50-60 miles when the pack is fresh.

Range will vary for sure depending on the battery configuration. Simple thought, the more batteries that make up the 48 volt pack the further the range. A pack with 8-6v goes further than a pack with 6-8v which goes further than a pack with 4-12v. One caveat, a cart with an AC motor will have a bit more range than a cart using DC as it is more efficient. I have read numbers about the RXV that they are 30% more efficient. All that means is you cannot compare a Club Car with 4-12 v batteries to a new RXV with the same configuration.

Looks to me like Brownwood will be about a 21 mile round trip for you. This is a pretty close, just a bit further than the distance for me to round trip to Lopez golf course (no golf).

I budget to buy batteries every three years. Will see how that goes.....

I expect a Club Car with a pack of 6-8v batteries to reliably take me more than 30 miles** per charge for at least 3 years. One of my carts has 6-8v batteries that are freshly broken in and the cart just went 45 miles***. This is a new pack, so range is a good as it will get.

I would expect a Club Car with 8-6v batteries to reliably take me 40 miles** for three years. My pack is now two years old and it will still go 45-50 miles*** without discharging too deeply. Here is a pretty picture I shared:
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/479280-post13.html

** - if you expect to drive 35 miles per day (this is ALOT) you are pushing the limit of electric IMO. My examples above are the range I expect to be able to go on a particular day. My daily average is more like 10-15 miles.

*** The mileage examples above discharge the packs 50%. That is a deeply as I like to discharge them. In a pinch you could go further.

Forget the cost of electric versus gas, IMO it is close enough that it should not be the determining factor.

Keep in mind if you go electric, you will get the most of the pack by first understanding a bit about batteries and lifespan, how to maintain, etc. It is not rocket science, but can be intimidating for some :D

Not sure what you have for a Club Car, but if a DS it can be modified to hold 8-6v batteries like mine. Frank7 just gave some information here on the cost to do something like that:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/460963-post5.html

I did my own to learn a bit about carts and it was fun.
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/all-about-golf-carts-things-156/my-experience-converting-cart-6-8-8-6-volt-batteries-38887/


Good luck!

AJ says he's not an expert but that's his opinion. Just check his posts over the last year on electric carts. He knows his stuff...

Just wanted to mention that Tomberlin has just came out with a new model that has eight 6 volt batteries (way to go for 50- 60 mile range),(although Jimbo may have a solar solution for other battery configs coming soon)
The same model has an AC engine (Carguys is a fan) is great for going up hills, maybe a little longer range and has no parts to be maintained.

Lot's of great info on TOTV.

FYI, Star cart has eight 6 volt battery config.
So living close to 466A playing a round at Nancy Lopez and lunch at SS is pretty darn good.

So, don't be afraid of electric.

We had a bad experience using a gas golf cart on our LSV. Very smelly and noisy...

[jimbo2012]

As far as more power for hills you can look at a new motor for $225, that will up the torque. Add two hours labor. Call it $400 you'll fly uphills.

I read the range is the same with an AC motor???

If converting dc/ac the cost is high about $3,000 I've seen, not sure if that's correct.

How much is a new cart with AC? about $9K
A DC Club Car is $7K

Expensive motor?????

[jimbo2012]

Jimbo may have a solar solution for other battery configs coming soon)


I think you can take the word MAY out of that sentence.

I already have two panels, his & hers.

One build will be 6x8 and the other 4x12.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

As far as the gas vs electric argument goes, I read yesterday that gas carts get about 30 mpg. If that's the case, what's the point in using a golf cart. My 2012 Toyota Matrix gets 30 mpg.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Others here locally contend it's higher than 30 mpg:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/all-about-golf-carts-things-156/gas-golf-cart-question-34466/

Bill :)

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Yes, there seems to be a lot of mis-information out there. when I said that I was told that my cart would only get 12-15 miles per charge it was actually something that I read on the internet somewhere about electric carts in general. I can't find the article, but it said that you should only expect to get 12-15 miles per charge from an electric golf cart.
I have an odometer and I'll have to check it some time. The problem is that we've gotten used to plugging it in every time we return home. I'm also a bit leery of getting stuck five miles from my house.
By the way, what does one do when their golf cart runs out of power somewhere in the Villages? Is there someone we can call to have it towed or charged?

[Bill-n-Brillo]

I believe a number of people keep a tow rope stashed in their cart, just in case!

Contact Village K a r t Aide (352) 4 0 9 - 5 8 5 3. They provide cart towing for an annual fee in TV.

www dot k a r t aide dot com


Bill :)

[jimbo2012]

The problem is that we've gotten used to plugging it in every time we return home. I'm also a bit leery of getting stuck five miles from my house.


It really is easy to avoid getting stuck, in your car you use a fuel gauge in the cart you must have a voltage meter on the dash, that will very accurately tell you how much juice you have left when it approaches a certain voltage across the battery pack you'll know the state of charge. Never get stuck, they cost about $50, digital is easier to read.

[ajbrown]

Yes, there seems to be a lot of mis-information out there. when I said that I was told that my cart would only get 12-15 miles per charge it was actually something that I read on the internet somewhere about electric carts in general. I can't find the article, but it said that you should only expect to get 12-15 miles per charge from an electric golf cart.
I have an odometer and I'll have to check it some time. The problem is that we've gotten used to plugging it in every time we return home. I'm also a bit leery of getting stuck five miles from my house.
By the way, what does one do when their golf cart runs out of power somewhere in the Villages? Is there someone we can call to have it towed or charged?

I do not use a towing service, but have read some threads on TOTV, so others will have better experiences. I have broken down in one of my electric carts. It was due to a hub stripping on my 2000 Par Car. I have never been stranded due to batteries running out (knocking on wood).

To prevent being stranded, you just need to understand the condition of your pack and the state of the pack when out and about. A voltmeter can be used much like a gas gauge. IMO it is worth knowing how many miles your cart goes to discharge the pack to 48.4 volts. Measure the voltage while cart at rest. It will recover about 0.3 volts after 20 minutes; this rested voltage is your state of charge and a decent guideline. At 48.4 you now know how far your cart can go without discharging too deeply (see links below, esp. table in Testing).

Get yourself a voltmeter installed. Here is one that is recommended:

Digital Battery Meters (http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Digital_Battery_Meters.html)

Now when out and about in the cart, you look at the voltmeter and can understand how much fuel you have left.

My cart with NEW 6-8 volt batteries hits 49 volts at 35 miles and will go another 9+ miles before hitting 48.4 volts. This is as good as this pack will ever be.

My cart with 2+ year old 8-6 volt batteries hits 49 volts at 38 miles and will go another 10+ miles. These are aging, but have been some great places :coolsmiley:

Three links I use all of the time:

Trojan Battery Company - Top Level Maintenance Page (http://www.trojanbattery.com/Tech-Support/BatteryMaintenance.aspx)
Trojan Battery Company - Info on discharging (http://www.trojanbattery.com/BatteryMaintenance/Discharging.aspx)
Trojan Battery Company- Testing (See table at bottom for state of charge) (http://www.trojanbattery.com/BatteryMaintenance/Testing.aspx)

Hope that helps.

Alan

PS. AJ says he's not an expert but that's his opinion. Just check his posts over the last year on electric carts. He knows his stuff...


This is very kind, thank you, but I am still not rooting for the Jets this year :laugh:

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Alan, if you're not an "expert", at least you're a "wizard"! :wave:

I certainly respect your level of knowledge on electric carts.

Bill :)

[jimbo2012]

IMO it is worth knowing how many miles your cart goes to discharge the pack to 48.4 volts. Measure the voltage while cart at rest. It will recover about 0.3 volts after 20 minutes; this rested voltage is your state of charge and a decent guideline. At 48.4 you now know how far your cart can go without discharging too deeply.

Spot on....but you can bring the pack to 80% discharge if needed or 47 volts if I read that correctly, not sure how many more miles that would be.

The other fact you bring up is the recovery resting, too many say they go so miles on elec, but it's taken out context often, everyone does stop & go with rests in-between so the milage is higher.

But a safe bet is probably 50 miles do you agree?

[ajbrown]

Spot on....but you can bring the pack to 80% discharge if needed or 47 volts if I read that correctly, not sure how many more miles that would be.

I will not do that to my new pack, but I did recently take my 2+ year old pack of 8 - 6volt batteries to a deeper discharge. In summary Caly and I went 63 miles with an ending voltage of 47.6.

Details in these two posts:

Test Summary (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/475522-post1.html)
Test graphed (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/479280-post13.html)

[jimbo2012]

Trojan says you can safely go to 80% discharge.