Batteries bubbling and volt meter past the red zone...

[donb9006]

I've got an older '97 Club Car with a new set of batteries. When it charges, I've recently noticed that the meter on the cart goes all the way to the right, past the red, and the batteries are bubbling away and warm.

Is this part of the normal charging process? Everything seems normal, when I plug it in, it does the self test thing where it goes on, then off, then back on again and begins to charge at high amps. When I come out later, I sometimes notice the pegged meter and the bubbling batteries. Then it eventually shuts off and the meter shows a normal full charge.

Is there a problem? I just spent $650 on new batteries and I don't want to fry them.

Thank you!

[Frank7]

New batteries will take a hard charge for more the 10 charges and discharge cycles until the batteries settle in. What I would like you to do is check with a volt meter from the 48 volt positive to the chassis and see if you have a potential in volts. If you do you a have the task of clearing the short. The high amp charging could be caused by these conditions and should not left unchecked. Please feel free to call for further advise.

[donb9006]

These batteries are a month maybe two old, they've been used and charged every day. They've got 50 or so cycles. There is no short, I get 0 volts from the last battery terminal to the frame.

To be clear...I don't get a "high amp". The charger shows around 15 amps and it slowly falls, down to 10 amps in 1/2 hour, then down to around one amp where it's usually at when the VOLT meter on the cart reads past the red...pretty much pegged. At that time, the bubbling of the electrolyte is clearly audible. After an hour or so of charging, the charger shuts off and the volt meter reads in the normal white range before the red. Is this part of THIS chargers, charging process?

I've read some on battery charging/maintenance since buying there batteries. Some chargers will overcharge a battery to ensure the acid is thoroughly mixed...equalization I believe it's called. I also read that some chargers don't allow the charging voltage to drop as the battery charges. I couldn't find anything specific about this charger and it's why I asked the question...

Is it normal for the cart voltmeter to spike during charging AND is it normal for the batteries to bubble profusely...with the battery charger outputting low amps...around 1.

You read about overcharging decreasing battery life, boiling being bad for batteries while charging. I'm asking how do you tell...if it's normal or abnormal?

[Frank7]

No it is not normal to have the audible bubbling effect during a normal charge of healthy batteries.
The term boiling does not apply even with the warmer temp, it just sounds like boiling.
You have reached the brake in cycle period with that amount of charges you have completed.
What brand of batteries did you buy and what is the amp hour rating on the label.