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I have a 48 volt system, 6 - 8 volt batteries. If one battery is weak, will it pull down the performance of the system when the batteries are around at half charge?
Batteries One Battery Bad?
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HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
Welcome to the Forum
One weak battery will effect the performance no matter what the state of charge is on the other five batteries.
One weak battery will effect the performance no matter what the state of charge is on the other five batteries.
One dead battery will not stop a cart unless it is open internally (rare). You could put it in backwards and the cart will still run.
(may not have a back up buzzer)
The proper thing to do is have the batteries charged then do a time / voltage discharge test.
At the end of the test the batteries will be discharged. Take a v meter and find the battery with the lowest voltage. (do it quickly)
A battery load/ minute tester will cost about 350.00
If you try to use an automotive battery load tester you will grill a turkey before the battery will show any drain.
You could take it to a local golf cart shop. They should have the proper tester ( if not, do not let them touch your cart)
One thing to note here, They should be able to tell you how many minutes it took to discharge
your batteries and most important witch batteries were the weakest.
You don`t always need to replace all of the batteries. You can just replace the worst ones as you can afford them.
They will try to sell you a complete set of new batteries weather you need one or six. Mostly because the guy doing the test has no idea how to use the tester or his meter.
Stay with the 6, 8 volt batteries. These will outperform the 4, 12 volt batteries.
They are cheaper for a reason!
(may not have a back up buzzer)
The proper thing to do is have the batteries charged then do a time / voltage discharge test.
At the end of the test the batteries will be discharged. Take a v meter and find the battery with the lowest voltage. (do it quickly)
A battery load/ minute tester will cost about 350.00
If you try to use an automotive battery load tester you will grill a turkey before the battery will show any drain.
You could take it to a local golf cart shop. They should have the proper tester ( if not, do not let them touch your cart)
One thing to note here, They should be able to tell you how many minutes it took to discharge
your batteries and most important witch batteries were the weakest.
You don`t always need to replace all of the batteries. You can just replace the worst ones as you can afford them.
They will try to sell you a complete set of new batteries weather you need one or six. Mostly because the guy doing the test has no idea how to use the tester or his meter.
Stay with the 6, 8 volt batteries. These will outperform the 4, 12 volt batteries.
They are cheaper for a reason!
GarageBuilt
Well-Known Member
I run a 250-volt golf cart.... Most of the guys that I know would consider a 12 volt battery dead at 12 -volts... I'm pretty dang sure that I WOULDNT stick a dead battery in my pack backwards.....
#2 you stated {The proper thing to do is have the batteries charged then do a time / voltage discharge test.At the end of the test the batteries will be discharged. Take a v meter and find the battery with the lowest voltage. (do it quickly)
This is not the proper way to test or check out a battery..... A simple load test by someone that knows what he or she is doing with the proper tester per type of battery can tell you the state or conditions of your batteries....
#3 you stated {The proper thing to do is have the batteries charged then do a time / voltage discharge test.At the end of the test the batteries will be discharged. Take a v meter and find the battery with the lowest voltage. (do it quickly)
Oh I forgot to say Bull chit !!!!! Batteries become unbalanced in a pack of golf cart batteries....You cant just charge them up & do your little test... If you start out with an unbalance battery pack sure the weakest battery will show the lowest voltage... That doesn't mean it is the weakest battery... That's why you have a load test done on each battery separately....
#4 you stated { One thing to note here, They should be able to tell you how many minutes it took to discharge your batteries and most important witch batteries were the weakest.
Discharging batteries is not something that should be done as a battery pack... Discharging batteries should be done per battery.... Plus Discharging a battery has nothing to do with the load a battery can with stand.....
#5 you stated {You don`t always need to replace all of the batteries. You can just replace the worst ones as you can afford them.
Wrong !!!! In a pack of batteries your new battery will become only as good as your weakest battery....If your pack is 3-4-5 years old... You should try to find a used battery with the same capacity as the rest of your pack Or replace the back although....
#2 you stated {The proper thing to do is have the batteries charged then do a time / voltage discharge test.At the end of the test the batteries will be discharged. Take a v meter and find the battery with the lowest voltage. (do it quickly)
This is not the proper way to test or check out a battery..... A simple load test by someone that knows what he or she is doing with the proper tester per type of battery can tell you the state or conditions of your batteries....
#3 you stated {The proper thing to do is have the batteries charged then do a time / voltage discharge test.At the end of the test the batteries will be discharged. Take a v meter and find the battery with the lowest voltage. (do it quickly)
Oh I forgot to say Bull chit !!!!! Batteries become unbalanced in a pack of golf cart batteries....You cant just charge them up & do your little test... If you start out with an unbalance battery pack sure the weakest battery will show the lowest voltage... That doesn't mean it is the weakest battery... That's why you have a load test done on each battery separately....
#4 you stated { One thing to note here, They should be able to tell you how many minutes it took to discharge your batteries and most important witch batteries were the weakest.
Discharging batteries is not something that should be done as a battery pack... Discharging batteries should be done per battery.... Plus Discharging a battery has nothing to do with the load a battery can with stand.....
#5 you stated {You don`t always need to replace all of the batteries. You can just replace the worst ones as you can afford them.
Wrong !!!! In a pack of batteries your new battery will become only as good as your weakest battery....If your pack is 3-4-5 years old... You should try to find a used battery with the same capacity as the rest of your pack Or replace the back although....
oddpowers
Cartaholic
I'm gonna have to agree with GB on this. A discarge tester is used more for determining run time of the pack as a whole. To find trouble batteries, a simple load test with a voltmeter will do it. Each battery will need done sep.
You shoulnd ever replace a bad battery within an old pack. find another used one or replace the whole pack.
You shoulnd ever replace a bad battery within an old pack. find another used one or replace the whole pack.
Changing one battery is a budget thing more than anything and batteries do fail by themselves so changing 6 batteries would be really dumb if only one is bad.
In a fleet of carts I would put all new batteries in a cart and put the used with the used keeping the new with the new and the old with the old. (balance)
When you have one cart and a budget things are a bit different.
keeping the internal battery resistance the same or balanced is a good thing.
If the batteries are 5 years old and have sulfated you guys are correct.
The tests I am talking about are mandated for warranty.
I have done these tests on thousands of carts for fleets. I have seen the before and after results of these tests and They work.
Golf cart batteries are not built or tested for cranking amps. I have a 1000 amp carbon tester. That is not how to test golf cart batteries.
I am not new to any of this and If I say something on this forum it is because I have done it.
I have worked and been trained by the companies that make the golf carts and also the companies that make the batteries.
I did not come here to brag.
I came here to help.
I didn`t come here to be talked down to or argue.
In a fleet of carts I would put all new batteries in a cart and put the used with the used keeping the new with the new and the old with the old. (balance)
When you have one cart and a budget things are a bit different.
keeping the internal battery resistance the same or balanced is a good thing.
If the batteries are 5 years old and have sulfated you guys are correct.
The tests I am talking about are mandated for warranty.
I have done these tests on thousands of carts for fleets. I have seen the before and after results of these tests and They work.
Golf cart batteries are not built or tested for cranking amps. I have a 1000 amp carbon tester. That is not how to test golf cart batteries.
I am not new to any of this and If I say something on this forum it is because I have done it.
I have worked and been trained by the companies that make the golf carts and also the companies that make the batteries.
I did not come here to brag.
I came here to help.
I didn`t come here to be talked down to or argue.