Battery caps leak

TomBuggy

Member
I just bought a 1999 Club Car 48v cart, and the speed caps on each battery leak. They seem OK to me, but I still find little puddles on top of the batteries. Am I doing something wrong, are they worn out, or is this just normal behavior? Any recommendations appreciated. My previous carts were gas powered, so I'm new to these big battery banks.
 

TomBuggy

Member
The cart and the cowdog:

clubcar.jpg
 

dougmcp

New Member
The batteries maybe overfilled and are boiling out during the charge cycle.
Batteries should not be filled before charging unless the plates are exposed. If they are add just enough to cover the plates then charge.
The level in the batteries should not be more than about 1/4" above the plates.
 

TomBuggy

Member
The water level looks about right, and if I dry the batteries before charging they stay dry.

The leakage occurs when I am using the cart. The terrain is generally uneven, so there's always some bouncing, but it doesn't bounce as much as my boat, and those batteries don't leak.

Related: the frame brackets that hold the batteries get fuzzy white corrosion on them from the battery acid. I have been squirting it off, and someone recommended Baking Soda to neutralize the acid. Other than stopping the batteries from leaking, any recommendations on proper care in this area?
 

shadowman

New Member
You only need fill the batts 1/8 inch over lead plates if they are fuller than that get a turkey baster and try taking some out and see if problem goes away.
 

TomBuggy

Member
The electrolyte levels seem about right, just above the plates but plenty of room on top.

Do all batteries in carts leak a little when in bumpy terrain? Are there gel cells or lithium ion batteries for carts yet?

Cleaning up the mess is getting old, and I'm worried about the effects of battery acid corrosion on metal and electrical parts.
 

dougmcp

New Member
The caps on batteries don't seal completely, they still have a vent to allow them to equalize pressure from using or charging.
In rough terrain it's possible to get little amounts of electrolyte escaping and even sometimes during the charge cycle, the older your batteries get, the worse it becomes.
There are AGM batteries and you can even get Li batteries.
AGM's are about double the cost of flooded lead acid batteries.
Li batteries would require a different charger and are way out of line ($2500+), cost wise for a golf cart application.
 

TomBuggy

Member
I got tired of rinsing the battery acid corrosion away and started to have issues with the batteries, so yesterday I went down to Cart City in Port Charlotte, FL and bought a new set of Trojan T-875 8 volt batteries and new cables to go with them. They gave me a really good price and even detailed my cart and shined the tires!

I just bounced up and down my driveway faster than ever before and no liquid appeared on top of the batteries. I'm a happy buggy guy! :D
 
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