Charging Questions

Mirta

New Member
I have an EZGO electric golf cart that we use at our cottage only during the summer months and have questions about charging the batteries. I am female and have asked several guys their opinion and no one seems to know, so I wanted to come to a reliable source.

The cart will often sit unused for a few weeks at a time. During the winter months, it is in storage inside and it is charged once a month to keep the batteries charged. This year, I am finding that when I connect the charger, the gauge will register on high on the charger initially, but then it drops down to low (the charger will stay on and not turn off automatically at this point). The majority of the time the batteries are charging, the charger will be in the lower position. The guy I bought it from last year told me the batteries were a year old (I trust him). He told me to leave it plugged in overnight if I use the cart during the day. I have since read that if you use your cart more than 1/2 hour, you should charge it until the charger turns off. Also, this past winter, the charge was drained completely from the batteries so the charger wouldn't recognize a minimum charge so we charged each battery individually until they reached the point where the charger would register and initiate a charge.

Now the batteries don't seem to hold a charge as long as they used to. Do the batteries have a memory like the old batteries used to where you have only half life on them if they are charged at the wrong time? Can you actaully overcharge batteries? Also, If were to use an extension cord on the charger would that effect the overall charge? I haven't done this yet, but would like to so my Mom can simply plug in the extension cord outside rather than hauling the charger to the outlet.

I don't have my charger model or my cart model because I am away from the cottage now, but wanted to ask this question in general terms to start. It is driving me nuts! :wallbash:

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer. :)
 

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
Welcome to the forum.

Have you checked to make sure if the batteries need water? Are all the battery cable connections clean and tight? It's also possible you have a problem with one or more batteries. If you can take a voltage reading of each battery with a digital volt meter and post the results we can probably tell if you have a issue with batteries.
 

Mirta

New Member
I will do and will post more info as soon as I get it. Heading back to the cottage on Friday.

Thank you so much for your interest and help! :hattip:
 

Jimmy D.

New Member
I would maybe consider looking into something like a Battery Minder float charger desulfator combination. From what I understand they come on after your normal charger brings your batteries up to snuff and supply sort of a pulse or trickle charge. And are actually meant for situations like yours where the carts set for long periods of time unused I think they are about $150 or 160 for a 36 volt system or golf cart.

Or I think they also have just a pulse charger that is a little cheaper but I think the first option is or better suits your needs.

I have used combinations of chemical cad sulfate or Epsom salt treatments and pulse chargers to bring back several carts from the dead. These batteries are way past any kind of warranty I am guessing 10 years or better. Along with adding 4 gauge cables and a mineral oil based demisting type agent. Hard to believe how clean my cables are and or stay with little or no corrosion or effort. Compared to what I am used to seeing and cleaning and maintaining them. It is like night and day difference. Plus my water usage is way down as well usually every 2-4 weeks now it is like every 2-3 months. Sorry but I have a lot of carts to keep an eye on.

Jimmy D.
 
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