Charging issues

[Tx911 guy]

I just picked a used 2020 48V Club Car Precedent, it’s stock with the original batteries. I have only had it a couple of days and it’s been on the charger (ERIC) in my garage since it was delivered.

Charger cycled as normal, got the three beeps when charger was plugged in and after cycle was completed the green light was fully illuminated and not flashing when it completed I checked water levels on all batteries As well.

I took it out this afternoon to play a quick 9 and the battery light started flashing after 4 holes.. on the 5th hole the cart started “lunging” as I tried to go up a hill…once I got back on level ground it quit lunging.

Luckily I live just around the corner from where I was and was able to get the cart home.

I would expect the original batteries to have a few more years left in them.

Is there something I should try?

[Volt_Ampere]

Battery voltages? Measure after letting it sit after a full charge. Then measure under load. I agree that 2 year old batteries should still have some life left but it depends a lot on how they were treated before you got the cart.

[Tx911 guy]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

Battery voltages? Measure after letting it sit after a full charge. Then measure under load. I agree that 2 year old batteries should still have some life left but it depends a lot on how they were treated before you got the cart.

How do you measure under load? Do I need to jack it up for that?

Sorry for the newbie questions.

[CP241]

Hook your meter leads to the pack positive and negative terminals. If you don’t have alligator clips you can use a zip tie.

Hold the meter in your hand and drive the cart, ideally pedal to the floor up a hill.

[Fairtax4me]

Time to start reading up on proper battery maintenance and learn what to do and what not to do with the cart. Just because the cart looks fancy and clean on the outside doesn’t mean the previous owner did anything right in regards to proper maintenance.
With proper abuse, 6 months is all it takes to totally ruin a brand new pack. 2 years on the Original batteries is not uncommon. Improper usage, poor maintenance and charging habits, and/or flat out neglect will quickly take a toll on any battery. There are a few things you can check, like proper water levels and individual battery voltage, but honestly I would consider that pack toast.

You get to start fresh, and batteries ain’t cheap. Learn the best charging and usage practices so your new battery pack lasts longer than 2 years. First step will be to decide if you want to stick with lead acid, or make the switch to lithium.

[Tx911 guy]

Is there a way to test the Eric charger to make sure it’s working properly?

[Tx911 guy]

So I measured voltages

Pack-49.98

Under load it dropped to 43.13 and recovered to 47.34

I drove it 3 or 4 blocks then jumped on the golf course and drove 3 holes before the battery light came on solid.

[Fairtax4me]

Really the only way to check any charger is to check the pack voltage before charging, then several times during charging, and then at the end of the charge before the charger turns off. So you need to keep an eye on the charger for the entire cycle and check on the charging voltage every 30-45 minutes until the charger finishes.

Generally when a charger is not working properly it’s because of a fault with the battery pack. So before you start charging check each battery’s individual voltage and write them all down. Then check each battery periodically throughout the charge cycle. Batteries should ideally be within a few hundredths of a volt of each other prior to, during, and after charging. Any battery that is significantly different (a few tenths or more) than the others is usually a problem battery.
Ideally, 8 volt flooded lead acid batteries should not be below 8.0v even when the pack is discharged. Batteries between 7.5 to 8.0v are generally considered to be severely discharged and that causes a much shorter overall useable service life of the pack.
Any batteries that are in the 7.5v or lower range are basically dead and will probably need to be replaced. Any that is below 7.0v is generally unusable, and will never charge properly or allow the cart to go much further than to the end of your driveway and back. There are some exceptions, such as batteries that have been in storage or have been sitting for long periods, but for the most part low voltage causes a permanent loss of capacity that will never come back. That loss of capacity is reflected in the drop in voltage during operation, which is what generally causes the cart to start stuttering or jerking around as the voltag gets too low for the cart to operate properly.

Batteries should be 8.49v or slightly higher when fully charged, after resting for at least 12 hours after the charger has turned off.
During charging you should see a gradual rise in voltage eventually topping out between 10.0 to 10.5v per battery or in some cases slightly higher depending on battery brand, condition, and charger settings. Usually you should expect to see 63-65v total pack voltage about an hour to 30 minutes before the charger turns off.

Also need to check on the water levels in the batteries. Water levels low enough to allow the plates to be exposed, especially if the plates go dry, will cause permanent damage to the plates and they will never recover even after adding water and recharging.