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Old 01-20-2013, 10:44 PM   #1
slabman
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Default Batteries 100% Discharged

I left my charger on all summer and came back 8 months later to completely dead batteries. Trojan 105's, about 2 years old. Finally got voltage up enough to accept a charge, but now run times are greatly reduced. What can I do to resurrect these batteries, if anything?
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Old 01-21-2013, 08:29 AM   #2
jdunmyer
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

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What can I do to resurrect these batteries, if anything?
Follow the breakin procedure on ScottyB's website. Basically, it's a sequence of discharge a bit, not all the way, then recharge. Do that a dozen or so times, and the batteries may come back to some degree. They will almost certainly not recover to anything like "normal".

Did the charger cook the water out of the batteries? If not, they really should be OK, but if the water was mostly gone, the batteries are probably shot.
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Old 01-21-2013, 11:34 AM   #3
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

Thanks, J...no, they did not go dry....water still over the plates so I was hoping they would come back. Why can't I "equalize" each battery by disconnecting and running 12 v. through each one (8 volt battery) to clean the surfaces of the plates?
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Old 01-21-2013, 12:06 PM   #4
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

You can if you stand by and monitor voltage and temperature.
You will need a 12v charger with a 2-3 amp setting. I would say 30 minutes max.
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Old 01-22-2013, 02:05 PM   #5
UncleJerm76
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

slabman, although I don't have any experience with them, I've heard a lot of really good things about the BatteryMINDer brand of maintainers bringing back dead batteries. They have a built-in desulfator as well and have systems for 36v & 48v banks. It also has the 2.7amp output you'll need as ScottyB already noted. Obviously once your batteries are brought back, you can use it to keep them maintained while your away for long periods.
Here's a link: http://batteryminders.com/store.php?...home&&app=golf

Most chargers do not maintain - only charge and then shut off. This sounds like what happened to you. In any case, let us know what you decide to do and how it turned out!
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Old 01-22-2013, 08:15 PM   #6
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

Slabman,
Are your batteries CLEAN and DRY on the tops? If there's any dirt, it'll trap moisture and form what amounts to a short across the battery top and cause it to discharge rather quickly. I have actually experienced an old 6 volt battery with external cell connectors that would be dead overnight. After washing off the top and drying it, the battery would easily hold a charge for weeks.

If your charger doesn't kick back on when the battery voltage drops, and if the batteries are dirty as described above, this could be your trouble. Batteries that are left in a discharged condition for any length of time are usually ruined.

Like Jeremy, I've heard good things about the Battery Minder and have a 36 volt unit for my own cart. It's hard to say what good it does, but they do make encouraging claims. See: http://batteryminders.com/
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Old 01-23-2013, 09:06 AM   #7
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

Yup, batts ARE Clean and dry ...all over. I've had the Battery maintainer (model OBD-48 ) in place for the past two years.

I did take off the cables and run 2.0 amps of 12v. charge into EACH one for 40 minutes. Final charge in them ranged in the area of 8.48v. But after an hour or so of rest, one dropped to 8.35v, while the others dropped into the 8.45v range. So then I ran 25 amps into the poorest-performing one for another 40 minutes. Then hooked up all batts and put 'em on conventional charge overnight. Now I can't even get the charger to drop to zero amps charging (bottoms out in the 4 amp range) and it won't shut off, yet the charge indicator gage on my dash does show the charge to be full-up.

Not sure what else I might do to try to resurrect them...perhaps hit 'em with some epsom salts?
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Old 01-23-2013, 10:03 AM   #8
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

Slabman,
Sounds like you're doing everything I'd try, with the exception of the Epsom Salts, I'd skip that.

Now that the pack seems to be taking a charge, will it run the cart, and if so, for how long?

If the charger never gets to showing "full", you probably have a bad battery. Get out your trusty DVM and measure the voltages of the individual batteries while the charger has been operating for a while. One of them will show significantly lower voltage. The one that you observed at 8.35 volts while the others were at 8.45 would be the prime suspicious one.

I'd also monitor the pack voltage while driving the cart, just attach the DVM leads to the + and - connections on the ends of the string. If there's a problem, even with a single cell in a single battery, it'll show up as an abnormally low reading. Assuming that all the inter-battery connections are good, no corrosion and no heat.
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Old 01-23-2013, 11:09 AM   #9
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

Thanks, JD...I was just thinking the same thing about checking that low battery. I do have a supplemental "gas" gage on the dash that measures volts, while not showing specific numbers. But if I drive about 1/3 mile it'll drop down a notch or two....something it didn't do before. So I know these babies aren't doing the same job as before.
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Old 01-23-2013, 01:10 PM   #10
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Default Re: Batteries 100% Discharged

Keep repeating the break in procedure! Keep an eye on the electrolyte level and absolutely do not put epsom salts in the batteries! Epsom salts will make a dead cell pass current ( in an emergency ), but will ruin any good cells you put it into!
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