48V precedent bucks and dies

[Hunterj5]

Hello,

New to the forum. I have a 2013 Precedent 48v with 2 year old batteries. I can't seem to find a thread where someone has had this exact problem. After leaving my cart on the charger over night, it will run fine for maybe half a mile, but then it will start to buck. If I let off of the accelerator, it will stop jerking for a bit farther, and then it will buck some more and die. If I try to go uphill it will slow to a crawl. If I let it sit for a little while, I can basically repeat the whole process, so I don't think it is the batteries, although the battery light does come on randomly. Any help?

Edit: Sometimes I also have to fiddle with the F/N/R switch before it will go forward. It had this issue long before the bucking started. I don't know if they are related.

[WalterM6]

Get your volt meter out and measure all of the battery voltages. Individually and the entire pack. It sure sounds like batteries to me. We'll see when we get your readings. Post a picture of your battery pack it you can.

[Hunterj5]

I will go home and do that at lunch. By battery pack, do you mean just a picture of the battery array? Also, pardon my ignorance, but using a standard voltmeter, how do I set it to accurately measure output, and how do I measure the output of the pack as a whole vs individual batteries? Thank you.

[WalterM6]

Set the meter to DC volts 20 volt scale. Measure between the two battery posts on each battery. For the pack voltage measure between the first and last battery on the connections that go into the cart. Make sure the pictures shows the wiring. Also check the water in the batteries, it should be above the plates.

[Hunterj5]

Ok I measured the voltage on all the batteries. 4 measured around 8.8, the vertical battery on the right at 6.6, and the far upper left one at 2.5. So clearly I do have an issue with the batteries. I assume they should all measure around 8? I tried to measure the voltage from the two battery terminals going into the cart, but it read 1. I assume that is not right. None of the batteries appeared to have water visible when I popped the caps off.

[WalterM6]

First I would go down to the grocery store and get some distilled water and fill the batteries not to the top but cover the plates by 1/4". Then try charging them but I don't think they got a chance of recovering until you replace the two bad ones. BTW if the charger doesn't turn on try charging them individually with a automobile charger. Don't leave them unattended for very long. If they get above 7 volts try again with the cart charger. Let us know how it goes.

[WalterM6]

To measure the pack voltage measure between the two terminals I have circled in white. I forgot to mention earlier that you would have to switch the meter to the next higher range which is 200 volts on my meter but it may be different on yours to measure the pack voltage.

[Hunterj5]

Thanks! I'll try that and report back.