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how to test a 36v golf cart battery pack

by Sandra Koss Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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The best way to get a REAL feeling for how the batteries are doing when trying to run the cart, is to use the cart as the load tester. Simply put a meter from B- to B+ and drive the cart while observing the meter. B- means the lowest point of voltage potential in the battery pack and B+ means the highest.

Part of a video titled How to Test Golf Cart Batteries - Troubleshooting ... - YouTube
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Full Answer

How to test golf cart batteries?

How To Test Golf Cart Batteries With Load Testing. A load tester will give you more insight as to the health of your battery. By putting a dummy load on the battery, you can see how the battery performs when actually being used. The load tester hooks to the terminals of the battery and displays the voltage.

How many batteries in a 36 volt golf cart?

(This is for those people thinking they can save a few bucks by putting 3x 12 volt batteries in a 36 volt golf cart that usually uses 6x 6 volt batteries.) Wear eye protection when working around batteries.

What should the voltage be on a golf cart battery charger?

Your golf cart’s battery charger should read about 12.72 volts when fully charged. A good sign of battery functionality is how much voltage it has. To test this out, take your multimeter and connect one end to the positive terminal on your battery while you connect the other side to the ground.

How much should you discharge a golf cart battery?

Use your golf cart and batteries often…avoid long periods of storage. 50% (or less) discharges are recommended. 80% discharge is the maximum safe discharge. Do not fully discharge lead-acid batteries (80% or more). This will damage (or kill) the battery.

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How do you test a 36 volt golf cart with a multimeter?

1:244:08Golf Cart Power Testing | ASK DAVE | Golf Cart Garage - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPositive and the black lead to the negative terminal on the last battery. Or test each batteryMorePositive and the black lead to the negative terminal on the last battery. Or test each battery individually. This will give us surface charge readings meaning the charge the batteries.

How do I know if my golf cart batteries are bad?

1:404:17Testing Golf Cart Batteries with a multimeter - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere's one coming off the golf cart missed a positive I've seen the okay it's a red wire. So that'sMoreHere's one coming off the golf cart missed a positive I've seen the okay it's a red wire. So that's that's a good indication that it is the positive side the other big wire is coming off of this

How do you test a 36 volt battery charger with a multimeter?

Running a test on your battery charger is an easy process.Plug in your charger to an electrical outlet. ... Turn on your voltmeter unit. ... Take a battery or battery pack that's compatible to your battery charger. ... Check the readout on the voltmeter and see where the pointer is indicating to.More items...

What voltage should a 36 volt golf cart battery read?

For example: a 36v battery pack will read 38.2v fully charged.

How do you know if you need new golf cart batteries?

4 Signs You Need to Replace Your Golf Cart Batteries It takes twice as long to charge your batteries as it did when you first had them installed. ... Your Golf Cart loses power very quickly. ... Your Golf Cart does not accelerate as fast as it used to. ... The batteries are leaking acid and are beginning to bulge.

How do you tell if a battery is good or not?

A fresh battery will plop down without bouncing. It may roll over onto its side, but won't bounce back up. An older battery will bounce up several times before falling over. Use the battery's behavior to tell if this is a fresh or old battery.

How do you trick a golf cart charger to charge a dead battery?

1:233:46Reviving Dead 6v & 8v Golf Cart Batteries FAQ - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what I'm going to do is I'm going to hook my positive to the battery one positive. And since thisMoreSo what I'm going to do is I'm going to hook my positive to the battery one positive. And since this is this negative we make this battery six volt I jump to the corresponding.

How many volts should a 36 volt charger put out?

The target voltage for a 36 volt charger for AGM or some flooded batteries is 2.4 to 2.45 volts per cell, which is 43.2 to 44.1 volts.

What should a golf cart battery charger read?

The ammeter on a 36-volt charger should show at least 15+ amps when the charger is plugged into the golf car, even if the batteries have not been used for a short while. A 15+ amp reading shows that the charger is actually charging, not just humming (humming is NOT an indication that the charger actually works).

How many amps does a 36V golf cart draw?

On average, electric golf motors operate at 36 or 48 volts and draw between 50-70 amps of current while cruising at about 15 miles per hour. Keep in mind that the current draw during acceleration or while going up a hill is much higher.

Can I charge a 36V battery with a 42V charger?

For example, for a 36V 9 Ah lithium ion battery, it is recommend to choose a 42V charger with maximum output current 3 Amps or less. Using smaller charging current to charge a lithium ion battery will take longer charging time, but it will be better for battery.

What is the average life of golf cart batteries?

That all being said, properly maintained battery packs in fleet carts tend to last about 4-6 years while private owners tend to get about 6-10 years out of their battery packs. Other major factors include the type of options on the cart that may increase the draw from the battery pack.

Will a golf cart work with one bad battery?

Let's discuss in detail. When it comes to changing the golf cart batteries, technically, you can change just one at a time. However, this is not advisable as it can cause permanent damage to each battery. When a battery has gone bad, you should change all of the batteries.

How do you reset golf cart batteries?

How to Repair Golf Cart Batteries: A Simple GuideOpen the Battery Compartment. ... Clean Corrosion Off the Battery. ... Wash the Paintbrush and Dip Into Water. ... Inspect the Battery. ... Remove Plastic Caps. ... Charge the Battery. ... Check the Charge. ... Drain the Battery Acid.More items...

How often should golf cart batteries be replaced?

Properly maintained golf cart batteries will last on average about 6-10 years for private owners. For properly maintained fleet golf cart batteries that get used for 2-3 rounds of golf everyday, you can expect them to last 4-6 years. Fleet golf carts are generally used for golf courses or in maintenance facilities.

Why is my golf cart battery undercharging?

Undercharging: Undercharging caused by using a cheap golf cart battery charging system ( One that does not apply enough amperage in the charging cycle) can cause lead sulfate to gradually build up and crystallize on the plates greatly reducing the. battery’s capacity and ability to be recharged.

What is the specific gravity of a battery?

If the specific gravity measures between 1.100 and 1.220, the battery must be. recharged. If the specific gravity is between 1.225 and 1.265, the battery is ok to test. If the hydrometer has a temperature correction chart, be sure to adjust the reading for the battery’s temperature.

How to test golf cart battery?

To test the quality and power of a golf cart battery, you’ll need a voltmeter, a load tester, and a hydrometer. The voltmeter will connect to the terminals at the top of the battery to read its voltage. The load tester uses the same terminals to pump the battery full of current and assess how the it handles high levels of amperage.

How many volts does a golf cart battery use?

If it still doesn’t work, you need to replace the battery. Almost every golf cart uses multiple smaller batteries to achieve a total power of 36 or 48 volts. You probably have a series of 4 volt, 8 volt, or 12 volt batteries that combine to reach 36-48 volts. Test each battery separately.

How to keep golf cart batteries from arcing?

1. Stay safe by putting on protective eyewear, gloves, and clearing your area. Golf cart batteries can arc, spark, or emit dangerous gasses while you’re testing them. Stay safe by putting on protective eyewear and wearing gloves to keep any gases from condensing on your skin.

What is load tester in golf cart?

A load tester assesses how the voltage in a battery is effected when there’s a lot of current running through the battery. It’s possible that your golf cart battery’s voltage is fine when it’s not being used but has a ton of resistance or struggles to handle high currents, causing the battery to die.

How to connect black probe to black terminal?

Either hold it in place or clamp it on to the screw. If you’re holding the probes in place, try to keep your hands as still as possible so that you can get an accurate reading. ...

Is it safe to load test a battery?

It doesn’t matter if the pressure is good if the hole is too small to let water out! Warning: Load testing a battery is actually kind of dangerous. The high level of current will generate a lot of heat in the load tester and battery. Only test a battery on a concrete or heat-resistant surface that won’t burn.

Can you smoke golf cart batteries?

Always attach the correct probe on your multimeter or voltmeter to the proper terminal or you may create a spark. Warning: Never smoke when you’re working around golf cart batteries and keep the area clear from any open flames. The hydrogen and oxygen in golf cart batteries can explode if they’re ignited.

Why are the Golf cart battery chargers essential?

Before we proceed to the main topic of testing a golf cart battery charger, let’s watch why it is essential. Golf cart battery chargers are an essential part of owning a golf cart. It is also needed for the Golf Cart Battery Reconditioning.

How will you test a Golf cart battery charger: step by step guide?

Usually, the charger doesn’t take up the charge if the product is not original. But, the automated chargers require minimum voltage.If you are using a charger, it will have some indicator that indicates when the battery has been charged up or discharged.

How to fix club car charging problems?

Many people among you may own a club car. After using it for some time, you will observe that the particular car’s battery is neither charging nor draining on time. This is a problem which you need to fix. First, check the voltage output. If you find it is weak, follow the below steps:

What are the varieties of Golf cart batteries?

Lead-acid batteries are by far the cheapest option on this list, but it doesn’t last nearly as long as most other options.

How long do golf cart batteries last?

Golf carts are not usually driven regularly like cars. Instead, they are typically only used when necessary, and the average lifespan for an AGM battery is between two to five years depending upon how often they’re being charged, but that can vary from model to model.

What are the symptoms of a bad solenoid on a golf cart?

Following are the issues you will get in your golf cart with the bad solenoid.

How to test a 36-volt golf cart battery charger?

Do you find yourself wondering how to test a 36-volt golf cart battery charger? It’s an important question and one that many people have. Here, we’ll tell you all about the process of testing your battery reconditioning charger!

How many amps does a golf cart battery test?

It only tests one battery at a time, and the battery is tested with a 100 amp load for the duration of the test. Unfortunately, that isn’t a great indication of what happens when you use the batteries in a golf cart, under a real load. The load tester might show a problem with a battery if it has an ‘obvious” problem, but not necessarily, ...

Can a battery be a restriction?

The batteries are strung in series, so all of the current to the motor has to go through all of the batteries, and any one of the batteries can become a restriction or even an “open” to the path. You may even see a battery make the display on the meter go to a negative (display a -).

How to test golf cart battery charger?

How to test a golf cart battery charger? Assure that the golf cart battery charger is actually running and that you have volta ge at the battery charger plug by using a multimeter or voltage tester. Let’s go over some of the simple basics and get that battery charger operating the way it should. Step 1.

What is a golf cart?

Golf carts are also known as golf cars. The term "cart", in its purest sense, refers to a vehicle that does not travel under its own power. Golf cars, however, are most commonly referred to as golf... Continue Reading.

How many volts does a battery charger need?

Did you know that most modern battery chargers will not even begin to charge batteries if the batteries original charge is not high enough? The automatic battery charger needs a minimal amount of voltage in the batteries to even begin working, say somewhere around 20 to 35 volts total.

How long does it take for a battery charger to turn on?

With an automatic battery charger, the batteries must be hooked up before the charger will even turn on. allow 3 to 4 seconds for the time delay And if there is no click and a transformer hum, then we need to make sure that there is a proper connection between the battery charger and the batteries.

What to do if your car battery is too low?

If the batteries are too low, charge them individually with a regular old car battery charger, usually the12-volt variety. 12-Volt Automotive Battery Charger. You can either charge them to full capacity or just high enough to meet the minimum voltage required.

How to test a diode?

Test the diodes. Diodes are a one-way gate and will pass dc voltage in one direction. Connect your continuity tester leads on 1 and 3 shown in the illustration above…then reverse the leads. You should get continuity one way but not the other. Repeat this procedure on 2 and 3.

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