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Golf cart batteries

My son has two golf cart batteries from Costco in his travel trailer. One is dated February 2019 and the other April 2019. I took them out after being fully charged and had them load tested. They both tested OK. Prior to the test they had been fully charged with Solar.

An hour after the test the batteries read as follows: 6.34 volts and 6.48volts. 24 hours later completely disconnected they read 6.27 and 6.43. The older battery is the lower. He does not have a specific gravity tester, and I went to two places and both were out of stock. What is your analysis of the voltages after 24 hours? Water level is good. They went camping last weekend and the batteries went down pretty significantly during the night, but recovered with Solar during the day. Loads weren't that heavy. He has a trail manor travel trailer. The batteries have been deeply discharged once when he stored the trailer and forgot to turn on the disconnect.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #1 –
Your last sentence says it all. Charge and record data to establish a pattern. If it went below 10.5,  harm has been done, it not, it may recover after a series of charges.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #2 –
Thanks
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #3 –
There six volt right , I would be concerned with the oldest one with the lowest voltage.
I would do like mentioned and watch closely after a few charges.
Andy & Eileen
MONTROSE COLORADO
1992 U300  40' 6V92 TA
2016 4 Runner
1998 Jeep Grand cherokee

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee) Build # 4135 Skp# 122921

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #4 –
I strongly doubt that Costco golf cart batteries are true deep discharge batteries so we might as well consider them starting lighting and ignition batteries.  SLI batteries are made with grids filled with lead oxide paste.  What happens when you fully discharge one of these batteries is the lead oxide sifts to the bottom of the case and when it builds up high enough it shorts the bottom of the plates.

True deep cycle batteries have solid lead plates and as such can't deliver the high current needed for starting an engine.  But you can deep cycle them until there's no plate material left.  Or they short internally.

Art Joly
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #5 –
Even though they are around 2 years old, just because they where deep discharged one time doesn't mean they are permanently damaged. As others have said try a few charge cycles. Of course we don't know how much load was on them overnight.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Realmccoy –
My son has two golf cart batteries from Costco in his travel trailer. One is dated February 2019 and the other April 2019. I took them out after being fully charged and had them load tested. They both tested OK. Prior to the test they had been fully charged with Solar.

An hour after the test the batteries read as follows: 6.34 volts and 6.48volts. 24 hours later completely disconnected they read 6.27 and 6.43. The older battery is the lower. He does not have a specific gravity tester, and I went to two places and both were out of stock. What is your analysis of the voltages after 24 hours? Water level is good. They went camping last weekend and the batteries went down pretty significantly during the night, but recovered with Solar during the day. Loads weren't that heavy. He has a trail manor travel trailer. The batteries have been deeply discharged once when he stored the trailer and forgot to turn on the disconnect.
Both those 6 volt readings are good the higher one is very good.. Just double them and you have the equivalent of 12.54 and 12.86 on a 12 volt system. The lower one you should check again after another recharge.


1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #7 –
Thanks. I'll run them through a couple cycles. These are Interstate 210 amp hour batteries. I would like to have a shunt style monitor to see where the power is going.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Realmccoy –
I would like to have a shunt style monitor to see where the power is going.

$41. Recommended by Will Prowse
Amazon.com: AiLi Battery Monitor Voltmeter Ammeter Voltage Current Meter...

$206. I use and recommemd, also many forum members.
Amazon.com: Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor: Electronics





As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #9 –
Just a little bit of a additional information.
The AiLi-Battery-Monitor-Voltmeter is showing a 7 -10 week delivery time per amazon.
The Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor is a great meter, but at $206 it's at the high end of monitors.

You may want to check out the Renogy 500A battery monitor that has a lot of features for $97.
They are based based in Florida and amazon shows 3 day delivery. And they did!
Renogy is big in the solar market.

When you replace the COSTCO batteries, look at the Trojan T105 6 volt golf cart batteries. They are rated at 250ah.
If you treat they right, they should last 7-9 years.
Dick & Sue
'99 U320, 36'
2015 F150 4x4 Supercrew
M & G with brakeaway system
Blue Ox Avail 10,000# tow bar
Grosse Ile, Mi.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #10 –
Compare batteries at the 20 hr rating.  The Trojan T105 wet cell batteries are rated at 225 amp hrs.  AGM batteries might be a better (but more expensive) choice with less maintenance.  Both require best practices for long life.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Dick & Sue –
Just a little bit of a additional information.

When you replace the COSTCO batteries, look at the Trojan T105 6 volt golf cart batteries. They are rated at 250ah.
If you treat they right, they should last 7-9 years.

And to the best of my knowledge the Trojan battery line are the only solid plate deep cycle batteries around.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #12 –
With wet cell batteries you need to do an electrolyte check. Check the specific gravity of the electrolyte. I don't know what would be for those but look it up. Then after making sure they're topped off with distilled water and with the caps off I would do a equalization run on them. This will bring them up equalizing and stress them a bit. Then let them sit and see what happens again checking specific gravities. Be careful when equalizing they'll get hot. Also watch for electrolyte coming out of the fill holes.

But I agree that the best thing to do would be to get rid of them and start over with something like Trojan t105's. You might be able to salvage them for a few more cycles but what cells do not like to be overly discharged it cuts their lifespan significantly.

Nothing wrong with wet cell batteries. But the amount of maintenance they require and the cycles that they give out in my opinion just not worth it. But they've been used successfully for many years on boats, RVs, trucks, etc.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #13 –
Thanks for the help. Had to leave New Mexico for Texas to finish getting home on the market. Will send this thread to my son and he can make a decision. I found a load tester and retested the batteries myself. Results were good. Hopefully he can find a specific gravity tester to borrow. There were lots of empty hooks in the auto parts store's as evidently there is a supply chain slow down on restocking.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Journey, Roam, Explore –
With wet cell batteries you need to do an electrolyte check. Check the specific gravity of the electrolyte. I don't know what would be for those but look it up. Then after making sure they're topped off with distilled water and with the caps off I would do a equalization run on them. This will bring them up equalizing and stress them a bit. Then let them sit and see what happens again checking specific gravities. Be careful when equalizing they'll get hot. Also watch for electrolyte coming out of the fill holes.

It's safer to top off the cells to just above the plates before charging as the liquid level will rise with the state of charge.  Again, that's the mechanical action of the lead oxides accepting the charge.  Then top off the cells to the full line with distilled water and give a 15 minute equalization charge to stir the electrolyte.

The care and maintenance of wet cell lead acid batteries isn't that big a deal if it's all you've known for 1/2 century.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Golf cart batteries

Reply #15 –
If you have wet cells in a 98 coach the battery compartment is not vented correctly and a dangerous gas build can occur.

Earlier coaches had a battery tray with a lid that was vented to the wheel well area.  Yours does not.

If you were talking about your sons trailer obviously that may be a different arrangement.
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4