CC 95 DS questions - newbie

[kennedian]

So I just got a really cheap 95 DS - it runs fine but looks like it didn't get a lot of TLC.

It runs fine on flats and screams downhill (no governor I guess). My subdivision is really hilly and it crawls going up hill - maybe walking speed. Is this the batteries or something else?

I'm pretty sure it is 36v - what does going to 48v give me? Will this help on the hills?

The charger looks pretty old and kind of buzzes / hums pretty loud when charging (a friends ezgo is not near as loud) Is this an issue?

[Michael Eddie]

Hi again, batteries are shot. Use this article to determin the year of your golf cart http://www.golfcartsforum.com/golf-c...golf-cart.html

If it is a 95, it may be a 48 volt. Count the number of vent holes per each battery. A 48 volt cart will have 4 vent holes per battery, and a 36 volt cart will have 3 per battery.

[kennedian]

It's 36 vglide. I ran it for a 4 mile loop around the subdivision with many hills and it was fine but slow on the hills so I keep wondering if it is really the batteries. I can live with the slowness on the hills - but I guess when I put on the rear seat I'll know if it flat out dies on the big hills.

[Michael Eddie]

Hi again kennedian, If the batteries are over 3 years old, they are getting weak.

[kennedian]

Sorry if this is a really dumb question - How can I check. I have a multimeter and I checked the voltage of the pack and it read 36v. What else do I look for?

(and on a side note why am I still locked out of the manuals? I'v got more than 5 posts)

[Michael Eddie]

Sorry if this is a really dumb question - How can I check. I have a multimeter and I checked the voltage of the pack and it read 36v. What else do I look for?

Fully charge the batteries and let sit for 2 hrs. Use this chart http://www.golfcartsforum.com/golf-c...rge-chart.html

You can add them all up and test as a whole, or test each battery individually, but any batteries at or under 80% are no good.

Here is an example DougMCP wrote using 12 volt batteries as an example.

They are likely Trojan Batteries in the cart the date code stamped into the lead on the neg post is a letter and a number which is the month and year they were produced (eg: H-7 is July 2007).
Take a voltmeter and test the voltage, a perfect, older 12v battery with a full charge will be 12.73v.
State of charge for a 12v battery is:
100% - 12.73v
80% - 12.50v
50% - 12.10v
30% - 11.81v
10% - 11.51v
If the batteries are charged and any of the voltages are under 80% they are likely done.
You don't need to disconnect anything to do the voltage test.
Keep us informed and let us know how it's going.

[Michael Eddie]

(and on a side note why am I still locked out of the manuals? I'v got more than 5 posts)

You are able to view diagrams, try and click on them.

[kennedian]

So I ran it for 2 days of normal use, charged it overnight and let it sit today.

Test comes out at:
37.45 Total
6.20, 6.23, 6.25, 6.24, 6.27, 6.23

So most of the pack is at about 75% I guess and everyone says they are toast.

[dougmcp]

They're looking a little tired.
If they are working well enough for you just keep using it. You could probably run it like this for another year.
If your run time is too short or you are losing too much power on hills, I'd start looking for new batteries.

[kennedian]

The batteries I have are Trojan T-605
Looking around town I saw:
Trojan T-605 : $110 ($90 but would need a 4 hr round trip)
Duracell GC2 : $78 at Sams club
Rayovac Ultra Pro : $85 at battery plus
Autocraft : $89 at autozone with a coupon

The Duracell and the Trojan look to have the exact same specs - any reason not to just get the $78 Sams Club ones?

[dougmcp]

All I buy anymore is Sam's Club batteries.
I can't justify the added expense for advertising and hype.
IMHO get the Sam's ones.