Ezgo questions.

[jasonneal]

Hello, I recently traded my atv for an ezgo cart. The guy I traded with said he thought it was a 98 or 99 model, but one of the numbers on the vin plate ends in 94. Is that the year model? Also I noticed after getting home that the cart doesnt have the speed the carts at the course have. It has an ezgo dump bed on it but no lift kit or other modifications. It has five interstate and one exide all deep cycle golf cart batteries. My father in law put a meter on it and said all batteries check over 6 volts fully charged but I dont have an exact reading, he didnt write them down. He also said one battery tested low until charging then they all checked close to the same, any help is appreciated.

[dougmcp]

to GCF jasonneal.
If your cart is a 1994 and up it will have a plate in the passenger glovebox with 2 sets of numbers.
The serial number doesn't indicate the year.
The Manufacturers Code will have one letter and three or four numbers which the last two digits are the year it was manufactured.
Make sure all of your battery connections are clean and tight.
Drive the cart around for about 1/2 hour and then measure the individual battery voltages, any one that is below 6.2v is suspect as to it's condition.

[jasonneal]

Okay thanks, I will do that. Another quick question, when I plug my cart in should the readout on the charger start out at 25 or higher, which it does, and go down to 0, which it has not. I suppose the readout is referring to amps. This is my first cart so I dont know a lot yet, but thankfully there is this forum with a lot of knowledgable people. I have been on here all day.

[Michael Eddie]

You have been on here all day, huh? I'm going to have to start charging you. ($$$)

Just Kidding, of course.

Maybe.

[Michael Eddie]

Also, a load test should give you the right information. Usually when you pick up a cart cheap, it comes with a set of 4 year old batteries which are pretty much on their way out.

[dougmcp]

Okay thanks, I will do that. Another quick question, when I plug my cart in should the readout on the charger start out at 25 or higher, which it does, and go down to 0, which it has not. I suppose the readout is referring to amps. This is my first cart so I dont know a lot yet, but thankfully there is this forum with a lot of knowledgable people. I have been on here all day.

Yes the charger always starts at the high amperage level and then depending on the amount of charge in the batteries will taper off. Once again depending on charge level, after 2-6 hours it will decrease to about 3-5 amps and stay there until it shuts off automatically.
GC batteries do not have a memory and should be recharged each time you have more than 30 minutes of pedal time.

[jasonneal]

Okay, so actually if the cart is plugged up long enough the charger should go off automatically? Would there be any defect that would cause the charger to hover around 5 amps and not shut off?

[dougmcp]

If the charger has a timer knob on it, it won't shut off automatically but will at the end of the timer setting.
If the charger is automatic and the batteries are weak or low it could take up to 16 hours to complete it's cycle.
Has it stayed on longer than that?

[andy4639]

Depending on the brand and make of the charger it will cut off automatic. If it's a power wise charger then after about 6 hrs it should be down around 2-5 amps. If the batteries are in good shape it should cut off on it's own. If the batteries are old and warn out it will stay on for ever trying to get the full charge into them.
Does the charger look like these?


If so then it's auto charger.
I don't recommend mixing batteries in carts since they have differant amp hr ratings and the charge differantly. You need to get all the batteries the same if you want the most out of the cart.

[jasonneal]

No my charger looks older than those, it is taller and has a round gauge and no timer on it. I feel like after reading on here and the advice you all have given me it is time to buy five batteries to match the new one on the cart. I now know I can look at the battery posts to find the year of the battery. I also have to buy leaf springs for the rear, one broke while driving on a bumpy county road. Oh lord what have I gotten myself into? Haha

[andy4639]

If the batteries are older and one is new the best thing is to buy the other 5 as stated. The new battery is getting weaker and weaker everytime you charge it. The 5 older batteries are making the new one boil out more water and acid than the old ones and before long it want be any good.
That's why it's never a good idea to mix batteries.

Is this it?

[jasonneal]

Yes that is my charger, after inspection I believe the manufacture date on it and the cart it 1994. So does that make my cart a marathon? Also I got the cart home last night and looked at the batteries I have five interstate with a E7 code and one continental with a G11 code. The cart has been at my in laws for a few days and was pretty dead. I put it on charge last night at 8 o'clock and the charger was at 15 amps, this morning at 7 o'clock its at 10 amps, is this normal?

[jasonneal]

One more quick question, last night is really the first time I have driven the cart much as I got it for my step daughter and I noticed the steering is not good. At dead center there is a lot of play in the steering wheel and its impossible to make the cart track a straight line. What can I do? Replace front end assembly?

[andy4639]

Yes that is my charger, after inspection I believe the manufacture date on it and the cart it 1994. So does that make my cart a marathon? Also I got the cart home last night and looked at the batteries I have five interstate with a E7 code and one continental with a G11 code. The cart has been at my in laws for a few days and was pretty dead. I put it on charge last night at 8 o'clock and the charger was at 15 amps, this morning at 7 o'clock its at 10 amps, is this normal?

Normal yes for the batteries you have! Correct NO! Well the 5 batteries that are marked E-7 means they are May of 2007 batteries and they are Interstates on top of that so they are shot! You need to find some batteries at least the same as the G-11 which if it were me I'd just buy a complete set.
The charger is killing the G-11 battery by boilling it to try and get the other 5 to the same amount of charger and it's not going to get there so it keeps on keeping on. New batteries!
The steering will need to be looked at and more thn likely it's a 94 model so it's a good guess it's wore slap out. So I would look at the tie rods first though and make sure. Jack the cart up and pull and push on the tires and see if you can see where the slop is.

[jasonneal]

Okay thank you Andy I will look at the front end tonite. Im waiting on leaf springs to come in for the rear and it looks like I will be now saving for new batteries. In your opinion is it best to pay for the trojans or will something like the continental ,that the guy I got the cart from said cost $70, be okay. He got it at a Samsclub type warehouse store.

[andy4639]

The batteries of choice are Trojans, US 1800's and then if money is the ? Buy Sam's. I perfer the Trojans but of late I have been buying US batteries and seem to have had good luck with them.
I don't like the Interstates, just because I've not had good luck with them myself. Others have had good luck with them though!

The tie rod ends are the most common problem on front ends they get wore out and add slop to the steering. Each one adds just a little more and once one starts it add's more to the next one so on.

[jasonneal]

Okay, thanks for the advice.

[andy4639]

Just some more info.
If you use the cart just around the house and not worried about getting to far away from the house Sam's batteries will be fine. They want have the run time as a Trojan are the US batteries.
The further away you ride the cart from home the better battery you need. I ride my 04 at the beach 15 to 20 miles away from the house and haven't had any problems but I keep up with them also. My 04 runs at 28MPH for long streches of time on 35MPH roads so I need a long amp hr battery to do this.

[redman34]

Hey Andy, nice to see you here.

I remember conversing with you a couple years ago, in a different forum.

I remember your red lettering. You always have good info and ideas!

Again, glad to see you here, stick around>

[andy4639]

I plan on it thanks, I hope what I bring to the forum is helpful to all. I try to give good info but sometimes it's hard when your doing it over the computer. I will help any way I can just LMK.

[jasonneal]

Yes thanks for the advice it is extemely helpful. I left the batts on charge from 8 o'clock wednesday night until 6 o'clock thursday afternoon and the charger was still running at 10 amps and the batteries were I assume boiling. There was a definite chemical smell under the seat. I got the cart for my stepdaughter because my atv was way too fast for her to drive so I hate to drop a load of cash on batteries. If the continental is a 2011 would it be okay to go buy 5 more new continentals and save a little bit of money? The cart will be driven around the block and in the yard by a ten year old.

[jasonneal]

Of course I just found a guy on CL that has a golf cart shop around 100 miles from me that has a set of 6 trojan 105's for $500 that are supposedly new.

[andy4639]

I would buy the Trojans!

The others will be fine though if that one battery is OK.

[dougmcp]

Of course I just found a guy on CL that has a golf cart shop around 100 miles from me that has a set of 6 trojan 105's for $500 that are supposedly new.

That's a good price. Check the date codes to make sure they are new.
Negative post: Letter and Number - Letter is month, Number is year eg: C-9 = Mar/2009.

[Michael Eddie]

That's a good price. Check the date codes to make sure they are new.
Negative post: Letter and Number - Letter is month, Number is year eg: C-9 = Mar/2009.

Good info Doug

[jasonneal]

Yes I will check the dates for sure, I may end up getting five more continentals to match my one 2011 date battery. I am now having to replace the rear leaf springs one of them broke. I took the ezgo dump bed off and cannot believe how heavy it is. It was all I could do to carry it across the yard. I am thinking about going back with a 1500lb 3 leaf trailer spring, any ideas?