2012 EZGO Battery help

[cdarnau]

Good afternoon everyone. I am having some issues with my batteries constantly it seems. Every year to year and a half it seems I am replacing batteries in my cart.

The last time I went to the EZGO store and purchased my batteries. I went to purchase Trojans but they were out. They are mega-power batteries and the store owner assured me they were good batteries and they cost me around 900 for 6 of them in December 2021. I also purchased new cables with the batteries just to make sure I was not losing amps through the cables.

I have been a vehicle tech for the last 25 years and I swear this thing is about to make me want to blow my brains out. I don't know what I need to do to make this better and last longer. I am hoping to get some help here.

As I said before the batteries are Mega-power 6V batteries. The charger is a EZGO Power Wise QE. The golf cart lives in a covered car port out of the elements other than dust. It stays plugged into the charger year round. We don't ride it that often other than in the spring and fall where we use it 2-3 times a week.

I got on it this week just to move it around and even though the Power Wise Charger showed solid green the golf cart drove for about 10 minutes then I had to push it back home. This seems to be the common issue I continue to have with this.

The power pack voltage is 36.26volts and the pack while charging is 37.75volts.

All the Cells are completely covered in acid/water and I plan to do a refractometer test tomorrow once I get my tool from the dealership.

I called the store owner and asked what kind of warranty these batteries have and of course they are out but the store owner said he couldn't imagine the batteries would be faulty already.

I disconnected the batteries and individually these are the readings.
Battery 1 - 6.06 volts
Battery 2 - 6.05 volts
Battery 3 - 6.20 volts
Battery 4 - 5.94 volts
Battery 5 - 5.96 volts
Battery 6 - 6.04 volts

Any help would be greatly appreciative. I just don't want to to have to purchase new batteries every year. So if a different charger, different whatever is needed I don't mind spending the money for a more long term repair.

Thank you all for any advice and your time reading my rambling.

 

[cdarnau]

After charging each battery for 1.5hours at 6V20A with a battery charger the batteries are now at.

Battery 1 - 6.15 volts
Battery 2 - 6.15 volts
Battery 3 - 6.16 volts
Battery 4 - 6.05 volts
Battery 5 - 6.06 volts
Battery 6 - 6.16 volts

 

[cdarnau]

I just did a refractometer test on all the batteries.
They are all between 1.17 and 1.20

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

ok here is the golf cart battery charge chart

here is all batteries chart

do not let batteries go below 50%

NEW BATTERY BREAK IN

How you break in your new batteries will affect how strong they become and how long they last. Following proper break-in procedure can increase the strength and the useful life span of your new batteries.
New batteries are initially about 75% of their full strength. The following procedure will insure they reach their full potential. The 1st 10 to 20 complete charge/discharge cycles are critical to insure they reach 100%. New batteries should be charged before use and thereafter as follows:
Plug the charger in and leave it alone until the charger shuts off by itself. Then drive to discharge the batteries to 75% of battery pack capacity (see chart for voltage readings or use 9 holes of golf as a reference point) Plug the cart back in and repeat the charge cycle.......It is very important you let it charge until it is completely done. Repeat this for the first 10 - 20 cycles......by the 12th cycle you will notice a difference in power, speed, and run-time.........I have never had a customer say they have not noticed the increase.
Most importantly, NEVER run the battery pack down below 50% of capacity throughout their entire life. Never leave the batteries in a state of discharge for extended periods of time. Recharge the pack every 2 weeks if the cart is sitting idle or in storage. And when in doubt, recharge it. A Battery SOC Meter can be installed in the Dash of your cart.
Don't get left on the course.
During the break-in procedure, keep an eye on the water levels. It can take 12 hours or more for the 1st few Charging cycles. These extended charge cycles may evaporate some of the water. ( use distilled water only )
Fill to the bottom of the solid well. Overfilling is bad. As the batteries break in you will notice the charge time gets shorter. Eventually going from 12 hours to 5-6 hours per recharge.
ONCE A MONTH: Routine maintenance is the 2nd most important thing to insure you get the most use out of your new battery pack. It is critical that you get into a routine of spending 10 - 15 minutes a month to keep the cable connections clean and check the water levels. Proper water level is critical. Inadequate water levels is a big killer of batteries. Fill to the bottom of the fill hole well, Do not fill to the top. Overfilled batteries spill over under charge and damage the frame. Keep the Distilled Water level below the bottom of the fill hole sleeve or a half inch above the lead plates. Use a hard nylon or wire brush to remove any visible corrosion. Carefully check that all of the cable connections are tight. Loose connections cause arching which will melt the soft lead terminals. Spray-on Battery Terminal Protector greatly reduces corrosive build up. Always Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. I hope this helps you get the most use possible out of your battery investment.

good luck

 

[OUTL4W]

As I said before the batteries are Mega-power 6V batteries. The charger is a EZGO Power Wise QE. The golf cart lives in a covered car port out of the elements other than dust. It stays plugged into the charger year round.

Is the battery charger you use also a battery maintainer combo? If not, I would suggest not leaving them plugged in year round.

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

EZGO Power Wise QE

When plugged into the vehicle’s charger receptacle, the charger will automatically turn on and the charger’s LED will start flashing GREEN to indicate the battery is charging.

Once a minimum battery voltage of 2 volts per cell (Vpc) is reached, the charger’s output current will change from a trickle current to the full rated charging current. The length of charge time will vary by how depleted the battery pack is, the input AC voltage, and/or charger ambient temperatures.

The charger’s LED will flash a SHORT flash (off more than on) if charge is <80% and a LONG flash if >80%.
it is a battery maintainer combo

IMHO ... they are junk !
i would go with a DPI charger when the Power Wise QE dies ... and it will
CTD

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

NOTE :
you do not need to disconnect the cables when testing
it is recommended 4 gauge or lower cables (2 gauge is what i use)
clean posts monthly
use a Battery Terminal Protector