Battery problem

[Mickbill24]

My powakaddy lead acid battery is getting tired after about 15 holes and the last three holes at our course are uphill so I am resigned to having to buy a new one.
I have always left it on a trickle charge on my Powakaddy charger, as advised by the retailer who sold it to me.
Is there anything I can do to rescue it or is it too late?

I had a spell of back problems earlier this year and didn't play for about 7 months.
I tried to simulate a round and ran it for about a couple of hours of 5 minutes on and 5 minutes off.
I imagine this is what caused the problem.

 

[drdel]

If you have a car charger you could try 'waking' up with a higher charge rate. DO NOT do it for long, if the battery feeels warm after 5 mins stop. If you're in doubt buy a new one : they can explode!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[duncan mackie]

If you have a car charger you could try 'waking' up with a higher charge rate. DO NOT do it for long, if the battery feeels warm after 5 mins stop. If you're in doubt buy a new one : they can explode!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of these dedicated batteries have charge controllers on them which prevent you using anything outside the standard chargers voltage and current.

I tried putting a smart charger on a Motorcaddy one and it refused to take any charge at all.

 

[Mickbill24]

Thanks for those replies.
I'm thinking of buying a lithium battery with charger as the prices are coming down now.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

I replaced a lead acid battery with a Little Miracle lithium battery, best thing I ever did. It's an 18 hole battery but will last usually 2 full rounds.

 

[jim8flog]

Have you checked the brushes on the motor?

When the brushes are very warn this is the symptom to expect.

If the battery is suffering from sulphation (where crystals start building up in the cells < can be seen by a bulge on the side of the battery>) which can be caused by leaving a battery on charge for prolonged periods with out using it, you can buy chargers which will break this down and restore 'dead batteries'.

One of the things I used to do was to run the battery fully down using 12v halogen bulbs (monitoring the voltage regularly) before recharging, it used to prolong the life of an older battery for a few months.
Ps the advice I have received in the past was to take a battery off charge if you know you are not going to use it for a while and only put on charge once a month or so. I have two sets of batteries for my buggy and they get change over every 6 months with no charging in between and they are still fully charged when switched.

 

[Mickbill24]

Have you checked the brushes on the motor?

When the brushes are very warn this is the symptom to expect.

If the battery is suffering from sulphation (where crystals start building up in the cells < can be seen by a bulge on the side of the battery>) which can be caused by leaving a battery on charge for prolonged periods with out using it, you can buy chargers which will break this down and restore 'dead batteries'.

One of the things I used to do was to run the battery fully down using 12v halogen bulbs (monitoring the voltage regularly) before recharging, it used to prolong the life of an older battery for a few months.
Ps the advice I have received in the past was to take a battery off charge if you know you are not going to use it for a while and only put on charge once a month or so. I have two sets of batteries for my buggy and they get change over every 6 months with no charging in between and they are still fully charged when switched.

Thanks Jim

I have checked the brushes and they look fine.

 

[Mickbill24]

I replaced a lead acid battery with a Little Miracle lithium battery, best thing I ever did. It's an 18 hole battery but will last usually 2 full rounds.

Thanks Fuzzy.

I think that's what I'm going to do.
I can get an 18 hole one for £119 with charger.
I think that's quite good value.

 

[casuk]

In the same boat I'm having to pick and choose when I use the power will get me 18 holes if I baby it round, when I got my trolley serviced also got the battery tested too and it needs replaced after 18 months, going for a lithium as the replacement, £120 for the 27 hole battery and charger, lead battery's are pretty crap imo, go for the life po4 battery if getting a replacement they last longer then standard lithium

 

[Mickbill24]

Thanks Casuk.

I'll look into that.

 

[Robster59]

I got fed up with Lead Acid fading and so decided to go Lithium and never looked back. Lighter, last longer and hold their charge better.
I've just picked up an email from Powerhouse Golf offering an 18-27 hole Lithium battery reduced from £149.99 to £99.99 by using code 149299. That's including the charger.
Seems like a bargain to me.
LINK TO BATTERY OFFER
You can also get the 36 hole battery at £149.00.

 

[Mickbill24]

I got fed up with Lead Acid fading and so decided to go Lithium and never looked back. Lighter, last longer and hold their charge better.
I've just picked up an email from Powerhouse Golf offering an 18-27 hole Lithium battery reduced from £149.99 to £99.99 by using code 149299. That's including the charger.
Seems like a bargain to me.
LINK TO BATTERY OFFER
You can also get the 36 hole battery at £149.00.

Thanks for that.

I bit the bullet today and bought an 18/27 16ah lithium battery with charger for £118.99.
Looking forward to trying it out.