Trolley Battery

[thecraw]

Right,

What is the best way to keep a battery in tip top condition? Do you keep it on constant charge or do you charge it as and when you need it?

Should you run it right down and boost it up????

 

[Lump]

Best way to look after them would be to use a trickle charger.

 

[chrisd]

Constant charge with the charger provided.

If you don't use it for a prolonged period you can take it off charge and just give it a monthly boost (I understand)

Buy a new charger about every 3 years is also the advice as they start to fail and give less than a full charge, then the battery goes phud!


Chris

 

[thecraw]

So, if I leave my battery on charge for a full week between rounds I wont damage the battery?

 

[Oddsocks]

So, if I leave my battery on charge for a full week between rounds I wont damage the battery?

Although that's what people claim I'm sceptical on this theory. My old powerkaddy had a 18 hole battery. I'd charge it the day before the round and if I wasn't playing I'd leave it flat. After 12 months that battery was still tippy top

 

[Leftie]

Do what the golf trolley battery manufacturers, the battery suppliers and trolley manufacturers/sellers recommend......

After use, put on charge as soon as practical using a purpose designed charger, as supplied by the afore mentioned, and leave on charge until required . If you are not going to use it again for a month or three, charge it up and disconnect but recharge before the next use. The chargers are designed for this type of battery (don't, for example, use a car battery charger) and once the battery has been charged up the charger maintains a very small trickle charge to keep the battery in A1 condition.

As I have posted so many times before, DON'T fully discharge a lead acid/gel trolley battery by running it totally flat. You stand the risk that it will not fully recharge again.

 

[thecraw]

Yesssssss Sir Mr Leftie Sir!

Thanks for your advice Sir!

 

[Leftie]

Well. You did ask!

 

[stevek1969]

Take it from me mate you can run it flat and it will charge fully,never leave it on charge when not needed as its no good for the battrey or the charger and your leccy bill

 

[oakey22]

Depends on the battery, if it's the old lead acid type then dont fully discharge it, charge up as soon as you get it back home and leave it on trickle. if it's the new lithium type charge whenever as it does not hold a memory and has no problem being charged half full/half flat

 

[viscount17]

it also depends on the type of charger, the best react to the charge in the battery and reduce the charging current as the battery charges, then ultimately reduce to a very low trickle charge. The trickle charge has one purpose; a battery starts to discharge as soon as you disconnect the charger due to its internal resistance, the trickle charge is designed to counter this discharge but it is not recommended for all types of battery as some are more easily damaged by overcharging than others.

Trickle charging isn't the answer to low temperatures, just don't leave your battery in a freezing garage. best I think is to leave the battery on charge/trickle charge for no more than a week, but check that it and the charger aren't getting too warm - that's a sign of overcharging.

You also need to be aware that the charging current for Sealed Lead Acid (SLA), Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) and Gel batteries are different - use the right charger.

 

[thecraw]

I have read the manufacturers instructions now and they recommend that it is left on as it will automatically switch to trickle charge when the battery is charged.

Cheers guys, I will go with the instructions which I managed to find online.

 

[geejayboy28]

I would just like to confirm with the one of the previous posters who said 'NEVER' run your battery right down because you will never be able to recharge it fully.................I should know because I DID let it run until it was flat and I couldn't recharge it and it cost me a brand new battery.

 

[WhoGivesA]

The best battery chargers are the 3 stage smart chargers which offer fully automatic testing and charging. These also have a restoration function which uses a pulse charge which removes the build-up of sulphates on the battery plates. This build-up on the battery plates is what reduces battery performance. Most chargers supplied with trollies are cheap and nasty and not really up to the job especially when using the trolley for 2 or 3 rounds a week.

 

[Leftie]

Thanks for your confirmation gj, and sorry for your loss

I find that I give this advice every few months when the subject arises even though there are self appointed experts who will tell you differently. It is based on the battery suppliers' recommendations and on my, and other's, experience

Note. I have no idea of recommendations about lithium batteries, or NIMH (are there any available for trolleys???)