Re: (ET) batteries

[<daveb seanet com>]

Just now getting my ET12 out of winter storage.  Discovered two batteries 
only 
putting out 2 volts under load (before charging).  I doubt they'll come 
back to 
a usable state.  I've only had my ET for  a year and not really used it 
much.  
I've no idea what these batteries in it are. There are 4 of the same 
brand/type 
and two oddballs that don't match each other. So I have quite a variety. 
My 
first thought was to just replace the two batteries with perhaps 2 used 
golf 
cart batteries.  Can I expect to get some from a local golf course?  How 
much 
should I expect to pay?  Maybe I should just shell out the $300(?) and 
replace 
all six?  

comments suggestions appreciated.
> On 1 Jun 2001, at 12:29, Neil Dennis wrote:
> 
> > The only thing I'm not sure i like is the "sealed" feature, no way to
> > check the fluid
> 
> If it's a gel or AGM type, you shouldn't ever have to if the charger is 
> set up correctly.  They use catalytic recombination to change the H2 and 
> 02 back into water.  But you need a proper charger -- if you use the ET 
> charger, you literally dry them out.
> 
> If the Voyager is a sealed, flooded battery, it is probably not a true 
> deep-cycle battery but rather a "combination" (starting/cycling) marine 
> battery.  True deep cycle batteries have antimony-doped grids for 
> cycling 
> durability.  Combo and starting batteries have calcium-doped grids to 
> reduce gassing and water usage.
> 
> They don't last very long if cycled deeply and/or used at high currents, 
> so I recommend keeping discharges shallow.  I would not exceed 50% DOD. 
> At 12.1v after mowing, you are taking them to about 65% discharged 
> (assuming that your meter is accurate), so 4 years of life so far is 
> pretty good.
> 
> If you want good life and no mess, I recommend East Penn (Deka 
> Dominator) 
> gel batteries or Concorde AGMs in a group 27 or 31 size.  They are not 
> cheap, around $150-$175 each.  You will have to make a battery box for 
> them to mount in place of the weight box.  
> 
> Optima yellow tops are also quite good but are rather small for this 
> application.  Someday Optima are supposed to start selling their group 
> 31s that they prototyped a couple of years ago.  These would be good.
> 
> Better yet for range extension would be 6 volt golf car batteries in a 
> trailer.  Any time you run parallel packs, you're better off matching 
> the 
> aux batteries with the main.
> 
> 
> David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
> 1991 Solectria Force 144vac
> 1991 Ford Escort Green/EV 128vdc
> 1979 General Engines ElectroPed 24vdc
> 1974 Honda Civic EV 96vdc
> 1970 GE Elec-trak E15 36vdc
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