RE: (ET) RE: Elec-trak Digest, Vol 2, Issue 97

["Pestka, Dennis J" <Dennis Pestka TycoHealthcare com>]

My opinion is the T-105's would be a good choice.
Especially at cost!

Dennis
Elsberry, MO

-----Original Message-----
From: Klein Robert W NPRI [mailto:KleinRW Npt NUWC Navy Mil]
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 11:47 AM
To: 'elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu'
Subject: (ET) RE: Elec-trak Digest, Vol 2, Issue 97


Battery Choices Forced:  I did a really stupid thing the other night.  Used
my very robust 0-150VDC Army issue battery charger to do a "gassing" charge
to the Die Hard GC2 Golf Car batteries in my Wheel Horse C-185 (AKA Elec
Trak E-20) tractor.  These batteries had been grossly neglected (left to 
sit
for two years with maybe a 10% charge on them).  I topped off cells with a
combination of Distilled water and EDTA (a heavy metal chelating compound
that reduces the strength between the lead sulfate and lead sulfide plates
causing  the sulfates to fall free of the plates).  I was truly amazed that
before the EDTA I could run the tractor about ten minutes of mowing before
it became so sluggish it barely got back to the garage.  After the EDTA was
added and the batteries run through a couple of cycles, the tractor would
run for an hour.  That's where I made my mistake.  Got a little cocky with
my little knowledge and tried to do a "gassing" charge.  The onboard 
charger
puts out around
42vdc.  I used my super duper Army charger and cranked up the voltage to
around 50vdc (4-6 amps I think).  You could here the electrolyte bubbling
away.  I figured the cap vents would take care of any pressure buildup.  
BOY
WAS I MISTAKEN.  There was a LOUD report, a brief flash of light and I was
done!  Seems that I forgot the part about cracking open/removing the plugs.
The internal pressure cracked the top of one of the batteries half way
around the top of the case.  Needless to say I shut everything down in a
hurry.  Spent the next half hour decontaminating the area with baking soda
and water.  Amazingly enough there wasn't a whole lot of acid sprayed 
about.


So now I've got a set of 5-6vdc lead acid GC2 batteries with a little life
left in them.  I figure that just adding a new 6vdc battery is not going to
be the best move here.  

So now that I've finished practicing for my Mad Scientist merit badge I 
post
this question:  What batteries do you recommend I replace them with.  A
friend at the local golf course can probably get me a new set of Trojan
T-105's at cost.  I'm leaning that way but wonder if now would be a good
time to consider other types?

Bob Klein
Charlestown, RI
WH C-185
WH A-65
York Rake
Lifting rear hitch
Snow plow
Mower
SPARE PARTS!
Recently sold: Electrak E-20

_______________________________________________
Elec-trak mailing list
Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak