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Fork lift and golf cart batteries
By freejuice, Section Newbies Posted on Wed Oct 28, 2009 at 05:03:55 PM MST
A question or two about batteries

Hi Everyone,
I have some golf cart batteries I bought form "Sam's Club" They are the 6 volt "Energizer" name brand, But for the life of me I can not find the amp hour rating for these...does anyone have any information on this?
Also, there is a guy who services all of our forklifts at work, including the electirc lifts, tow motors etc.
He has been keeping an eye out for a used forklift battery that will need replacing. He was telling me today he might have found one, which is 24 volts. Since he has not gone over it with a fine tooth comb, he was saying it porbably has 2-3 dead cells in it. It appears each cell is two volts and they can be replaced. Or I can use it at a more reduced amp hour ratiing until I can have the cells replaced.
It's a huge battery and the thing weighs in at close to 2000 lbs. He was not for sure but he thought it was about a 750 amp hour battery....does this type of amp hour sound about right for a battery of this size?
Oh yea...it's free too! So my guess is that it's worth pursuing!
What say the jury?

Fork lift and golf cart batteries | 5 comments (5 topical)

Re: Fork lift and golf cart batteries (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Flux on Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 02:18:46 AM MST

Can't help with the golf cart batteries, I not in the USA.

Tired fork lift batteries are not likely to be good long term investments normally but in your case the price is right and you can't loose. Depends what is wrong with the dead cells. Usually they are open or short circuit and probably useless, If they are just very tired and low capacity it may not matter and you may still have a working 24v bank.

I suspect that in reality you have a good 12v bank with a few spares to keep you going for some time as long as you can keep them charged.

Shorted cells or those with plates broken from the link bars are best considered scrap normally, only those with no shorts or broken connections but with much loss of plate material are worth trying to keep in service. 12v yes, 24v almost certainly no and if you do , not for long.

If you can manage with 12v then go for it.

Flux

Re: Fork lift and golf cart batteries (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by ghurd on Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 03:40:35 AM MST

Golf cart batteries (6V) are generally rated about 200~220AH.
G-

Re: Fork lift and golf cart batteries (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Roger Stafford on Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 05:39:34 AM MST

The Golf cart batt I got from sams are 220amp hours

Re: Fork lift and golf cart batteries (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by freejuice on Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 12:20:00 PM MST

That what I like about this forum...everyone is fantasic with the information!
Flux, Ghurd, Roger, thanks!
...Oh Ghurd, I understand you make and sell charge controllers...you have anything in 12/24 volts and simple wiring instructions which is something along the lines of " Charge control wiring for Dummies"?
Thanks,
Gavin

[ Parent ]

Re: Fork lift and golf cart batteries (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by ghurd on Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 01:04:16 PM MST

Yup. Mostly kits (a little baggie of parts) to DIY a controller to your specs.
I can get them assembled and calibrated to spec.
More info at,
http://ghurd.info/
Better pics of what to expect at,
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/9/3/18347/60207
And more detailed info at,
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/8/24/172521/889

A 10 footer is past what is was basically intended for, but expansion is not a problem. Lots of 10 footers using them.
Be aware the the dump load itself is the major cost. No decent controller includes the dump load.
A "Dump Load Controller" simply 'controls the dump load'.

Might get an idea looking at pics (Basic, Allan, and Wally) here,
http://s701.photobucket.com/albums/ww20/ghurd1/Stray%20Pics/

G-

[ Parent ]

Fork lift and golf cart batteries | 5 comments (5 topical)

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