E1 batteries

[Cougsfan]

This was being discussed as a side topic in another thread.  Thought I'd start one specific to the point.

The E1 owners and service manuals don't discuss the batteries in detail nearly as much as one would expect.   I can't even find an exact spec for the battery to buy as a replacement.    What are you guys buying for batteries?   Any advice on what to look for?  Where do you get them?  I have read people saying you should replace them all at the same time if you replace any (gasp!)   Are those people anal as well as rich, or is that good advice?

I have saw some good Utube videos on how to check batteries on golf carts that should apply to the E1.

[Osney]

This is the battery fitted as standard - https://discoverbattery.com/products/sla-vrla-batteries/industrial-agm-dry-cell-batteries/EVGT6A-A-AM I'll be interested to see what responses this thread gets, as mine haven't been brilliant - seven of the eight replaced under warranty so far!

[Cougsfan]

I too am anything but an expert on this subject (seems like there aren't many people who are🙂).   Thanks for the link to the battery. 

A little history on my E1.   It is a 2016 model that  I bought used from a dealer about a month ago.   The rig had right at 100 hrs on it total and was stored inside, and looked like new.  The price was right, and it seemed it might fit my need of getting around my 46 acres perfectly (and it does).   However,  the range is very limited  (like 15-20 miles).   Actually I can live with that in my way of usage, but do intend on checking out the batteries and doing what it takes to make it right, if I knew what was really right. 

I will check the batteries as I get time.  I have watched several Utubes after searching on "Golf cart battery check".   They give some good tips on how to load test  your individual batteries on a series of batteries.   Again, they are mixed in whether you can replace one battery or must replace the lot, Seeming  the shops that SELL batteries suggest replacing them all where as ones done by individuals only replace the bad battery.

 I would think it would be OK to replace one battery, as long as  a identical twin of the others.   But I don't know.    I know of a guy who has a diesel truck with two batteries.  It wouldn't start, so he took the batteries out and had them checked at a parts house.   One battery checked out OK and the other checked out bad.  He bought a new battery and installed it with the old good one,  and it still wouldn't start.   After a bunch of head scratching, a mechanic told him to replace the second battery too.   He did, and the truck started fine.   Could be the parts house screwed up the check,  or it could be the mechanic was right,  I don't know.

My dealer (who is primarily a golf cart dealer, and is not nearby)  also suggests replacing them all rather than individual ones, and says the batteries they sell (Trojans)are better  than the Discover battery .  For some reason, I am hesitant to fully trust a salesman, and this particular salesman didn't impress me as being truly knowledgable.

Also you get polar opposite suggestions on whether to charge it every night or run the batteries down prior to charging.  Would be good to know the correct answer.

So I too am hoping we can get some good input on this thread.

[Cougsfan]

I just looked up the price for a Discover EVGT6A-A-AM battery on the internet.   The cheapest I found was $476.95 ea.!!   That would mean it would cost $3,800 plus shipping  and tax to replace all 8!   There has to be more affordable options!

[Osney]

That's why I'm quite glad they replaced mine under warranty. The cost of the batteries seems to make up almost half the cost of the vehicle, which is crazy. 

I think the biggest problem is that there's so few of these machines out there. Polaris do a similar version of the Ranger, so it might worth looking in on those forums for answers too.

[kenfain]

Don't have any experience with the E1. But I've had a lot of years around golf carts, and most, if not all, of the best practices concerning battery maintenance would probably be the same.

If batteries are old, they should be replaced at the same time. If one goes bad when they're new, then obviously you only replace the one.

I wouldn't run it down before charging, instead I'd keep it charged nightly when in use. But pull the charger loose when it's full, and not store it long term, on the charger. Electrical storms, voltage surges, and the like, aren't always harmless to stuff that's plugged in.

Assuming that such a thing can be found cheaper. As long as it's the same type, and voltage then any same sized quality battery would probably work just fine. To make it all fit properly, they'd likely need to be the same dimensions too. 

Just my .02 cents. 

[Cougsfan]

The advice you are giving, Kenfain, is pretty much the same as what  I have got as I called various people in the know to gain an education on batteries. 

I have also found that you can buy Lead-acid batteries for considerably less than half the cost as the Discover batteries.  You can find various  Lead-acid batteries have the same ratings, size and pole configuration as the Discover  battery and will drop right in.  The downside is that Lead acid batteries require maintenance (keeping them filled with water and keeping them clean) where as the Discover dry cell batteries are fairly care free.   The life of each type is probably similar.   The distance per charge  is comparable.   Seems like extra maintenance associated with lead-acid replacements would make sense considering the cost of the superior, but extremely expensive dry cell batteries.  There are other type of batteries available too (AGM, lithium, gel batteries,) but all are more expensive than lead acid, and you may have trouble finding a direct replacement to fit the E1..

If recycling batteries are a consideration, Lead acid batteries are usually recycled whereas dry cells are not.

One of the things I wondered about is what happen if you happen to roll your E1.  Might that spill sulfuric acid all over the UTV occupants?   I was told these golf cart batteries can be tipped upside down without spilling anything.  

Common sense dictates replace all the batteries if one goes bad when the battery pack is past half its life, but can replace only one if the batteries are newer.    If you change battery type you must change the settings on the E1's charger (takes things to do that that the typical owner doesn't have ,  most golf cart shops can do it).     I have been told by a couple of people that the particular brand of charger used in the E1 is the highest quality charger in the business.   

[Osney]

Thanks for the useful advice. The charger fitted is one of these - https://delta-q.com/product/ic1200-industrial-battery-charger/ - and it is indeed one of the best you can get. It's reprogrammable for different battery packs, including li-ion although they recommend a battery management system for those, too. I might look into alternatives when the current batteries fail - at the moment they're working OK, seven out of the original eight being replacements. I can see keeping wet cell batteries clean being a problem with these buggies. Mine gets filthy when it's wet and muddy!

My main concern is that the batteries are designed to give ten times the range I need on a normal day, so I'm always only taking 10% charge off the top as it were, before recharging for the next day. I wouldn't want to run them completely empty, but I worry that only ever taking a little power before recharging could end up damaging the battery as much as taking too much.

[kenfain]

2 hours ago, Osney said:

 I can see keeping wet cell batteries clean being a problem with these buggies. Mine gets filthy when it's wet and muddy!

If you have enough access space to change, and/or service the batteries. Then hosing them down with a pressure washer should do the trick.

                     ________________

My main concern is that the batteries are designed to give ten times the range I need on a normal day, so I'm always only taking 10% charge off the top as it were, before recharging for the next day. I wouldn't want to run them completely empty, but I worry that only ever taking a little power before recharging could end up damaging the battery as much as taking too much.

I wouldn't worry about it, car batteries last a long time. And the charge is topped off every time you drive.