Battery Longevity

Industrial Toys · Nov 24, 2020

But ruined a $110.00 pair of overalls in the process! lol

You would have to be pretty desperate or cheap to flush out a battery. And then risk destroying your starter motor (and all the trouble associated with that) when the thing became weak starting again in six months.

For the number of starts you get out of a new battery, it's a bargain.

Cougsfan · Nov 24, 2020

I have an electric UTV I use every single day for getting around my place. It has 8 ea. 6v marine style batteries. It is 4 years old and the perfect rig for how I use it. The thing is supposed to be good for 45 miles on a charge, but these days it is more like 25 miles. It will cost about $1,100 to replace the batteries. Probably wont do it til it goes down to 10 miles per charge (I charge it every night and seldom drive it more than 10 miles a day). Lead acid batteries are stone age technology (relatively speaking). There is improved battery technology out there but it isn't retrofittable in most applications. The development of better batteries is probably one of the main things holding back technological progress these days.

Industrial Toys · Nov 24, 2020

I simply LOVE my E-Gator, Get's used a hundred times more often than my Diesel Mule. I do wish I had gone for the slightly larger(replacement) batteries though. The colder temps really do have a negaive effect on the batteries, but soon it won't be used any longer when we get more snow.

fried1765 · Nov 24, 2020

Cougsfan said:
I have an electric UTV I use every single day for getting around my place. It has 8 ea. 6v marine style batteries. It is 4 years old and the perfect rig for how I use it. The thing is supposed to be good for 45 miles on a charge, but these days it is more like 25 miles. It will cost about $1,100 to replace the batteries. Probably wont do it til it goes down to 10 miles per charge (I charge it every night and seldom drive it more than 10 miles a day). Lead acid batteries are stone age technology (relatively speaking). There is improved battery technology out there but it isn't retrofittable in most applications. The development of better batteries is probably one of the main things holding back technological progress these days.

I have a "Club Car" golf cart to get around my place.
Bought it used last year for $2,300, and replaced wheels and suspension for more ground clearance.
I now have $3,100 in it, and absolutely love it!
Rear seat folds down and forms a flat bed.
It has 4 - 12V batteries that are now 4 years old.
Charger stays hooked up when cart is not in use, and will cycle as required.

oldballs · Nov 24, 2020

I have a neighbor that cruises his acreage in one of those electric golf cart thingy.......He scares the liven crap out of me when I'm out working on the perimeter...and don't see him coming.

cqaigy2 · Nov 25, 2020

oldballs said:
I have a neighbor that cruises his acreage in one of those electric golf cart thingy.......He scares the liven crap out of me when I'm out working on the perimeter...and don't see him coming.

Reminds me of an electric wheelchair scare i had. Standing I was talking to a buddy of mine and was just about to step back a step, when a women in electric wheelchair comes zooming along, right behind, i felt my pant leg get flipped by the chair. She had to have been going 15mph or so. I yelled at her for going too fast on the sidewalk, i got a nice response from her, a gesture showing i was number 1 in her world.

Jstpssng · Nov 25, 2020

I just had to boost the original battery on my 2015 to get it started. I last ran it about 8 hours earlier, but temps got down into the teens last night.
It came with a block heater but that item has never worked.

fried1765 · Nov 25, 2020

Jstpssng said:
I just had to boost the original battery on my 2015 to get it started. I last ran it about 8 hours earlier, but temps got down into the teens last night.
It came with a block heater but that item has never worked.

Sounds like it will soon be dead.
Probably right at the end of a big storm, when you absolutely must move snow.

Jstpssng · Nov 25, 2020

fried1765 said:
Sounds like it will soon be dead.
Probably right at the end of a big storm, when you absolutely must move snow.

I have a 2 year old battery from my Ranger, just need to put it in. We had 1/2 inch of snow up here today, then I was moving compost; on the hill I was really wishing that I had my chains on.