Don't forget the batteries.

[ltlvt]

Not the best place for this discussion but I wanted to remind people to check the water level in their automobile batteries. I have just recently replaced the battery n one of my trucks and in my 2003 GMC Envoy. I decided to check the water level in the batteries in my 36-volt Golf Cart today. All 3 batteries were bone dry. It took over 1 1/2 gallons of distilled water to fill them. I paid $900 dollars for these battery's a year ago and sure would be disappointed if one went bad. I use a cane and a walker and my Golf cart is my lifeline to my shop about 100 feet from my house. I will be checking the batteries in my other trucks this afternoon when it cools off . Heat destroys batteries and some will crap out when it is Hotter than Hell or Colder than a womans Heart. So this is just a friendly reminder to do so.

 

[markba633csi]

Batteries need tlc, for sure
Distilled water is getting more expensive too, since the pandemic
I have pitcher plants so I buy it regularly

 

[ltlvt]

Batteries need tlc, for sure
Distilled water is getting more expensive too, since the pandemic
I have pitcher plants so I buy it regularly

I use it regularly also. I must sleep with a BiPap machine and that is a firm MUST. I pay about 99 cents a gallon for it at my local grocery store. It is well worth my money because tap water here is saturated with minerals and will build up scale on anything it touches. What are Pitcher Plants?

 

[markba633csi]

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants like Venus flytraps only they "drown" their prey in a long tube-like leaf with downward pointing hairs
There's two main kinds- I only have one type, one of them came from the Texas gulf coast area
I also have sundews which are like sticky flypaper- I'll see if I have a picture: I've had them for about a year- they like nice, fat, houseflies
the best- wasps can chew thru them and escape sometimes

I move them when I use the barbeque- they don't like smoke
In winter I bring them indoors under lights

 

[RJSakowski]

Water from a dehumidifier is essentially distilled water. I am generating more than a gallon each day from June through September. (At 11:30PM, the outside temperature is 81ºF and the relative humidity is 92%) I collect several gallons each summer to meet my needs for the year. The one caveat is that vapors like WD40 will also condense so it would be wise to not save the condensate if you have been using WD40 recently. The same goes for other volatiles like acetone, mineral spirits, or lacquer thinner.

 

[RJSakowski]

A year old lead acid battery should not be down a half gallon of water. I would check the charging system for too high a voltage. Overcharging will boil the water out of a battery. I like to charge my 12 volt deep cycle batteries at 14 volts. When the charge current at 14 volts reaches zero milliamps, I stop charging but 14 volts is a safe maintenance charge. As I recall, current automotive charging systems are regulated at about 14 volts.

My old 50 hp Mariner outboard didn't have a regulated charging system. On one particular trip in Canada, I started out on a 50 mile trip witha fully charged battery. Running 2 hrs. at w.o.t., destroyed the battery. I installed a voltage regulator when I returned home.

 

[Firstram]

A year old lead acid battery should not be down a half gallon of water. I would check the charging system for too high a voltage. Overcharging will boil the water out of a battery. I like to charge my 12 volt deep cycle batteries at 14 volts. When the charge current at 14 volts reaches zero milliamps, I stop charging but 14 volts is a safe maintenance charge. As I recall, current automotive charging systems are regulated at about 14 volts.

My old 50 hp Mariner outboard didn't have a regulated charging system. On one particular trip in Canada, I started out on a 50 mile trip witha fully charged battery. Running 2 hrs. at w.o.t., destroyed the battery. I installed a voltage regulator when I returned home.

A golf cart that's used daily needs the batteries topped up monthly, it's just the nature of the beast!

 

[projectnut]

Not the best place for this discussion but I wanted to remind people to check the water level in their automobile batteries. I have just recently replaced the battery n one of my trucks and in my 2003 GMC Envoy. I decided to check the water level in the batteries in my 36-volt Golf Cart today. All 3 batteries were bone dry. It took over 1 1/2 gallons of distilled water to fill them. I paid $900 dollars for these battery's a year ago and sure would be disappointed if one went bad. I use a cane and a walker and my Golf cart is my lifeline to my shop about 100 feet from my house. I will be checking the batteries in my other trucks this afternoon when it cools off . Heat destroys batteries and some will crap out when it is Hotter than Hell or Colder than a womans Heart. So this is just a friendly reminder to do so.

Back in 2000 I purchased a JD 445 garden tractor. When it was delivered the salesperson went through all the operating procedures and lightly touched on the needed maintenance. I asked about the battery and was told it didn't need any maintenance since it was maintenance free.

I used the tractor for over 6 years and performed all the necessary maintenance per the recommended schedule. Late in the 6th year I went to start it and it was deader than a door nail. I removed the Grille and necessary panels to find it actually had a flooded wet cell battery. The battery was bone dry. I filled it with distilled water just to see what would happen. After a slow charge I gave it a try. Much to my surprise it started. It lasted another 2 years before it finally gave up the ship.

In over 23 years it's still on its 3rd battery. The last 2 have been the maintenance free variety from Battery's Plus.

 

[wayback machine]

Batteries need tlc, for sure
Distilled water is getting more expensive too, since the pandemic
I have pitcher plants so I buy it regularly

Since our well has fairly hard water (7.8 pH), we have a water softener for domestic use, BUT we also have a RO system for drinking water.
This will theoretically produce 100 gallons per day of zero tds water, but I've never tried to measure it's full output.
I've used it for batteries, and anything else you'd need distilled water for, with no problems.

Anyway, most of the time, we have enough rain water for OUR pitcher plants (several hundred), but sometimes need to supplement with the RO.
You have a nice little assortment there, even at least one sundew :~)
Make sure you try to give the Sarracenias a cool / cold dormant period - They do better if you do that.

 

[tq60]

Do not use the standard charger!

Standard charger is intended to restore a charge fast for a cart that is used a lot on a course.

Amazon has 5 Amp chargers that go into float for not much money.

Works well with ours.

Float or trickle charge is usually 13.5 vdc for a 12 volt jar.

14 will ruin it in float.

Charge current in float max is 0.1% of 8 hour rate.

Golf batteries usually 150 to 250 Amp hrs, so 0.25 amps is all that is needed after full charge.

If using standard charger, do NOT use VRLA batteries and only charge when needed.

Do add a voltmeter to your unit so you know when to charge.

They make panel meters for trolling motors, these are 12 volts, work fine for this, connect hot to key with one fuse, connect the minus side at the minus side of the battery 12 volts below thetop via a fuse.



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