Hi everybody!Quick question for you today.I'm building a campervan conversion out of a Ford E250 high top van.I'm new to all of this and it's my second year of building this thing (part time)I live in canada but I order a lot of equipment online in the USA and I have it delivered near the border then I go down to get it.I did that a couple of times now and I saved a lot of money (even if the exchange rate is not good for us)Most of the equipment is just sitting there in my garage with my campervan waiting for installation.Among the equipment, I have two 6 volt GC2 golf cart acid batteries that I bought at Sam's club in July (summer 2016)https://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-golf-car-battery-group-size-gc2/prod3590228.ipI wanted to know if it's ok to leave them there until I hook them up? or do I need to put a trickle charger/smart charger on them?My garage is not heated but it is connected to the rest of the house so it's around 50deg F most of the time, the coldest it will get is around 40deg F.Thanks for any advice!

Yes, you need to charge them and keep them charged. They probably were not fully charged when you bought them and they have been sulfating ever since.

beemerphile1 wrote:...they have been sulfating ever since.I'm guessing that's a bad thing :S but how bad? Did I damage them in a way that they will have less cycle life?

Yes, they have lost some capacity.Batteries self discharge, and they have shelf lives.They self discharge more with age, and with higher temperatures.YOu should fully charge them and then Ideally perform an Equalization charge, if the cells do not all read 1.275+ on a Hydrometer.Equipment and processes for doing this have been discussed in depth dozens of times on this forum.I have a freind who once purchased high$$ AGM batteries and never put them into use. Years later, he kept muttering they were brand new and never used, yet the voltmeter and charging sources proved theses new batteries were sulfated and worth only their weight in lead.Sadly this did not prevent him from repeating the unwise decision, and I go there with my charger every month and top them up, but they are now over 2 years old. 800$ worth of top quality battery wasting away, slowly. They'd be near useless if I did not top them up regularly. they are due now.

I'm on my way to buy a Hydrometer, I checked the forum and I'll be going with this hydrometer instead of the cheaper but more fragile glass model, is this a good choice?https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/USE62230

Not in my opinion. I have one of those and could not get the same reading twice.I like the OTC4619https://www.amazon.com/OTC-4619-Professional-Battery-Hydrometer/dp/B0050SFVHOJust do not throuw out the packaging and store it in there and Fragility is not an issue.

Golf cart batteries vs storage vs charging?? | Good Sam Community

landyacht318
Explorer
Feb 23, 2017
Not in my opinion. I have one of those and could not get the same reading twice.

I like the OTC4619

https://www.amazon.com/OTC-4619-Professional-Battery-Hydrometer/dp/B0050SFVHO

Just do not throuw out the packaging and store it in there and Fragility is not an issue.
evy
Explorer
Feb 23, 2017
I'm on my way to buy a Hydrometer, I checked the forum and I'll be going with this hydrometer instead of the cheaper but more fragile glass model, is this a good choice?

https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/USE62230
landyacht318
Explorer
Feb 23, 2017
Yes, they have lost some capacity.

Batteries self discharge, and they have shelf lives.

They self discharge more with age, and with higher temperatures.

YOu should fully charge them and then Ideally perform an Equalization charge, if the cells do not all read 1.275+ on a Hydrometer.

Equipment and processes for doing this have been discussed in depth dozens of times on this forum.

I have a freind who once purchased high$$ AGM batteries and never put them into use. Years later, he kept muttering they were brand new and never used, yet the voltmeter and charging sources proved theses new batteries were sulfated and worth only their weight in lead.

Sadly this did not prevent him from repeating the unwise decision, and I go there with my charger every month and top them up, but they are now over 2 years old. 800$ worth of top quality battery wasting away, slowly. They'd be near useless if I did not top them up regularly. they are due now.
evy
Explorer
Feb 23, 2017
beemerphile1 wrote:
...they have been sulfating ever since.

I'm guessing that's a bad thing :S but how bad? Did I damage them in a way that they will have less cycle life?
beemerphile1
Explorer
Feb 23, 2017
Yes, you need to charge them and keep them charged. They probably were not fully charged when you bought them and they have been sulfating ever since.

Forum Discussion

Golf cart batteries vs storage vs charging??

About Technical Issues

Related Content

Charging Battery in storage

Battery charging

Battery charging

battery charging

Battery charge versus remaining usable charge