Dumb Battery Question

[dmullen]

Sorry for my ignorance but I'm new at this and I have to learn!

Should my two 6-volt golf cart batteries stayed wired together all the time? Right now they are just sitting in the garage in their battery boxes wired together. I do know that when my Battery Minder comes in they will of course have to be wired together. Sorry, just don't want to mess anything up.

[BCooke]

Only when you are using them, or charging if you are charging with 12v. Storage is ok to disconnect.

[RickO]

Ditto. I think you have a handle on it. No need to have them connected while stored unless you're charging them... but I don't think it hurts anything if they are connected.

Rick

[dmullen]

Thanks guys! I'm gonna get this stuff down pat. Love this forum!

One more...to check the water I just shine a flashlight inside the battery and make sure the water is above the plates? I see inside? I do know I use distilled water.

[RickO]

Yep, distilled water always kept above the plates. You can still add a good bit of buffer after the plates are covered and before it gets so full that it begins to fill the "neck" of the cell. Don't overfill. Keep all connections very clean when you hook things back up.

Rick

[wa8yxm]

I like to keep the fluid level BELOW (like 1/8 inch) the neck.

One way to think of these things is like this:
When wired together in series they are ONE BIG 12 volt battery (roughly an 8-d)

When you lift them out, they are of course six volt batteries (half the weight of the 8-D) Which for most folks is a big difference.

If you plan on hooking up a battery minder.. Hook 'em back in series.