Golf Cart Battery Life

[northern]

QUESTION How long do they last?

We have ten 6 volt golf cart batteries and use them for house power to run all 120 volt outlets including ice maker and fridge through a 2600 watt inverter. We live on the boat 3 to 4 months a year mostly on the hook. Batteries are charged once a day with a generator for 2 hours. The batteries were new in mid 2006 and seem to still deliver good power. I use distilled water and they use 1 gallon (total for all batteries) of water twice a year.

 

[tobnpr]

That's a serious house bank setup. I can't answer your question, but I do know that battery life is related to number of discharge cycles, how far they're pulled down before recharging, and the quality of the charger (regulating the charging cycle).

Does the gen run a charger, or do you have a high-output alternator on the gen that charges the bank?

Either way, at nearly four years- you must be doing something right!

 

[Mr Salt]

I have gone to number of marine electric course and every one says that golf cart batteries are the best for a deep cycle application. The inference is they hold more amperage and last longer. A typical marine deep cycle battery lasts 5 years therefore golf cart ones should last 6-7 years.

 

[northern]

Tobnpr
The 2600 watt inverter is also a charger. It puts out 140 AMPS at 12 volts. The low volt shut off for the inverter is 11 volts and we manage to get there about 10 times a year. The ice maker takes lots of power. When charging they get back to 12.8 volts. Only when we have shore power do they go through the full charge cycle and get to 14.7 volt on the 3 phase charger probably once every 3 weeks. That charge takes 10 hours.
Mr Salt
Thanks for the info on expected life.