[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: (ET) batteries

I’ve used 3 flooded 12v (w fil caps) as a shop battery to move around.  
Kids used to drive around the acre property.
Didn’t kill any over a 6yr time frame.
I think the key was that they never saw a heavy draw.  No hills or 
accessories were used.
But you take your own chances.


I did use the original charger for short charges . You could play the math 
game of capacity ratio between 6 and 12v banks and guess at time frame.  
Better would be to monitor cell voltage. I switched to the little circuit 
card controller I got from someone in this group.  Had a red led and would 
limit the voltage to prevent boiling IIRC.

Was much easier for kiddos to steer.  No weight up front.

Have fun!

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 18, 2026, at 1:34 PM, JEFFREY ANTONUCCI via Elec-trak <elec-trak 
> cosmos phy tufts edu> wrote:
>
> I used Sams club deep cycle 12V batteries on a stock charger with good 
> results for restoring tractors and doing simple tasks.
>
>
>> On 02/18/2026 3:32 PM EST David Roden <etpost drmm net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> On 18 Feb 2026 at 19:30, Mike Finck via Elec-trak wrote:
>>>
>>> I am considering putting 3-12v automotive batteries in one of my show
>>> tractors
>>
>> If you mean SLI (starting) batteries, I wouldn't recommend it.  They 
>> can't
>> handle cyclic use.  Cheap marine batteries aren't all that much better.
>>
>> Good quality FLOODED TRUE DEEP CYCLE marine batteries would be OK for 
>> light
>> use, just moving the tractor around.  I'd suggest something like a US 
>> Battery
>> 27DC-XC2 or Trojan 27TMX.
>>
>> They won't last as long in cycle life as golf car batteries though.
>>
>> Don't try AGM or gel batteries unless you're ready to upgrade your 
>> charger.
>> That old GE blunderbuss charger will murder them.
>>
>> David Roden, EVDL moderator & general lackey
>>
>> To reach me, don't reply to this message; I won't get it.  Use my
>> offlist address here : http://evdl.org/help/index.html#supt
>>
>> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>>
>>     To the Germans in 1938, Hitler was saying the things that they 
>> wanted
>>     to hear. In the United States today, there are plenty of guys saying
>>     what Americans want to hear, and they're just as dangerous.
>>
>>                                                      -- Frank Zappa, 
>> 1986
>>
>> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Elec-trak mailing list
>> Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
>> https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elec-trak mailing list
> Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
> https://cosmos.phy.tufts.edu/mailman/listinfo/elec-trak