Larry,

I ruined four golf cart T105's last summer by overcharging them. I
have a Balmar alternator and MH612 regulator. This regulator has a
separate wire that goes to the common positive input to my batery
combiner, and is the 12vdc reference voltage for the regulator. The
lead has an in-line fuse which corroded at one contact, interrupting the
12vdc reference signal to the regulator, and it then went open field to
17v!! We eventually smelled the hydrogen being produced..and awful tangy
smell that is unmistakeable. The plates of the battry actually warped
accordian fashion, and my capacity went from around 100aH (to 12.0v)
down to 35 aH before 12.0v. So replaced them, and the reference leads
fuse assembly. Balmar provided a replacement holder that is much
better, and sealed too.

But they did overcharge a couple times (the symptom came and went due
to vibration giving a good connection sometimes, and a bad one
occasionally. I found it only by chance) causing their being ruined.

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Lake Superior

Larry wrote:

"Roger Long" wrote in news:geKQf.8326$Da7.1067
@twister.nyroc.rr.com:


If a long run under
power with a crude voltage regulator overcharges the wet cells, they
will tolerate it better.


I've never seen a working "crude regulator" overcharge any lead batteries.
The only thing the batteries care about is 14.2V. They'll take care of the
rest (charging current) quite nicely by themselves.

I know what you mean about battery position on Endeavours. The 35' has a
little battery box under the port quarter berth wedged up under the beer
cooler that protrudes into the tiny space under the port cockpit seat. I
used to have to lay on my belly and slide into the berth backwards, after
removing the bedding and pad, then lay there with my face close to the
batteries where I could get blasted in the face if anything happened while
I was looking at the electrolyte level. We moved the house batteries into
the locker under the starboard cockpit seat in a custom box Cap'n Geoffrey
built in his wood shop. At least you didn't have to have your face into
the cell to see it. Of course, you got to unload the locker to get to the
box...(c;