Battery question-golf cart

[tprice]

Not exactly a "marine" battery but it is an electronic question

We have a golf cart and last night while the Admiral and I were cruising the neighborhood when I push the accelerator to the floor the headlights go dim.

I figured it is a bad connection so I proceed to clean the cables and wires on the batteries.

Well you know what happens when you get in a hurry to finish something simple, as I was tightening the negative side nut the wrench slipped out of my hand and dropped on to the post on the other side of the battery. LOT of sparks and such and wouldn't you know it the wrench actually slide right down on the post and a small fire started, I quickly found something to knock it off and everything was ok. Wrench was red hot.

My question is what else could this have damaged electronic wise or battery wise. I have not tried to run the golf cart and it was in the tow/charge position(no charger was not hooked up to it at the time).

also found out it takes a while for that damn wrench to cool off too

[thataway]

Probably no damage to any electronics on the Golf cart, but there is a possibility that the Golf Cart battery was damaged. Check the voltage with a digital volt meter. Put the charger on it, moniter the voltage, and check the battery and charger to be sure it doesn't get too hot. (I would use an IR therometer if you have one). If it accepts a charge and the voltage is normal, you are good to go.l If the voltage is very low, and the charger heats up--with high voltage, or low voltage (limits 15 volts/11 volts) then stop the charging, and chuck the battery.

[tprice]

Thanks, I will check it out in the am, never seen that happen before-new it was possible but never had it happen.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by tprice

.........

I figured it is a bad connection so I proceed to clean the cables and wires on the batteries.

Well you know what happens when you get in a hurry to finish something simple, as I was tightening the negative side nut the wrench slipped out of my hand and dropped on to the post on the other side of the battery. LOT of sparks and such and wouldn't you know it the wrench actually slide right down on the post and a small fire started, I quickly found something to knock it off and everything was ok. Wrench was red hot.

My question is what else could this have damaged electronic wise or battery wise. I have not tried to run the golf cart and it was in the tow/charge position(no charger was not hooked up to it at the time).

also found out it takes a while for that damn wrench to cool off too

The wrench could have actually welded itself to the battery terminals.

A while back, West Marine had battery wrenches with an insulating section in the middle (two different ends connected by a plastic handle) designed specifically to avoid what happened to you.

There's probably no damage to the cart but you may have damaged the battery. Just recharge it and see how it works.

[pbr streetgang]

wow. good thing thr battery didn't explode. next time just put a folded up rag over the other terminal



.

[tprice]

Originally Posted by pbr streetgang

wow. good thing thr battery didn't explode. next time just put a folded up rag over the other terminal



.

Thanks, you know how it is when you try to do something very simple and then get in a hurry but that is a good idea

[sandyda]

At red hot the wrench may have been hot enough to melt the battery lug, but you can file that back into shape. Be careful to cover the other lug, files also make good conductors, but they may shatter if you drop a red hot one in cold water!