[dday]

Hi there all.

Ok last week I picked up a Geo Metro that had been converted over to electric. Got it for a very reasonable price. It has 6, 12 volt group 27 deep cycles in it. They charged it up the night before I picked it up and then I drove it about 2 miles to work. Where I left it for the night and I too plugged it in to charge.

I brought my truck to work with trailer to bring the Geo home. I found a loose connection on one of the batteries and tightened it back up. I took it for a spin around the block not more than 2 miles and parked it until after work. Then loaded it up and brought it home. I live 3 mile from town and was told by the previous owner that it would go about 15 miles on a charge. So I headed off to town to get a extra key made. Thinking I had about 10-12 miles left on the charge.

I hot foot it to town, checking it out and seeing what it will do. Make it to town no problem. Park at the hardware store and get the key made. Maybe 10 minutes.

Then jump back in and head for home. Small incline getting out of town but then its a slight decline out of town to home.

I notice that I am not doing so well and can only get it to pull 100 amps I am maybe doing 20 mph I make it to the top of the small incline and break over the top. I am on the down hill run now but am still loosing speed. I stop at a parking lot and give the car a rest. I looked for an outlet but none to be found. I let it sit for about 10 minutes or so and check the voltage it was back up closer to 80 volts so I head out things are good but then I am back to 100 amp max and dropping. I don't want to hurt the batteries so I pull over in an empty field and park well off the road. About 3/4 mile from home.

I hike over to home and grab the EU2000 gen and head back to the car. Give it a 20 min charge and get it back to home. I charge it up Next day I take it to town again. This time with the gen in the back just in case.

I make it to town this time i try not to pull more than 200 amps on the way in and then get mail and head home I make it to home but just make it, and its only going 20 mph and slowing down by the time I get here.

I put it in the shop and check everything. Pull all the cables and clean and check each one. Found a loose threaded post on one of the batterys. So I got a clamp on threaded post (as the batteries have both threaded and regular posts. I charge it up and take it for a run this time full on and checking it again. This time I get 6.2 mile on it before it starts to slow down.

I checked the batteries after charging all night and they were reading with in 12.75 and 12.98. I forgot to check before I plugged it back in but I will check to see what they are falling to. I know the volt gauge in the car under load was dropping down to about 65 volt.

Shouldn't I be getting more miles out of a charge than that?

I am charging the batteries now and will run a load check on them when they are charged. Take it for a drive and then read voltage again.