Which Voltage of Battery to Choose

by Jeffrey
(Kamloops, BC)

What difference does battery size make...I mean, as in different voltages? I've seen 6 volt, 8 volt, and 12 volt batteries for sale, and is it merely a matter of preference as to which battery size to get, or are some of them better for different motor/controller configurations?


Hi, Jeffrey -

Did you really think I was gonna tell you size doesn't matter?

As a matter of fact, I noticed there's a relationship between voltage, range, and whether the system is AC or DC.

Here are my observations, for what they're worth:

6 volt golf cart batteries, like the T-105, last a long time, are cheap, and give good range...but they tend to be heavy. These are most commonly used in simple DC conversions.

8 volt golf cart batteries, like the T-875, are also most often used in DC conversions, and are best in situations where you need to lighten your load; they'll take a couple hundred pounds off your battery pack.

12 volt golf cart batteries, like the Optima yellow top, work best in those lovely AC conversions. I think because the rate of amp withdrawal is less with an AC system than just the semi-civilized, torque-happy muscle of a DC motor (but that's just my own impression, I can't show you the physics; ).

Regards,
Lynne