ASK THE MECHANIC

A: The biggest culprit of poor range are the condition of the batteries. You should check your charger to make sure you are getting the proper voltage output as well. There are many choices in higher amp hour lead acid batteries for range but the best option to get the most miles is by going with a lithium setup. There is also the option of replacing a DC controller/motor for an AC system. The AC (alternating current) technology is a far more efficient way to transfer power thus producing longer distances between charges.

A: Deep cycle batteries don't like when they are discharged excessively and therefore will not have the range that they once had. However you can try to charge each individual battery with an automotive style charger to get them back to a state to where the charger will kick back on and effectively charge the pack correctly. Be sure to not fill the batteries with distilled water until they are fully charged. You may get good results by replacing some of the electrolyte inside the battery with new as well. If the batteries have bulges on the terminals or a swelled case its best to trade them in for new ones.

A: It depends on what charger you have. The most popular Delta-Q chargers usually have pre-set algorithms in the logic board and charge profiles can be changed when specific batteries are replaced. However, some do not have these extra algorithms and are set to only one from the manufacture. Check with support.deltaq.com for information on what algorithm numbers are for your specific batteries and also how to change them. Other brands like the Lester chargers have the ability to be used with lead acid, AGM and lithium and can intelligently auto-sense what battery you have. Typically you will have to buy a new charger though and usually the manufacture of the lithium battery will offer the compatible charger to go with the setup you choose.