Not eggzakly boolit related, but

[Goatwhiskers]

Something I do know but can't remember. Why does a golf cart use 8 6volt batteries for a 48volt machine as opposed to 4 12volt batteries? Been bugging me all afternoon. Thankfully don't need any right now. Bought one of the 4wd types secondhand to use here on the place, hope I don't live to regret it. GW

[DCP]

6 volt deep cycle was the industry standard for decades. Club Car popularized the 8v battery in the 1990’s as a solution to get a more powerful car in essentially the same configuration.

Club Car commissioned Trojan Battery Company to make the 8v batteries specifically for then new 48v DS model electric golf cars. The higher voltage over the 36v systems allowed for a faster spinning motor that offered better hill climbing ability and greater throttle response. But each 6v battery weighs 62 lbs, so two more would have somewhat diminished the efficiency of the vehicle. So, By switching to 8v Club car avoided the addition 162 lbs, while still increasing performance. Also, despite having the same number of cells as a battery pack consisting of 8 6v batteries, the 6 8v system cost much less due to needing fewer components and assembly steps. No frame redesign was needed because the batteries were the same size , shape, and number, and the cars looked and operated very similarly to the familiar units already on the market.

A decade later Club Car used large 4 large 12v deep cycle batteries in their Precedent model cars. They expected the same improvements, but the cost savings was not great in the long run. In any of the aforementioned designs, a whole battery must be replaced when any cell within it fails. So, the fewer cells per battery, the lower the cost (generally) of replacing an individual battery. The 12v batteries in those cars currently cost $225 each, and have a noticeably higher cell failure rate over the life of the battery than do the 8v or 6v batteries from the same manufacturer (the best in the market).

https://www.quora.com/Why-do-electric-golf-cars-use-6-8-volt-batteries-instead-of-4-12-volt

[rancher1913]

mostly it has to do with weight, a 12 volt the size of 2 of the 6 volts would take a real he man to remove/install.

[Three44s]

mostly it has to do with weight, a 12 volt the size of 2 of the 6 volts would take a real he man to remove/install.

I can appreciate that ...... if I ever had any He Man ...... it’s been gone ..... long gone for a very long time!

Three44s

[farmerjim]

You can use 4 12 volt deep cycle batteries, but your mileage on a charge will be less.
I don't have far to go here so it saved me a bunch of money to go with the 12 volt when the batteries needed replacing.

Happy Thanksgiving

[jsizemore]

Those big deep cycle batteries are heck to get in and out. I've converted a couple to more "economical" big box store deep cycle batteries. The rack and clamp system for the batteries takes some finagiling. They don't run as long and the number of charge cycles TENDS to be less. On the plus side, you'll have a battery for your trolling motor or sprayer if you forget yours at the house when you head to the lake or hunt club.