Battery Terminology
At Summit Battery, we understand that not everyone is an electrical engineer. Here is a guide intended to inform you of all the "technical" wording regarding batteries.
Ampere hours or Amp Hours (AH)
Amp Hours (AH) - AH is like the SIZE of the gasoline tank in your car. **Note: Not referring to how much gas is in the car, just how big the tank is. I.E 20 Gallons, 40 Gallons.
The more (AH) = the bigger your "electric tank" which results in longer range for your golf cart.
Ampere or Amps (A)
Amps (A) - Defines current / energy flow, maximum or minimum, that the battery can handle.
Stock carts typically request 100-150A from the battery. Upgraded controllers and motors can sometimes request 600A+ from the battery. Summit Lithium Batteries can handle up to 600A for 10 seconds.
Battery Management System (BMS)
BMS - Internal computer in lithium batteries which control many aspects of the battery. This computer protects the battery from getting damaged due to numerous things including : Over-Discharge, Over-Voltage, Under-Voltage, High Temperatures, Low Temperatures & more.
**When a BMS shuts down, it is typically to protect the lithium cells from getting damaged.**
Charge Current
Charge Current - The amount of charging current in Amps (A) that the battery can handle .
* Charge current will tell you how long it will take to charge your battery 20A charger / 100AH battery = 5 Hours to charge from 0-100%
Discharge Current
Discharge Current - The maximum / continuous rate of discharge the battery can handle before damage.
*Summit Batteries are high-performance, 600A rated lithium batteries. Guaranteed to work with motor / controller upgrades.