The time is now. I have an electric scooter, and I have some questions about charging issues. See details, please?

My husband used to repair electric golf carts and so it should be similar.

You would need to test the batteries under load, and that would tell you if the batteries are holding a charge. If you don’t have a battery tester maybe a neighbor does? That way at least you can check it for the free neighbor price. Anyone you know who is mechanical maybe?

My husband said it could show charging or charged if you have a state of charge meter, but the battery isn’t holding the charge.

Hope that helps.

Edit: If you want to talk to my husband I’ll message you my number in case I didn’t explain it to him correctly. He said he would really need to ask you some questions to know for sure your situation.

I know the batteries are not charging. However, there is a light on the scooter which comes on when it is charging. I don’t not know if it comes on if hooked to a power source, even if the batteries won’t take a charge. If it should come on even with batteries which can’t charge, then mine must have something else wrong too? Here. It is tough to explain, but easy while looking at it.
I think I boils down to, are dead batteries an open circuit? Is it possible for them to be so dead they can’t charge at all?

This is probably a clear cut case of just replace the batteries. When they are bad the charger can lie to you.

Are you capable of removing the batteries yourself?

There’s also the issue that I need to clear up. We’re not talking about a motor vehicle, but a “rascal” type device?

The batteries (Really? Plural?) can hold enough of a charge to not make the light come on but not enough of a charge for the charge to last any length of time. Also, the charging system is working or the light would come on.
You can check and make sure the cells are full of water and that the terminals are clean. But it sounds like you need (a) new battery/batteries.

I think a scooter probably has gel batteries, but I could be wrong.

It says gel on them, two.
12v 27Ah c/5
12v 32Ah c/20 is what it says on one battery. I didn’t take the picture. I don’t know if that means the battery fits two output types, or if one battery is not the same as the other?

Yes, it is the old lady has a bad hip type scooter. Some need one battery, some need two, and I’m finding out there is a huuuuuge variety out there.

It would get me to and from bus stops. That would give me so much power to do things on my own.
Finally I could go to Walmart and punch somebody in the tp aisle. Some of you must understand how important that is to me. ;-)

Are you able to disconnect and remove them yourself? I googled your batteries and from
pictures guess that they are typical automotive batteries. It’s the sort of fact that would save us playing 20 questions. Can you manage anything the size and weight of one of those? They’re tricky business for a fit adult man. You need someone to do you a solid & it should be someone who knows what they’re doing. Do you know any hot rodders, car enthusiasts, etc.? Meantime look up the scooter and determine what the PROPER batteries are for the machine. There is also the possibility that your charger is shot. Do you know someone with a charger? Ideally someone with a tester and charger?

Yeah, you’ll want a gel battery. The gel is more expensive but you don’t need to worry about maintaining it. The other kind you need to add water periodically. In your condition I would think you want maintenance free, although you should still get it maintained periodically like once a year probably. They’ll check the tires, cables, etc. Plus, I think you need to convert something when you switch from gel, I vaguely remember we had to buy an extra part to convert from water batteries to gel for our customers. Stick with the gel.

If you have trouble finding a repair person you can try the manufacturer directly, a medical supply place that sells scooters, or even ask your local supermarket who fixes their scooter shopping carts, and they might be able to help.

The batteries are very heavy, I don’t see how someone without the leverage of their entire body standing could lift them safely (without pulling a back muscle) although maybe some people with amazing upper body strength can.

First make sure the terminal connections are clean and tight.
If they are, it is possible to have a useless battery that still charges to the correct voltage which tricks the charger into thinking it is full. But, the battery actually has no energy storage capability.
You can plug it in and the full charge light will come on in a short time. lulling you into thinking it is ok. However, when you unplug it and put it under load.it’s dead. My riding mower battery did that to me.

If the terminal connections are clean you need to replace the battery.

In a perfect world, your stimulus package would be enough that you could repair your scooter and buy a little shed to store it in so it’s protected from the weather and vandals.

Oh, You also asked about the marking “12v 27Ah c/5 12v 32Ah c/20 ”

The 12V is the voltage. That is easy.
The 27Ah is a measure of the useful energy storage, (how much work can it do.) 27 Amp hours. C/5 meas it was tested to discharge in 5 hours. (A load that draws 5.4 amps).
In general if you discharge a battery slower it will have more useful energy 33 Ah C/20 means it was tested to discharge in 20 hours with a load that draws 1.6 amps. Under those conditions the battery has 32 Amp hours of useful energy.
The scooter will pull hard on the battery so the C/5 number is closer to reality.
Here is a nice description of battery ratings.

@LuckyGuy, very helpful read. I don’t understand all of it, but enough to know what questions to ask when I shop.
It got to the solar part, and my eyes glazed over. I was scrolling but it was like drifting down a slow river. I started noticing shapes in the clouds and forgot what I was there for, kinda.

The part about going slower makes it last longer really stood out for me though.
Thanks for the great help, @all. I think I am ready to move forward now.

@Patty_Melt I don’t think @LuckyGuy meant that you go slower. The less load you put on the battery, the longer the charge will last. If you always go downhill, if you could, the scooter wouldn’t draw as much power whereas if you were going uphill all the time the battery power wouldn’t last as long.