It can be challenging to determine the time required for a golf cart to charge fully. Usually, it takes from 3 to 8 hours depending upon the charger you use. If you are using an expensive heavy-duty charger, then you can make your golf cart up and running in only a few hours.

Certain factors determine how much time a battery needs to be fully charged. These factors may include cell capacity, usage, and many others.

The batteries that are used inside the golf carts are deep cycle batteries. They are designed in a way to provide continuous energy for prolonged usage. These can be recharged and discharged to be used again and again. Due to this, they are used in various other machines and devices as well.

All this was an overview because you should know about the component you are about to work on. Now, let’s get into the topic to understand how much time is required by your golf cart to show 100% reading.

How Much Time Does The Battery Take To Charge Fully?

The charging time highly depends on certain factors. If you are trying to charge a six-year-old battery, it will take more time than only a year old. But this is not the only thing that affects the charging time.

Typically a battery takes about 3 to 7 hours to charge completely. But while charging, you need to take care of a few parameters. These parameters are essential for increasing the efficiency and life of the battery or destroying it. You should always be careful while charging a battery.

The people who use golf carts usually charge their carts at night because they won’t wake up at night and ride. The batteries can have the full time to recharge and regain all of their lost power. But I have seen many people manually charging these batteries.

The only problem with it is that a human can make errors. There can be some days when you will overcharge the battery due to the lack of concentration. Due to this reason, automatic chargers were created that can easily detect the charge inside the battery. They cut the power so that the battery’s cell doesn’t get more electricity than recommended or required.

It takes at least 1 hour for the battery to charge from 0% to 50%. Then the battery takes up at least 2 hours to go from 50% to 80%. And then the last 20% take at least three houses to charge completely. If the battery requires more charge, you will have to wait for much longer to charge the battery entirely. But usually, you will see that it is charged within 3 to 7 hours maximum.

How To Plug In The Battery With The Charger

It is a rather tricky step. If you are not experienced, then it might cause a lot of issues for you. Not only will the battery be destroyed, but it can also physically damage you because it contains acid.

When you charge the battery, always put the red handle on the positive terminal and the black handle on the negative terminal. If you do it the other way, the battery may explode. I have experienced this happen to me. Your senses become negligible because of the blast, and the acid spreads all over the place, and it is a lot difficult to clean it up.

So when you are going to plug in the battery. Make sure you are doing it the right way. And if you are charging it manually, plug out the charger on time so it doesn’t have any adverse effects on the battery.

Factors That Affect The Charging Time

There are many constituents that directly and indirectly affect the battery life of the deep cycle battery. These factors can be:

1. The first thing that determines the charging time is the build quality of the battery. If it is from an expensive and well-known brand, then you can expect it to charge quicker. But if it is a cheap battery, you will have to wait for long hours to charge it completely. A 1-year-old battery will take less time as compared to a five years old battery.
2. The second thing that is involved in the charging time is the amount it is discharged. If your battery is 50% discharged, it will take less time than the one that is 80% discharged.
3. The last and most important thing is the quality of the charger you are using. If you are using a low-quality charger, it will take more time than a heavy-duty charger. You have to spend a few extra bucks on the charger so that your golf cart battery can be charged quickly and efficiently.

Three Ways to Maximize the battery life

If you have a golf cart, you should know how to maximize the golf cart’s battery life. For that purpose, I will let you know a few tips that you can follow to increase battery life. These are:

1. Always use distilled water in the battery. The normal water has ions and electrolytes that can damage acid plates inside the battery. Always check the water level too regularly, and whenever you think it’s low, fill it up to the mark.
2. Always charge the battery fully after usage. Don’t let it discharge completely. The discharge between 50 to 80% is considered good enough to enhance the life of the battery. Whenever you go for a ride, keep in mind the charging so that you can come back home on time with a 20% charge left in the battery.
3. You should buy an automatic charger for the battery. It automatically stops the power supply and saves your battery from being overcharged. It will also save up your time as you won’t have to sit and see when the battery is fully charged to take the plug out.

The Average Lifespan Of Your Golf Cart Battery

The average life span usually depends upon the company in which you are using the battery. Many batteries can last for 7 to 9 years but then again, multiple factors increase or decrease the battery life. If you are overcharging the battery regularly, then expect it to die even before three years.

You have to take extra care of these batteries if you want them to go on for several years. You can know if the battery is dying by visually watching the golf cart’s performance. But the old batteries require more time, even up to 10 hours, to completely charge. So it is advised to change it with a new one when you see that the golf cart lacks performance.

Total Miles A Golf Cart Can Go In One Charge

The distance in miles a golf cart can travel in one charge depends upon the battery being used inside that specific cart. Many golf carts can go up to 50 miles in a single charge, and many can only go up to 20 miles in a single charge.

It entirely depends upon the configuration of your battery. The higher the power, the more distance you can travel on it. But remember, recharge it after every ride to make sure you never run out of charge.

frequently asked questions

Q1: Should I charge the Golf cart after every day?

Ans: Yes, the experts think you should charge your golf cart every day even if you have used it for a couple of hours. It ensures that the battery is fully charged up and ready for the next ride. If you don’t use it someday, you don’t have to bother to charge it.

Q2: Are automatic chargers useful?

Ans: Yes. The automatic chargers can be beneficial for you. They automatically cut the power when the battery is fully charged, saving it from getting overheated and overcharged. It also increases the battery life of the golf cart.

Q3: Can I use a car battery for my Golf cart?

Ans: Not at all. The regular car batteries don’t get discharged the way a deep cycle battery does. The battery used in a golf cart is different than the one used in cars. So it is highly recommended that you don’t ever replace your golf cart battery with a car’s battery as it can cause several issues.

Conclusion

Are you satisfied with what you read above? Am sure you are. I tried my best to provide all the information I have gathered about golf cart batteries. I hope it’s enough, and now you know how long you should keep the charger on and, if possible, buy an automatic charger to increase the charging efficiency.

References:

• https://www.golfcartreport.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-charge-a-golf-cart/
• https://batterymanguide.com/how-long-to-charge-golf-cart-batteries/
• https://fivestargolfcars.com/amount-of-energy-to-charge-golf-cart/