How Often Should I Charge My Golf Cart Batteries?

If you play golf, traveling on the golf cart is part of your golf routine because it can transport the golfers across the golf field. An average golf cart can carry two people at once. However, bigger golf carts are also available in the market to transport more than two people across the field at the same time.

Most golf carts run electrically charged batteries, also known as rechargeable batteries. There is a possibility that if you own a golf cart, you have been told several things about how much you and how often you should charge it.

Some might have said that you should charge it every time you use it, while others may tell you you should do it after it has been used a certain number of times. By now, you are likely to be wondering who is correct about this charging fiasco.

Information regarding charging the batteries

If you are not familiar with how much and when you should charge your golf cart batteries, ask questions when you buy it or after you buy it.

Retailers who sell golf carts would be the best people to go to with any golf cart-related question. The reason behind this is that they have accurate information about it, and they are able to give you the most appropriate and accurate answer.

Besides asking a golf cart seller regarding how much you should charge your golf cart batteries, you can also look it up on the internet. Many sites provide you with great detail of when you should charge your batteries and even ways to extend those batteries’ lives as much as possible.

You can find golf cart sellers’ websites where there will be tons of information to answer all your golf cart battery-related questions. It will provide the knowledge regarding the battery for your golf cart when you refer to that.

When to charge those batteries?

On average, it is suggested that a person should charge the batteries of their golf carts after every use. It sounds like a hassle for many as charging it after every use is irritating. However, anyone who wants to increase their golf cart batteries’ lives should charge them every time the cart is used.

Extending the life of golf cart batteries

Golf cart batteries are expensive and not something one can buy regularly. For this reason, it is essential to take good care of them to ensure that they have a long life. Some tips you can use that will ensure your golf cart batteries last you as long as possible.

• Invest in good quality batteries

Everyone knows that a high-quality product will last much longer than a cheap product but of low quality. Golf carts are expensive; therefore, taking good care of them is crucial. Doing this includes buying batteries of superior quality to ensure both the batteries and the golf cart’s long life.

• Good quality charger

Imagine you have the latest iPhone that has been launched in the market. Apple has stopped adding the adapter for charging, but instead, you only get the charging pin now. Now imagine you plugin the said charging cable to a low-quality adapter.  The most predictable thing to happen is that the adopter will explode and may even harm your device in the process.

The same thing applies to golf cart battery chargers. When you use a low-quality charger, you are putting those batteries at risk of exploding and therefore ruining the batteries in the process. If it causes a blast, it could cause injuries to the people standing nearby. Therefore, using a high-quality charger is your best option.  

• Water Levels

You must keep checks on the battery’s water level. Because if it is running on low water, it could malfunction and affect the golf cart’s performance, or the golf cart might not work at all. If the battery lacks the required amount of water or has too much water, it could affect its performance and reduce its life.

• Voltage while charging

We have all heard how low or high voltage can adversely affect devices such as refrigerators, air conditioners, etcetera. Similarly, suppose a golf cart’s battery is being charged when the voltage is too high or too low. In that case, it could negatively impact the battery’s life.

• Guide

When buying a golf cart battery, try to choose one with a guide so that you can refer to it whenever necessary. Doing this will help you take good care of the battery in ways that would ensure longer life of the battery than it would have if you did not know how to take care of it correctly.

If a battery does not come with a guide, make sure to research well about how you can take care of it to make it last longer. Ask questions, read up about the battery online, or do anything else that will ensure that you can take care of it well.

When the battery is not performing well

Owning a golf cart means that you may have experienced a malfunctioning battery. In these situations, it is highly likely it is not the battery at fault but the charger. What should one do in these situations, you may ask? Here is what you can do if you believe your golf cart battery is not working well.

• Charger check

When you notice that the golf cart’s battery is not performing up to the mark, i.e., the battery drains faster or takes longer to charge. The first thing anyone has to do is to inspect the charger or get it checked.

You can check the charger either by referring to a guide if there is one that came with the battery or can get it checked by a professional or a charger shop. Once you are particular about the fact that there are no issues with the charger, you can move to the next step.

• Battery check

If your battery is not working as it should, but the charging is working fine, the next thing you should do is get your battery checked. Battery check is best done by a professional because they will spot any technical problems, if there are any, and offer you a solution to resolve the issue.

Usually, there is an issue with the battery. If that is repairable, there is no need to spend money buying a new one. There are other steps to follow if your battery is doing fine, but problems usually get resolved at this stage.

• Voltage check

If the battery is doing fine, too, you might want to take a look at the voltage. As mentioned earlier, sometimes, due to high or low voltage, the battery cannot charge properly, causing issues and not working. Upon checking the charger and the battery and finding out that there are no problems, checking the voltage should be the next thing on your list.

• Water check

If you were not already aware of this, golf cart batteries require water to run. They store some water and keep using it until they run out, after which more water has to be put in the battery to ensure that it works well.

If you are facing battery issues, it could be because of the lack of water in it. Before you inspect the battery for any further problems, make sure to check the water level.

Once all the steps mentioned above are followed, or even one of them is followed. There are chances available that your battery will either start working like it was before, or you will find out if it needs to be replaced.

Conclusion

Owning a golf cart means a lot of responsibility since you have to maintain it, especially the battery. Any issue can lead to bigger problems if not resolved; therefore, you should be mindful of ensuring that everything is fine.

Golf carts are usually once in a lifetime purchase, and it is an excellent investment for someone who plays golf and has their field where the golf cart can be used.

When purchasing a battery for a golf cart, you must do the market research before getting your hands on any battery. While it might not seem like a difficult task to accomplish, getting the battery and installing it in your cart, you should keep in mind some essential things.

The essential things that should be kept in mind include the correct voltage compatible with your golf cart. Whether or not the battery you want to purchase is even in your budget or not.

Remember, an expensive battery doesn’t need to also be of good quality. So a close inspection and good advice will help you make the right decision regarding your golf cart’s battery. It is best if you are mindful that these things are not bought every day, and the purchase you make at that time will be utilized for a long time.

References:

• https://www.golf-carts-etc.com/charging-deep-cycle-batteries.html
• https://everythingwhat.com/how-often-should-i-charge-my-golf-cart-batteries
• https://northeastbattery.com/tips-golf-cart-batteries-last-long/