Tips For Maintaining An Electric Golf Cart Battery
While you should take care of your golf cart’s battery no matter what type of cart you own, if you use an electric model, having a functioning battery is even more important. Furthermore, maintaining an electric golf cart’s battery often requires special considerations not present in gas-powered models. For these reasons, the experts at Graham Golf Cars have created this guide to maintaining your electric golf cart’s battery.
Safety Notice
It is important that you wear protective clothing, including gloves and goggles, whenever you do maintenance work on your cart’s battery. Newer models will often have a ‘Tow/Maintenance’ switch that you should turn off before you get to work.
Proper Charging
When you first get an electric golf cart, charge it to full and then ride it around a bit. Record how far you can get on a full charge. This number will be useful, as it gives you something to compare your battery’s later performance against. For the sake of battery health, try to avoid draining the battery all the way when possible.
Cleaning Battery Acid
When your electric golf cart’s battery charges, it releases hydrogen gas, water, and acid. These byproducts will settle on your cart’s components and damage them if not regularly cleaned. To clean your electric golf cart’s components, first shut all vent caps and cover all electric parts. Next, you should mix a tablespoon of baking soda into a cup of hot water. Apply the mixture to the terminals using an old toothbrush. Once the corrosion is removed, wash off the baking soda by spraying it with cool water and wiping the battery until it’s clean.
Adding Water
Electric golf cart batteries require both electrolytes and water to produce electricity. While too little water will cause the lead plates to be damaged by sulfation, too much water will cause the electrolytes to overflow. We recommend using a watering gun to get just the right amount of water. You should always use distilled water for your battery. As a final piece of advice, it is best to fill the water when the battery has been charged, as this will increase the electrolyte level.
Testing Battery
The occasional battery test will help make sure your electric golf cart’s battery is still in good working order. A hydrometer can be used to measure the density of electrolytes compared to the overall weight in each cell. A higher specific weight means a higher state of charge, indicating a denser electrolyte presence. As the battery is used, the cell discharges, and the weight of the electrolytes decreases. Occasionally checking on the specific weight will let you know if anything has gone wrong with your battery.
Using A Battery Gauge
If measuring your battery’s depth of discharge using a battery gauge isn’t a part of your regular maintenance routine, you should change that at once. If you do not, it can be almost impossible to know when your battery needs a recharge. Keep in mind that if your batteries are older, you may need to use a battery load tester to get an accurate reading.
Replacing Battery
When replacing your electric golf cart’s batteries, it is best to replace all of them at the same time. Since old batteries charge slower than new batteries, intermixing old and new will cause the newer batteries to be overcharged, shortening their overall lifespan. If your electric golf cart experiences repeated maintenance issues, it may be time for a battery replacement.
We here at Graham Golf Cars hope these steps allow you to get even more hours of enjoyment out of your electric golf cart. To view our selection of electric golf cart models, visit one of our five dealership locations throughout South Carolina, including Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Aynor, South Carolina; and Manning, South Carolina.