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Golf Cart Batteries: Tip for Optimal Battery Performance
Picture this: It’s a beautiful day on the course and you’ve just birdied the tough 15th hole—the furthest hole from the clubhouse. Pleased with yourself, you hop in your golf cart for the short victory ride to the 16th hole, and wouldn’t you know it, your cart is dead and you have to walk back, creating a dismal end to what should have been a glorious day. Breakdowns of these types are very common on golf courses throughout the country, but according to golf cart maintenance experts, these collapses can often be avoided with proper maintenance of your golf cart batteries.
Despite what many people may think, golf cart batteries are not maintenance-free accessories, but they are crucial to the overall operation and optimal performance of the golf cart. Taking the time to care for these batteries can help save you from scenarios like the one above, and will ensure that every day on the golf course is one to be remembered—for all the right reasons.
Maintaining Golf Cart Batteries: What You Will Need
Before you begin any type of battery maintenance, there are certain things you will need, including some protective gear. Experts say that when working with batteries you should first remove all your jewelry if applicable, and always wear corrosion-proof gloves and goggles. Batteries contain acid that can spill, and that acid can be very dangerous when you come in contact with it. Aside from protective gear, you will also need the following:
- A wrench the same size as the nuts on the battery terminals or an adjustable wrench.
- A bottle of distilled water.
- A voltmeter—for measuring the electrical current.
- Hydrometer—for measuring the electrolyte concentration.
- A battery post cleaner or wire brush.
- Vaseline.
- Baking soda.
Maintaining Golf Cart Batteries
Electric golf carts are usually powered by 6 lead-acid batteries that should be checked regularly for cracks, corrosion, dirt and other substances. The tops and sides of the batteries should be cleaned at least once a week (or once a month depending on use) using a half and half solution of baking soda and water. The clamps and the terminals should also be inspected for dirt and corrosion, and can be cleaned using the post cleaner or the wire brush. Once the clamps are replaced and tightened firmly with your wrench, coat them with a thin layer of Vaseline to help prevent dirt or water buildup on the terminals.
The water levels in golf cart batteries should also be examined frequently. The key is to fill the battery with distilled water until all the plates are submerged (not all the way to the top), as this will keep the plates from being exposed to air, which can be potentially damaging to the battery. Keep in mind that batteries should only be filled after the cart has been fully charged.
Checking golf cart batteries regularly for cracks, dirt, corrosion and leaks, as well as keeping the water in the batteries at the recommended levels, will help to preserve the life of your batteries and reduce the likelihood of breakdowns.