If you want to extend the life of your golf car, you need to take care of it! Golf car battery maintenance is crucial for getting the best performance out of your golf car, and making it last. Here are eight tips to ensure you get the most performance out of your golf car batteries.
#1: Keep Your Batteries Clean and Tight
Use a bristle brush and a solution of baking soda and water to clean your golf car’s batteries––make sure you protect your eyes with proper eye protection. To clean the cables, you can use an anti-corrosive spray to prevent corrosion and rust. The more regularly you clean them, the harder it is for gunk to build up.
#2: Use a High Quality Battery Charger
Running your golf car batteries on a low charge reduces their lifespan, and strains the electrical components of your golf car. To help your golf car batteries last as long as possible, you need a high-quality charger. A good rule of thumb is to charge your golf car overnight (if necessary, see tip #5)—that way, your batteries are almost always full and ready for a full day of fun or work.
#3: Don’t Overfill Battery Cells
Fill your golf car battery cells with distilled water so the water level is ⅛” BELOW the vent well. You want to ensure the lead plates are completely covered but do not overfill the batteries.
#4: Use Golf Car Batteries Frequently
Every 45 to 60 days, do a refresh charge––this helps rejuvenate and strengthen your batteries. If you live in a hot climate, make sure you refresh your batteries more frequently. If you use a golf car battery with an advanced storage mode feature, you’ll get an automatic refresh charge as long as the charger is plugged into the golf car.
#5: Don’t Overcharge Your Batteries
Leaving your golf car charging for longer than necessary can damage the battery and weaken its overall performance. If your golf car is new to you, it might take some time to get a feel for how long it takes to charge. After a while, though, you’ll be able to plan your charging ahead of time so it’s always ready to go. If you use an automatic golf car charger, you don’t have to worry about this.
#6: Don’t Discharge Your Batteries Beyond an 80% Discharge
For the integrity of your battery, we recommend that you discharge your batteries between 50-80%, and never beyond 80%.
#7: Don’t Charge Frozen Batteries
No matter the battery type, it’s never a good idea to charge frozen batteries. Doing this can not only destroy your golf car battery, but can also be dangerous. If you live in a colder climate, consider keeping your golf car in a garage or shed, or postponing any golf car plans if temperatures get too low outside.
#8: Check Water Levels Regularly and Fill As Needed
Golf car batteries contain sulfuric acid and electrolytes. Because of this, in higher temperatures, the water inside of the battery will evaporate, leaving the plates exposed. If the plates are exposed for too long, they will start to dry out and flake off—this is called sulfation. When this happens, you can no longer recharge your battery. Make sure you keep an eye on your water levels and refill as needed to prevent damage to your battery.
Golf car batteries should last you at least 5 to 6 years. If you find that your battery is getting sluggish, it might be time for a new set of batteries.
Your golf car batteries play an important role in the upkeep and performance of your golf car. Is your golf car not running the way it used to? We have a team of experts ready to help you! Contact us today for more information.