From campgrounds to communities, golf carts bring convenience to short-distance travel. But as the cold season approaches, you need to put your vehicle away to protect it from harsh weather. This care extends to individual components of the golf cart. If you neglect your batteries in the fall, the vehicle may fail to start when you need it the most. Here are some tips for maintaining golf cart batteries.
Charge Your Battery
Besides preserving battery capacity, charging your golf cart ensures it’s ready for use when you need it. The electrolyte might freeze, expand, and crack your battery case if temperatures are too low. This could cause leaks or even total battery failure. There are several precautions to take before charging your battery. For starters, ensure the charging area is well-ventilated. That’s because batteries release hydrogen while charging, increasing the risk of explosion. What’s more, smoking near charging lead acid batteries could cause fires.
Another measure is checking for loose terminals. Apart from increasing charging resistance, loose connections could result in terminal deformation and failure. Ordinarily, batteries should charge between 8 and 10 hours, depending on the manufacturer. Remember to disconnect the battery and activate TOW mode to maintain full capacity while in storage.
Cleaning
Because they’re prone to dust and grime, cleaning is a crucial part of maintaining golf cart batteries. Proper cleaning also removes corrosion from the terminals to boost battery performance. You could use a battery cleaner, but a water-baking soda solution also works fine. Although the mixture shouldn’t form a paste, it shouldn’t be too diluted either.
You can leave the solution on your terminals for around five minutes before scrubbing it off with a toothbrush. The next step is rinsing everything off using a hose and air drying the battery. Lastly, apply some terminal protector to minimize long-term corrosion.
Maintaining Golf Cart Batteries Through Watering
Depending on the frequency of your drives, you might have to water your batteries every one to two months. Otherwise, your battery plates might dry and affect the vehicle’s charging capacity. Your golf cart could even overheat.
Typically, each cell’s water line should stay over the lead element, approximately one inch to the top. However, don’t be tempted to overfill the batteries since it could dilute the electrolyte. Moreover, only use distilled water–tap water contains minerals that neutralize battery acid and reduce its capacity.
Care for the Entire Vehicle
Golf cart maintenance doesn’t stop at batteries. If you want a reliable vehicle, check your tires, brakes, and fluids. Likewise, watch out for any loose screws and cables. Do you need more advice on maintaining golf cart batteries? Contact us to discuss all things golf carts.