Should I Leave My Golf Cart Plugged In All The Time When Not Using?
Golf carts have become an essential mode of transportation in many communities, golf courses, and recreational areas. As a golf cart owner, one of the common questions that arise is whether it's advisable to leave the cart plugged in all the time when not using.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the benefits and potential drawbacks of leaving your golf cart plugged in continuously, helping you make an informed decision about the best practices for maintaining your golf cart's battery.
Table of Content
Summary First
It is generally safe to leave your golf cart plugged in overnight, especially with a modern charger that automatically shuts off when the batteries are fully charged. However, it’s important to verify the specifications of your charger and battery type. Leaving a lead-acid battery plugged in for extended periods can cause damage, while lithium-ion batteries are usually safe to leave plugged in continuously without affecting the battery life.
For added safety, it’s recommended to unplug the charger when not in use.
Understanding How Golf Cart Batteries Work
Golf carts generally utilize either lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries. Lead-acid batteries necessitate regular maintenance, such as checking water levels and preventing deep discharges. In contrast, lithium-ion batteries require less upkeep.
Both types of batteries have a certain number of charge cycles before they degrade. Understanding how your battery works and how to maintain it properly can extend its lifespan and prevent costly replacements.
Lead Acid Golf Cart Battery
For decades, deep-cycle flooded lead-acid batteries have been the most economical option for powering electric golf carts. These batteries are designed to provide a steady amount of current over extended periods, making them ideal for the use of golf carts.
Maintenance is crucial for lead-acid batteries. Owners should regularly check and maintain water levels to ensure optimal performance. Additionally, it's important to avoid deeply discharging these batteries, as this can lead to sulfation—an irreversible condition that reduces capacity.
Despite their maintenance requirements, lead-acid batteries are widely used due to their affordability and reliability. They also offer a high discharge rate, which can be advantageous for short bursts of power when needed.
Lithium-Ion Golf Cart Battery
Lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly popular due to their low maintenance needs and longer lifespan. These batteries are lighter and more energy-dense than lead-acid counterparts, allowing for greater efficiency and range.
One of the key advantages of lithium-ion batteries is their ability to handle deeper depth of discharge rate without damage. This feature allows users to charge their carts less frequently without the concern of harming the battery. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries typically come with integrated management systems - BMS that monitor performance and help prolong life.
While they come at a higher initial cost, the long-term savings from reduced maintenance and replacement frequency often make lithium-ion batteries a worthwhile investment for golf cart owners.
Recommendations from Golf Cart Manufacturers
The debate over whether to leave your golf cart plugged in has left many owners perplexed, particularly due to conflicting advice from different manufacturers.
- EZ-GO: EZ-GO suggests using their automatic chargers, which automatically turn off when the battery is fully charged. This allows for safe prolonged charging. For long-term storage, however, they recommend unplugging the cart and checking the charge level periodically.
- Club Car: Club Car encourages owners to keep their carts plugged in if they are using a smart charger, as this helps prevent battery discharge. They also advise regular checks of water levels in lead-acid batteries.
- Yamaha: Yamaha recommends unplugging the charger once the battery reaches full charge, particularly if the cart will remain unused for an extended period. They stress the importance of periodic recharging to ensure battery longevity.
Given this confusion, it's essential to clarify the best course of action regarding the charging of your golf cart.
The Case for Keeping Your Golf Cart Plugged In
Firstly, batteries experience a gradual self-discharge even when not in use, known as "standby loss." The rate of discharge varies depending on the battery type and storage conditions. For example, a traditional lead-acid battery can lose 20% of its charge per month when idle.
Additionally, letting the battery regularly drain to a low level, known as deep discharge cycling, can shorten its lifespan. This process stresses the battery, leading to "capacity fade," where the battery's ability to hold a charge diminishes over time.
Given these considerations, many experts recommend keeping your golf cart plugged in when not in use to maintain a healthy charge.
Reasons to Avoid Leaving Your Golf Cart Plugged In
As golf cart owners, the temptation to keep our carts plugged in continuously for constant readiness is understandable. However, there are compelling reasons why this practice may not be ideal. Extended periods of charging can have detrimental effects.
Firstly, it's detrimental to the battery. Constant full charging accelerates battery degradation, leading to more frequent replacements. When a battery is consistently kept at full charge, it undergoes "cell polarization," causing the battery cells to deteriorate, ultimately reducing overall capacity.
Moreover, continuous plugging often leads to the tripping of the circuit breaker, indicating a malfunction in the battery's auto switch-off function. This compels the charger to continuously supply electricity to the battery, resulting in overcharging and degradation.
Furthermore, leaving your golf cart plugged in all the time can also impact the charger itself, reducing its efficiency over time and prolonging the charging process.
If extended periods of plugging are unavoidable, it's advisable to periodically unplug the cart to give the battery a respite.
In conclusion, while the temptation to keep your golf cart plugged in continuously is understandable, it's important to consider the potential negative impacts on the battery and the charging system. Periodically unplugging the cart can help mitigate these issues and prolong the overall lifespan of the battery and charger.
Better Solutions to Maintain Golf Cart Battery
As we mentioned before, one important reason to plugged in the battery is the self-discharge rate. Lead Acid battery’s average self-discharge rate is 20% per month. Luckily, there’s one new-technology type battery popular in the market now, lithium.
Lithium batteries have gained popularity due to their lower self-discharge rate compared to traditional lead-acid batteries. On average, lithium batteries have a self-discharge rate of only around 1-3% per month, significantly lower than that of lead-acid batteries.
This means that lithium batteries can hold their charge for longer periods without the need for frequent recharging, making them an attractive option for golf cart owners. Below is the comparison of lead acid and lithium battery self-discharge rate from LiTime labotory, we can easily see the stability of lithium batteries.
In addition to their lower self-discharge rate, lithium batteries offer other advantages such as longer lifespan, lighter weight, and faster charging times. While the upfront cost of lithium batteries is higher than that of lead-acid batteries, their overall cost-effectiveness over the long term, combined with their superior performance, makes them a compelling choice for those looking to upgrade their golf cart's battery system.
1. Golf Cart Battery Storage in Off-Season
If you intend to store your golf cart during the winter months, it's crucial to consider the impact on the battery. Many golf cart owners mistakenly think that leaving their cart plugged in will prevent the battery from discharging. However, this can be risky; if the charger doesn't cycle properly, it may lead to overcharging, which can damage the battery.
To ensure optimal maintenance of SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) batteries, it's best to store them as close to 100% State of Charge (SoC) as possible. This helps prevent sulfation, which can lead to the formation of sulfate crystals on the lead plates and reduce battery capacity.
In contrast, lithium batteries should be stored at around 50% SoC to maintain stability, for long-term storage, it's suggested that recharge the battery every 3 months.
Always keep the batteries in a cool, dry environment, away from extreme temperatures. Regularly check their charge and recharge them as necessary to prevent sulfation and support their overall health during prolonged periods of inactivity.
Related reading: How Many Ah Batteries Do I Need for Golf Cart
The reduced need for frequent recharging and the overall improved performance make lithium batteries an appealing alternative for golf cart owners looking to optimize their battery maintenance and usage.
2. Mind the Temperature
Acoording to Battery University, the lead acid batteries can be charged at–20°C to 50°C (–4°F to 122°F), and discharge at –20°C to 50°C (–4°F to 122°F).
Below is the Lithium battery's working temperature range.
| Specification | Temperature Range |
|---|---|
| Charge Temperature | 0℃ to 50℃ / 32℉ to 122℉ |
| Discharge Temperature | -20℃ to 60℃ / -4℉ to 140℉ |
| Storage Temperature | -10℃ to 50℃ / 14℉ to 122℉ |
3. Using Lithium Battery Charger
Using a lithium golf cart battery charger, also known as a smart charger, offers several benefits when it comes to maintaining and prolonging the lifespan of lithium batteries. These chargers are specifically designed to cater to the unique charging requirements of lithium batteries, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Realted reading: Can I Charge LiFePO4 Lithium Battery with a Normal Charger?
One of the key benefits of using a lithium golf cart battery charger is its ability to provide precise and controlled charging. Smart chargers are equipped with advanced charging algorithms and sophisticated monitoring systems that allow them to deliver the right amount of charge to the battery, preventing overcharging and undercharging—both of which can significantly impact the overall health and lifespan of the battery.
Watch the video to learn how to charge lithium golf cart battery!
Additionally, lithium battery chargers often incorporate features such as temperature monitoring and voltage regulation, which further contribute to the safe and efficient charging of lithium batteries. These features help protect the battery from potential damage caused by extreme temperatures and voltage fluctuations, ensuring that the battery is charged in a manner that maximizes its longevity and performance
With the smart charger's built-in protection, it’s ok to leave the battery charger plugged in overnight, but when the battery is fully charged it’s still recommended to unplugged it and store properly when not using.
Conclusion
Upgrading to a golf cart battery with a lower self-discharge rate, such as a lithium battery, can eliminate the frustrating issues often experienced during battery charging. By opting for a battery with enhanced features like reduced self-discharge, golf cart owners can enjoy a more reliable and efficient power source, ultimately enhancing their overall experience on the course.
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