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Beginner's Guide to Golf Cart Battery Maintenance (with Checklist)

David Lee
David Lee
—
09/08/2024

No matter how impressive and high-performing the battery you purchased for your prized golf cart, everything will be put to waste if you neglect proper maintenance. Golf cart battery maintenance is indeed vital as it impacts both your cart’s overall performance and lifespan.

Golf cart batteries have a limited lifespan which is why regular maintenance is required to guarantee optimal performance all the time. Maintenance includes proper charging, watering, and occasional replacement, just like caring for your car.

If you’re a newbie and don’t know where to start, here’s a beginner’s guide on how to maintain golf cart batteries, plus related freebies you can enjoy. Let’s begin!

Before Anything Else—Know Your Golf Cart Batteries

If this is your first time working on golf cart batteries, Those who will conduct maintenance for their golf cart batteries but are doing this for the first time should first be oriented to what these batteries are. These batteries are unique from the rest of other types since they are designed for prolonged and sustained use, as well as for frequent discharging.

There are two basic types of golf cart batteries:

  • Lithium batteries: Rechargeable, these batteries use Li⁺ ions’ reversible intercalation into electronic solid conductors to store energy. Lithium golf cart batteries are half the weight of the other kind, lead-acid, so you can be sure your golf cart will run fast even while carrying a lithium battery.
  • Lead-acid batteries: On the other hand, this battery needs sulphuric acid and lead to function. They are also rechargeable.

lithium vs agm golf cart battery

LiTime 48V 30Ah GC2 Lithium Golf Cart Battery

Discharge depth, charging cycles, and environmental conditions affect the lifespan of your golf cart battery. Shallow battery discharges are better, while frequent charging cycles may decrease its capacity. Exposing your battery to extreme temperatures also degrades its performance.

How to Maintain Golf Cart Batteries (with Essential Checklist!)

When it comes to proper golf cart battery maintenance, there should be no margin for error as the performance and longevity of this investment of yours are what’s at stake here.

From assessing the battery to temperature management, allow our team to tell you how to carry this out.

If you’re ready to learn how to maintain golf cart batteries, here are some of the basics you should know.

1. Assess Your Battery

The first step is inspecting and assessing your golf cart battery. Above everything else, look for physical damage. Examine the containers for damage, distortions, or leaks. If you notice any of these, maybe it’s time for repair or replacement.

Lead-acid batteries last for a maximum of about six years, while it’s around a decade for lithium-ion batteries. Ensuring it performs at its peak involves tracking the duration in between charges and observing fluctuations in capacity through time, taking its lifespan into account.

2. Regular Cleaning and Inspection

Keeping your golf cart battery clean is vital so it completes its lifespan. The terminals may see debris and dirt, which lead to diminished power output and unfavorable connectivity. Grab your wire brush and damp cloth to wipe away the dirt.

Inspection is also crucial here. Cracks are seen in the casing, while leaks and corrosion usually happen around the battery’s terminals and cables. Keep an eye out for swelling or bulging, too. Also, make sure the battery tops are dry and thoroughly cleaned.

3. Maintain the Right Water Level

A dehydrated golf cart battery is a big no. Avoid driving your cart with a dehydrated battery so you won’t compromise your golf cart’s performance. Maintaining appropriate water levels ensures the right electrolyte balance. Too much or too little water leads to overheating, exposed plates, and poor capacity.

To address this, start by inspecting the water level. It must be just above the plates but still running beneath the lower part of the filler neck. Related reading: When and How to Add Water to My Golf Cart

When the level reaches low, add water until it fills up to the proper level. But, caution here, as you mustn’t add too much or too little water. If you do, electrolyte balance gets disrupted. In addition, be sure to add water after the battery is fully charged.

4. Proper Charging and Storage

As with your smartphone, using the wrong charger may break the device, which is the last thing you want to see. When charging your golf cart batteries, use only the charger that comes with it, or you’ll end up damaging the battery. Suggest reading: Can I Charge LiFePO4 Lithium Battery with A Normal Charger?

36v lithium golf cart battery

LiTime 36V 18A Lithium Golf Cart Battery Charger

Usually, the store where you bought the battery will provide a manual or instructions for proper charging. Be sure to follow them. In case you lost the manual, some brands like LiTime also have an active community where you can ask questions from fellow golfers. 

Also, avoid overcharging as this leads to excessive buildup of heat which is a nuisance as it can damage the battery and, in turn, its performance. 

It’s also important to consistently adhere to a regular charging schedule. If you use your golf cart often, charge its batteries after every use. Otherwise, the batteries must still be charged at least once a month. Overcharging and deep discharging can both shorten the lifespan of the battery.

Lastly, if not in use, keep it in a cool and dry place as storing it under extreme temperatures will surely damage it.

5. Avoid Deep Discharges

Let’s take a closer look at deep discharges. A deep discharge happens when the battery’s capacity has been fully exhausted. One major mistake that golf cart owners commit is never charging the battery anymore if the cart is not in use. Unlike cars, you wouldn’t always find yourself driving your golf cart.

But, deep discharges are detrimental to battery health. Never run the batteries to a low charge level.

Even if they’re not in use, it is highly recommended to charge them at least once per month. This won’t just prolong its life and ensure peak performance but also prevent sulfation, improve efficiency, and reduce your expenses.

6. Use a Battery Monitor

Like in automobiles, a battery monitor or indicator is your best bet to ensure you won’t fall into the trap of a deep discharge. This tool is essential for monitoring charge depletion and guaranteeing a timely recharging.

With a battery monitor, you have a “dashboard” where you can see the charge level. If it indicates the charging level at 20 to 30 percent, prepare to recharge. Don’t wait until the level reads zero percent.

7. Battery Temperature Management

Golf cart battery maintenance is also about the right battery temperature. Exposing it to extreme temperatures results in damage, as well as reduced performance and longevity.

If you won’t use your golf cart for several weeks or months, remove its battery, then keep it in a cool and dry area.

During warm months like summer, store the battery in a cool, shaded, and well-ventilated area to avoid overheating. On the other hand, how to maintain golf cart batteries in winter or in cold months involves storing them in a dry, insulated area with moderate temperature levels. This prevents freezing and condensation.

For a quick and easier way to keep track of your golf cart battery maintenance, create a routine list you can use for yourself or your business.

Troubleshooting Common Golf Cart Battery Issues

As a new golf cart owner, it’s crucial to be aware of the most common issues you’ll come across on golf cart batteries. Learning how to troubleshoot them is key to keeping them in perfect shape and function. The most common issues are:

1. Reduced Battery Life

Wrong maintenance routines, deep discharging, and environmental factors all lead to a battery lifespan that’s seemingly been cut short. To resolve this, watch out for corrosion or sulfation.

Hydrate your battery to the right water level and charge it regularly. You should also keep an eye out for physical damage or leaks, as well as keep its cables and terminals spick and span and store it in the right place.

2. Slow Performance

If you remove the battery from charging before charging levels at 100 percent and if you insist on using old batteries, slow performance occurs.

To troubleshoot this, you can use a battery gauge to keep you guided on the battery level. Before the level comes down to zero, you should already prepare the battery for charging.

Troubleshooting slow performance also entails regular inspection and cleaning of terminals and cables. Old batteries must be replaced.

3. Battery Not Charging

You know something isn’t right when your golf cart battery isn’t charging. The battery may not be charging due to faulty connections, a malfunctioning charge, or worse, a dead battery. Fortunately, there are ways to mend this issue.

First, inspect and clean the terminals and connections from instances of corrosion. Inspect the cables and fuses, too, for any sign of damage.

If the battery is still not charging, test your charger to ensure it is working correctly.

If the issue persists, perhaps you may need to verify the charging level and condition. The last resort is to actually replace the battery.

4. Battery Swelling

A swollen golf cart battery is among the tell-tale signs it’s been overcharged, exposed to extreme heat, and holds some internal damage. There is no way a swollen battery can return to its original shape. Thus, the best and perhaps the only route to take here is to replace and purchase a new battery.

5 Helpful Tips to Extend Golf Cart Battery Life

tips to extend golf cart battery life

Here are some hacks to further extend the life of your golf cart battery:

  • Fully discharging your battery is a deep discharge, so you must avoid this to lengthen its lifespan.
  • A voltmeter is another must-have accessory for golf cart battery maintenance. Using this ensures the voltage is within the right range.
  • A faulty charger leads to battery damage, so you should always make sure your charger is properly working.
  • Sometimes, your battery’s lifespan will also be impacted if the cart is loaded heavier than its capacity.
  • Lastly, never mix old and new batteries to prevent uneven discharge rates and decreased performance.

Keep Your Golf Cart Battery in Top Shape

A responsible owner is behind a best-performing golf cart. Behind an efficient cart is a well-maintained battery.

Keep in mind that it doesn’t end with just purchasing and installing the battery. It will also be about proper maintenance. We encourage you to follow the checklist we provided earlier and don’t hesitate to seek professional help if necessary.

But, you really don’t need to stress yourself with the nooks and crannies of maintenance if you choose to have the right type of golf cart battery!

Lithium batteries require minimal to no maintenance at all, unlike lead-acid batteries. If you’re looking for a reliable lithium-ion golf cart battery, check out LiTime lithium-ion batteries.

LiTime is the leading provider of not just high-quality and affordable energy solutions, but also sustainable products that won’t harm the environment. We help our consumers optimize their energy usage and storage in the most cost-efficient and eco-friendly ways possible.

Learn more about LiTime and our energy solutions! Check out how you can power up your golf cart, RVs, vehicles, and off-grid setups, among others. Join our active online community to find fellow golfers and other automotive enthusiasts.

David Lee
David Lee
David Lee is a renewable energy consultant with global experience in off-grid systems and battery applications, especially in golf carts. A graduate of the University of Sydney, he shares insights on sustainability through his writing.

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