Golf Cart Battery Charging
As one would imagine, charging golf cart batteries is exceptionally important to their continued reliability and durability. Beyond simply keeping them clean and safe, there are many steps you can take to get the most for your money by keeping them performing at their best for longer. Some steps you can take to extend the life of your battery, ensure they perform at their highest level, and keep your home, business, and/or family safe include:
- New golf cart batteries require 20-50 cycles before they reach peak performance and capacity, so limit use during this time.
- Fully charge new batteries before initial use, and charge the golf cart battery after each use. New batteries may require up to four hours more charging time than batteries that have been in use, and they may have less capacity.
- If batteries fall to 20% discharged, charge them as soon as possible. Never allow batteries to become more than 80% discharged, as this can cause severe damage.
- If a battery is dead, be sure to fully charge it before use again to increase its lifespan. If a dead battery does not trigger an automatic charger, try a non-auto charger and check to see if the voltage has increased after an hour. Just because it doesn’t trigger the automatic one doesn’t mean it’s dead forever.
- Keep battery cables and connectors intact and tight at all times, and regularly inspect them to make sure they’re kept in good shape.
- Use the proper chargers for your golf cart batteries. Improper chargers can damage the batteries, resulting in poor performance and shorter lifespans.
- If you use more than one battery, replace batteries with ones of the same size, usage level, and age as the existing batteries in the system. If necessary, replace all batteries rather than adding one incongruent one. Never put a brand new battery into a system that has gone through 50 or more cycles.
- Check and maintain the water level of your battery.
- Charge in a well-ventilated environment.
- Keep charging golf cart batteries away from sparks, flames, and other potential fire hazards
- Be sure all vent caps are fully tightened before charging.
- Avoid over-charging the battery, as it can reduce the life of the battery as well as the water in the battery to breakdown and heat to build up.
- On the other side, avoid under-charging the battery, as this can result in stratification.
- If your battery is frozen or above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, do not charge it. Heat is especially important to consider during a Florida summer, when temperatures in an un-air-conditioned environment can quickly skyrocket.
- Accommodate for the changing needs of your golf cart batteries as they age. For example, older batteries must be watered more frequently, and they may also require more time to charge fully.
To learn more about the benefits of a consistently and properly charged golf cart battery, as well as general information on batteries and golf carts, call or e-mail Fairway Golf Carts today.
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