Golf carts are convenient and often essential for large properties and farming operations. However, to reap all of the benefits of your electric golf cart, you’ll need to take care of your battery. At Golf Cart Guy Gap PA, we have electric golf carts for sale in PA and are here to educate you on extending the life of your battery!
Why Golf Cart Battery Life is Important
There are a few reasons why you should take care of your golf cart battery, but most importantly it’s to prevent damage. if you don’t care for your battery properly, you can permanently damage it and require a replacement.
Don’t Let the Battery Die
When extending the battery life of your cart, one of the things you want to avoid is driving your cart until the battery dies. It’s also a bad idea to allow the cart to sit without charging until the battery is low. Ideally, you shouldn’t let the battery drop below 80%. Of course, this isn’t always practical, but definitely avoid allowing it to drop below 20%.
Avoid Overcharging
Most batteries today will stop charging when your battery is full. If you have an older charger that doesn’t shut off automatically, you’ll want to unplug it once it’s fully charged.
Don’t Leave the Lights On
It can be tempting to leave your lights or radio on even after your golf cart is parked. However, this is not good for your battery. If you aren’t driving your golf cart, you should shut off your lights and radio to avoid unnecessary stress on your battery.
Avoid Overtaxing the Cart
This is where the quality of your battery comes into play. An industrial battery will hold up to stress much better than an inexpensive one. When properly cared for, a good battery can last 5-7 years.
It’s best to avoid driving the golf cart for long periods, or up steep hills. You should also avoid exceeding the weight limit on the cart.
Don’t Overfill With Water
You’ll need to add water to your battery occasionally. Don’t let the water level in the battery level get too low. This can effectively kill the battery. However, adding too much water can also damage the battery.
You’ll want the water level to be 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the plates. You should always use distilled water. Tap water has impurities that can conduct electricity, affecting the way your battery works.
Avoid Corrosion and Dirt Build Up
It’s important to keep your battery clean. Corrosion can quickly shorten battery life. Just like tap water, dirt and debris can be conductive, which will damage your battery.
You can remove corrosion with baking soda and water. Once the terminals are clean, use petroleum jelly to help prevent corrosion.
Don’t Half Charge Your Battery
You don’t want to overcharge your battery. However, you do want to charge the battery fully at each charge. When you don’t charge the battery fully, the battery can begin to “remember” this. Essentially, the battery loses the capacity to charge completely when this occurs. You should also charge the battery often. Ideally, after every use.
Electric Golf Carts at Golf Cart Guy Gap PA
If you are looking for golf carts for sale in York, PA, contact us at Golf Cart Guy Gap PA. We have a variety of golf carts available. Our love for carts make us the perfect place to shop for your next model.
