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how do golf cart smart chargers work

by Zachariah Pollich Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Golf cart battery chargers are designed to be automatic so that they turn on by themselves when it’s time for the batteries to get charged. Similarly, they turn off on their own when the batteries are fully charged.

To put it simply, battery chargers are exactly what you would expect them to be. They are the life source to the cart. Most chargers work by feeding electric current through a battery, in hopes that the cells inside will hold the energy that just passed through it.Mar 9, 2021

Full Answer

How does a golf cart Charger work?

The plug on your golf cart charger needs to make connection with the holes/leads within the receptacle on your golf cart in order to kick on. The charger needs to be connected to battery voltage. Even if you connect up a volt-meter to the charger, it will not give off any voltage.

Why buy an auto shut-off Charger for your golf cart?

This is why purchasing an auto shut-off charger is key. After your ride, you can plug your golf cart batteries in while parked, and the charger will shut off once the batteries are fully charged. Batteries are discharging as soon as they are unplugged, so keeping them unplugged for extended periods of time can damage the overall lifespan.

Can you use a portable battery charger on a golf cart?

These portable battery chargers are great for riding around and plugging in anywhere when your juice is running low. These chargers can be great additions to your custom golf cart, but they can be tedious to install, and may cost you more than a typical off-board charger.

How do you charge an electric golf cart with a generator?

Replace the engine of your electric golf cart with a gas engine that has a generator fitted on it. The generator can charge the batteries that supply the power to an electric motor responsible for moving the cart.

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What is a smart charger for a golf cart?

Smart maintainers for 48 volt batteries keep golf cart and marine batteries sufficiently powered, and they can also provide charging power for gel cell batteries. You'll also find 48v battery chargers for restoration purposes, designed to remove the sulfation built up on lead plates.

How does an automatic golf cart charger work?

All automatic chargers are designed to charge your batteries until they are fully charged and then stop charging. So you do not need to manually shut off the charger or worry about overcharging your batteries.

How does an intelligent battery charger work?

An intelligent charger may monitor the battery's voltage, temperature or time under charge to determine the optimum charge current and to terminate charging. For Ni-Cd and NiMH batteries, the voltage across the battery increases slowly during the charging process, until the battery is fully charged.

Can you leave golf cart charger plugged in all the time?

Manufacturers suggest leaving your golf cart plugged in all of the time while using an auto battery charger, as it will keep the batteries fully charged and always available. If batteries are not charged for prolonged storage, they may damage over time and deliver less capacity.

Are all golf cart chargers automatic?

Golf cart battery chargers for electric golf cars fall into two basic types; Automatic (newer) and Not-Automatic (older). Most of these basic charger types have an ammeter on the front to show the number of amperes being provided to the battery pack. Otherwise they are very different.

Can you overcharge golf cart batteries?

Overcharging your golf cart batteries may damage them. It is best to use an automatic charger that turns itself off when a battery is fully charged. Some older models lack this important feature. If you must use a manual charger, don't forget to turn it off.

Can you leave a smart charger on all the time?

Can I leave the charger connected to the battery for a long time? Yes. CTEK chargers are designed to fully charge a battery and then automatically switch over to long term maintenance. Before leaving the charger unattended for a long time, ensure that the battery is fully charged, as indicated by the green LED.

What is intelligent charger?

Keeping up with their names, intelligent chargers can detect when your battery is fully charged. Using battery temperature or voltage as the parameter, intelligent chargers get to know when the battery is 80% charged, so that they can switch to trickle charge to maintain the charged status of the battery.

Is it better to charge a battery at 2 amps or 10 amps?

You would use 10 amperes on a car battery and 2 ampere on whatever small batteries you might want to charge that still use the same voltage. For example, a motorcycle battery could use the 2 ampere charging option.

How do you know when your golf cart is fully charged?

1:574:02How Do I Read My Golf Cart Charger? | ASK DAVE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMost will flash or blink during charging and present a solid green light when finished.MoreMost will flash or blink during charging and present a solid green light when finished.

Is it OK to charge a golf cart overnight?

Charge your batteries for 8 to 10 hours with the proper style of golf cart battery charger. The best practice is to charge overnight after you are done using your cart for the day. Even if you only used the cart for 5 minutes, you'll want to give the golf cart batteries a good charge.

How often should you fill golf cart batteries with water?

The typical schedule is about once every 30 days, but this may vary by several days depending on your specific situation. When filling the batteries, add just enough water to bring it 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch shy of the indicator ring to prevent overfilling.

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How does a golf cart battery charger work?

They are the life source to the cart. Most chargers work by feeding electric current through a battery, in hopes that the cells inside will hold the energy that just passed through it.

How to keep battery charger running?

Cleanliness is an obvious tip to keep that charger running for a long time. Make sure your charging plugs are always clean of dust, and that your charger is stored in a dry area. The last thing you want is your battery charger sitting in a pool of water in your garage.

What voltage do you need for a charger?

Your charger will need the right voltage and plug to match your battery. Each battery runs off a certain amount of voltage. You want to choose a charger that matches this voltage. For example, if you cart has a 24-voltage then you need a charger that is meant for 24 volts. In addition, make sure your charger has the right plug to fit your cart.

What is an off board charger?

Off-board chargers are essentially portable chargers for your golf cart batteries. A charger sitting in your garage plugged into the wall would be considered an off-board charger. These particular chargers are the most common chargers used when refilling the juice in your golf cart.

Why do batteries have fluids on top?

Fluids on the top of your batteries could mean that your batteries are over filled. If that’s the case, you’ll want to remove some of the water from the over-filled compartments.

Can you overcharge a golf cart battery?

One of the problems is that you can potentially overcharge your battery which can lead to a ruined or damaged battery. Overcharging is probably the worst thing you can do to your golf cart batteries. When you continue to pump current into a battery that is fully charged, that energy has to go somewhere.

Can you take a golf cart charger off the board?

It is possible to take your on-board charger and convert it to an off-board charger. All you need is a DC plug adaptor and you can set your on-board charger up in your garage. This can create more space in the golf cart, and potentially add longer life to your charger.

What wires are needed to charge a golf cart?

Only the red and black wires are needed to completely charge the golf cart. The blue wire is an optional safety wire. If hooked up to the motor controller it will not allow you drive the golf cart while charging it. Think about being at the gas pump and driving off with the pump still in the car.

Why is my golf cart battery charger not working?

Bad connections will cause any battery charger to not function properly. After you've charged up your batteries and checked every connection and you are still having issues, it's probably safe to say you've got a golf cart battery charger problem and may need to service it or buy a new one.

What is an OBC on a club car?

When you plug the charger into your Club Car, the OBC will tell the battery charger when to start and stop charging based on the voltage levels in your batteries.

What voltage do you need for a 36V golf cart?

You must match volts to volts. A 36V cart requires a 36 volt golf cart charger. A 48V cart requires a 48 volt golf cart charger. You can burn up your batteries if you do not charge with the proper voltage.

Why is my golf cart charging red?

Occasionally a red fault light on a golf cart charger can mean that the batteries do not have enough voltage in them to allow the charger to kick on (see Charging Dead Golf Cart Batteries above).

How many volts does a golf cart battery need?

An automatic golf cart battery charger needs a minimal amount of voltage in the golf cart battery to even start working. They need somewhere in the range of 20-35 volts in the batteries to allow the chargers to know that they are connected up to batteries and to kick on.

Why is my charger making a clicking noise?

If the charger makes a loud clicking noise, this is likely a battery charger issue.

How to choose a golf cart battery charger?

How to Choose the Best golf Cart Battery Charger. You must choose a battery charger according to the voltage of your cart to prevent the possibility of damage to your batteries. Check the charging receptacle of your golf cart and select your charger accordingly.

How many volts does a golf cart charger have?

There are about 8 different types of charger plugs that you can find across various golf cart models. While some of plugs are exclusively for either 36 volts or 48 volts carts, others will work with both voltages.

How many volts should a wet cell battery be charged to?

A typical wet-cell lead-acid battery should be charged to about 14+ volts. Some manufacturers allow their batteries to support a maximum charging voltage of 14.3 volts. A sealed battery like a gel battery must generally not be charged beyond 14.1 volts. You may want to check whether the manufacturer offers a variation.

How to charge a deep cycle golf cart battery?

The following tips give an insight into the effective charging of a deep-cycle battery. Charge the deep-cycle battery fully between two consecutive uses of the golf cart. The battery must complete at least one full cycle before use. Check the water level periodically.

What is the power of a golf cart generator?

The generator can charge the batteries that supply the power to an electric motor responsible for moving the cart. The 48 volts system in a golf cart usually features an onboard computer (OBC) that controls the battery pack charging process and restricts the charging when the cart is moving.

Why does my golf cart go into tow mode?

Your golf cart usually runs in tow mode when it does not have enough power to get moving on its own. One reason may be that the batteries are old and do not have the same power as new ones. If this happens with new batteries, the most likely reason is that they don’t have enough charge.

How long does it take for a 5 year old battery to charge?

On the other hand, a 5 year old battery may take up to 10 hours to fully charge. With a good charger, you should be able to get your cart on the move with a few hours of charging. The charging time depends on various factors and following the right steps can help you get the best out of your battery.

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