Full Answer
What happens when a golf cart battery quits?
Obviously, for electric golf carts, the battery is what provides power to your motor. If your batteries start to quit on you, the golf cart won’t move, or will drastically decrease in range. With a gas motor, the battery is what starts the motor and keeps it running by providing electricity to the spark plugs. Without it, your motor won’t crank.
What happens if the battery charger is connected backwards?
The current to the battery charger will burn out component inside the charger. A battery can explode when the cables are hooked up backwards. Anyone standing near the battery when it explodes could be seriously injured.
How to revive a dead battery in a golf cart?
Try something like BatteryPete’s Corrosion Preventive! Depending on the Year, Make and Model or the golf cart you own will determine the best or fastest way to revive your golf cart batteries when completely dead. See some basic examples below that will cover most major makes and models..
Why won’t my 48 volt golf cart battery charger charge?
As a result, golf cart battery chargers for 48 volt Club Cars need a working OBC to get them to start charging. So, it is possible that your OBC is malfunctioning and it is not the golf cart charger. Again, this is only for 48 volt Club Car golf carts (Not for Yamaha or EZGO golf carts).
Can a golf cart battery reverse polarity?
The fact of the matter is, a lead acid battery cannot reverse its own polarity without an external stimulus. It is just not possible.
What happens if you put battery in backwards?
1:2213:40Battery Backwards Damage and Fix - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can see where it makes ground right there there's that bolt right here. But it grounds too. AndMoreYou can see where it makes ground right there there's that bolt right here. But it grounds too. And if you follow it further down this bolt also grounds to the transmission.
How should golf cart batteries be hooked up?
The main positive lead for the battery bank coming from the frame of the cart will connect to the positive terminal of the first battery in the bank. Then, connect a cable from the negative terminal of the first battery to the positive terminal of the subsequent battery in the bank.
Can you mix and match golf cart batteries?
Can You Mix Batteries From Different Brands? Just as it's not recommended to combine older and newer batteries on your golf cart, you should also stick to using batteries produced by the same manufacturer. The batteries should also have the same expiration date and be same size.
What will happen if I connect the battery terminals the wrong way round?
Some electrical components broke However, if the battery in backward position, current will flow from the ground. That means the current will pass through the circuit, then enter the fuse. So that the large amount of current went through the circuit even in a short time. It could burn some of the electronic components.
What happens if the positive terminal touches metal?
So when a “piece of metal” touched the positive post—-that piece had to be connected to ground. You thus functionally “shorted out” the battery, if not corrected, this will damage the battery and could cause a fire.
How do you hook up 12 volt batteries in a golf cart?
1:193:39Using 12v Batteries in a 48v Golf Cart, instead of 8 / 6 volt ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then positive to negative positive to negative positive to negative and then positive to theMoreAnd then positive to negative positive to negative positive to negative and then positive to the motor and by hooking them up in series you simply add up the volts.
Can I put 12 volt batteries in my golf cart?
Can You Use Regular Car Batteries in a Golf Cart? The short answer is yes. Standard car batteries are 12-volts, and you could connect three or four of them in series to provide the required 36 or 48 volts to your golf cart motor. However, the design of car batteries provides a huge surge of current for short periods.
Can you use 3 12 volt batteries on a 36 volt golf cart?
If you have a 36-volt golf cart that runs on six 6-volt batteries, you can replace them with three 12-volt batteries, which often are easier to find.
Can you replace just one battery on a golf cart?
Let's discuss in detail. When it comes to changing the golf cart batteries, technically, you can change just one at a time. However, this is not advisable as it can cause permanent damage to each battery. When a battery has gone bad, you should change all of the batteries.
What is the average life of golf cart batteries?
That all being said, properly maintained battery packs in fleet carts tend to last about 4-6 years while private owners tend to get about 6-10 years out of their battery packs. Other major factors include the type of options on the cart that may increase the draw from the battery pack.
Are Trojan golf cart batteries the best?
There are many great deep cycle lead acid battery brands, such as US Battery, Interstate Battery, Powertron, Duracell, Deka and many others, but almost everyone will agree Trojan batteries are the best. Trojan batteries provide superior performance, long lifespans and have been proven to withstand the test of time.
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What happens if your golf cart battery fails?
Obviously, for electric golf carts, the battery is what provides power to your motor. If your batteries start to quit on you, the golf cart won’t move, or will drastically decrease in range. With a gas motor, the battery is what starts the motor and keeps it running by providing electricity to the spark plugs. Without it, your motor won’t crank.
Why is my golf cart battery failing?
The most common thing that leads to early golf cart battery failure is corrosion. The problem goes deeper, too. It will ruin your cables, terminals, and even cause damage to battery trays and tie downs. Replacing a whole battery cable can be costly and difficult, so it’s best to avoid that problem.
How to clean corroded battery posts?
Undo the terminals from the battery posts and soak the corroded area in the cleaner or baking soda solution for about 5 or so minutes, then put on some gloves, grab your wire brush, and keep scrubbing until it’s all gone. Repeat as necessary, then rinse with a lot of water.
How does a battery work?
Your battery works by having two metals, a cathode and anode, react to each other to create chemical energy that we harness as electrical energy. With wet cell lead-acid batteries, these metals are kept in a liquid electrolyte, a liquid solution comprised of pure water and hydrosulphuric acid mixed to a set specific gravity. Other types of batteries typically use a gel, mat, or solid electrolyte to perform the same function. For the purpose of this topic however, the only battery we’ll be discussing is the traditional lead-acid battery, as this is the only type of battery for which you will have to worry about electrolyte levels.
Why is my battery puddled?
If your battery gets dirty, muddy, grimy, or anything else, make sure to clean that off too. These things can cause extra resistance in your electrical system, putting an unnecessary drain on your battery and shortening its life.
How long do batteries last?
All joking aside, every battery is different, but most properly maintained batteries will last about 4 to 6 years depending on usage, charge cycle, and a bunch of uncontrollable variables. Lead acid batteries will require a lot of maintenance to do so, however.
What happens when hydrogen gas is released from a battery?
Look for corrosion often, and neutralize it immediately. It’s a long and never ending war, but your wallet will thank you. Corrosion happens when hydrogen gases, released from your battery, mix with other chemicals and gasses in the atmosphere, and then bond to the metals of cables, terminals, and battery posts.
Can you turn off the radio on a golf cart?
Any lights, radio, or electric components in your cart should always be turned off when you stop using it. Leaving the radio or lights running on an idle golf cart can run down the battery incredibly quickly. In the case of a gasoline-powered golf cart, you may end up having to jump-start the cart to get it working again if this happens.
Can you use an automatic battery charger when it is fully charged?
It's important to make sure you're using an automatic battery charger that will stop being active as soon as the battery is fully charged. We've had clients come in with what they felt were "bad" batteries, only to have to explain to them that the battery had simply been damaged by being overcharged too many times.
Can you drive a golf cart up steep hills?
Forcing your golf cart up very steep hills or to go longer distances than it is made for will run the battery down and could leave you stranded. Just keep a careful eye on distance traveled and consider using a truck or trailer when transporting your golf cart longer distances.
Should golf cart batteries be charged?
Another common issue is golf cart owners who think that golf cart batteries should only be charged when they've become very low. If you drive your golf cart that day? Charge the battery. Letting golf cart batteries run down until near-empty or totally dead will damage them over time just as much as overcharging them.
How to tell 12 volt golf cart battery?
A 12 volt battery can be identified by seeing batteries with 6 cell caps on top of the battery indicating 2 volts per cell. A single 12 volt golf cart battery will have the least amperage capacity and is commonly used in 72 volt battery systems which are not terribly common among golf carts. EZGO golf cart batteries are known to be use 4-12 volt battery systems in some of their golf cart models.
How to tell if a golf cart battery is 6 volts?
A 6 volt golf cart battery can be identified by seeing batteries with 3 cell caps on top of the battery indicating 2 volts per cell. Generally speaking, a single 6 volt battery will have the highest amperage capacity and will allow for the greatest range in an 8-6 volt battery system.
What is the controller in a car?
A controller determines how much amperage is delivered from the batteries to the controller. Voltage is great to know, however the true knowledge lies with the total amperage in a battery pack. To get a better idea of what amperage is like in a car, let us discuss the relationship between Horsepower and MPG.
How does amperage affect golf carts?
It will determine how far you can travel on a single charge in an electric golf cart. The more amperage in a battery pack, the further you can drive before having to charge.
What to do when buying an electric golf cart?
If you are in the market to purchase an electric golf cart, then the simplest thing to do first and foremost is considering the age of your golf cart batteries. This is important due to many consumers being misled as to the age of the batteries in the cart they are purchasing. At times, a consumer will be told by a private party or dealer ...
How many cycles does a lithium battery last?
Also, some lithium batteries carry a lifetime warranty and can deliver up to 5000 cycles versus the typical 100-500 cycles for a lead acid battery. Even with a 500-cycle lead acid battery cart, that means replacing the power source 10 times more than the lithium-ion model.
What kind of batteries are used in golf carts?
While the aim of this article is to discuss primarily deep cycle batteries used in golf carts, some people are interested about learning the other types of batteries being used in Golf Cars. We have an article for you that discusses differing battery types in detail specifically for you.
Why is my battery charger damaged?
A battery charger that is being used to charge a dead battery will be damaged if the positive and negative cables are hooked up incorrectly. The current to the battery charger will burn out component inside the charger.
What happens when a battery is hooked up to a negative terminal?
When the battery cables are hooked up with the negative to the positive and positive to the negative terminals, the battery can explode. This is true for the battery being charged and the battery in another car being used to supply the charge.
What happens when a battery explodes?
Anyone standing near the battery when it explodes could be seriously injured. Battery explosions can cause burns, permanent disfiguration and blindness.
What is the red cable on a car battery?
The red cable is connected to the positive (+) battery terminal and the black cable is connected to the negative (-) terminal or to the car frame.
How to remove old battery from car seat?
Remove the old batteries by first disconnecting the battery cables. The cables are typically secured with a wing nut. You may need a pair of pliers to loosen them.
What is the color of the battery terminal?
The positive terminal will be marked with a "+" sign and is usually denoted by red color-coding. Connect a cable from the negative terminal of the first battery, which will be marked with a "-" sign and black if color coded, to the positive terminal of the second battery in the sequence.
Can you replace a golf cart battery?
With a cart that has been used for a while, it may be necessary to replace the batteries. A new cart may not have batteries. Connecting a battery to your Club Car golf cart is a pretty easy task, as the wiring system for the batteries is fairly basic. Lift the seat of the golf cart in order to access the battery compartment.
Do you need batteries for a golf cart?
Golf carts have becoming increasingly popular for personal use in recent years. Many people now own their own golf carts for recreation. Electric golf carts require minimal maintenance. Batteries are the power source for the cart and these need regular charging.
What happens if the key is off?
If the key is off the damage is often just fusible links and fuses and the alternator. If, however, the key is on a great deal of damage can be done. Many relays, the computer, the ignitin switch, etc. If the starter was engaged, it too might have been damaged.
What are the wires in the engine bay called?
They goof, they pay. There are “wires” in the engine bay that are designed to open up in an over-current situation. They are called fusible links. The car also has fuses on all of the electrical circuits to protect the wiring from burning up in the event of an over-current situation.
Series vs. Parallel
Two simple statements govern the rules for series versus parallel battery bank wiring. In a series circuit, the current through each of the batteries is the same. Also, the voltage across the circuit is the sum of the voltages across each component. In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each of the components is the same.
36V Battery Bank
If connected properly in a series circuit as shown, you should be able to test across the battery bank main positive and main negative terminals with a voltmeter and get a reading equal to the sum of each battery. In this example, your reading should equal 36 volts (6×6 = 36).
48V Battery Bank
A 48 volt golf cart battery bank wired in a series circuit is also very common in this industry. However, there are several combinations of individual battery voltages which can provide 48 volts. These combinations include the following:
How to tell if golf cart battery is bad?
1. Charging Issues. First, check to ensure that your golf cart was charged before you took it out.
How to check if golf cart is charging?
First, check to ensure that your golf cart was charged before you took it out. Plug it back into the charger and follow the instructions. Just in case the charger is the issue, check that the battery charger is turned on. There should be an indicator light to show that it is charging the batteries. In the morning, disconnect ...
What hole does a golf cart stop dead?
It’s a real hassle if your golf cart stops dead and you’re only at the 15 th hole of play. Not only is this an embarrassing event, but it’s a major pain to have to arrange for the cart to be towed back to the parking lot.
Why won't my cart fire up?
But more often than not, your cart suddenly refused to fire up and go due to a dead or bad battery.
Can you top up golf cart batteries?
Only top up your golf cart batteries using distilled water. Also, it is common for golf carts to be powered by multiple batteries. If this is the case, you will notice how several individual batteries have been “daisy-chained” together to form one large battery. 4.
Can you top up a golf cart battery with distilled water?
You need to leave enough room for expansion, so the acid should only be filled to just above the lead cells inside. Only top up your golf cart batteries using distilled water. Also, it is common for golf carts to be powered by multiple batteries.
Do golf cart batteries last forever?
Golf cart batteries won’t last forever. In fact, each year they age a little bit closer towards their final use. If your battery is close to its warranty end date you may want to consider simply making the upgrade now.
What does it mean when a golf cart battery is bad?
So being if the golf cart battery cable lug connector or connection between two batteries is bad the cart will usually not work, drive or charge. So check all the connections and cables for signs of corrosion or wear or completely broken off battery.
Why is my golf cart battery charger not working?
Ok…. So the first guess or main reason why your golf cart battery charger is not working right now is because the batteries in your golf cart are completely dead. ( Not always but usually 90% of the time) This is because the federal government years ago made it mandatory that all manufacturers ...
How does a 12 volt battery charger work?
So being in a pinch a 12 volt battery charger will work to get some energy back into your dead golf cart batteries and revive them. The sole purpose here is to just get some energy back into the batteries so the golf cart battery charger itself can do the brunt of the charging and charge the batteries properly.
Why does my golf cart beep?
If you can get enough voltage and energy back into the batteries to make the golf cart move, beep or lights to work usually means there is enough voltage present at this point for the original golf cart battery charger to be plugged in and it will turn on to charge the batteries completely.
How many volts does a golf cart battery need?
Others require a little less. So for example a 36 volt battery charger would require approx. 25-30 volts to activate, whereas a 48 volt charger would require 30-35 or even 40 volts present to activate.
What to do if golf cart battery is broken?
Again if the golf cart battery cables are broken or corroded they need to be replaced and reconnected accordingly. Also it is recommended to use some type of corrosion preventative on all terminal connections to avoid the elements eating away at your connector, cables or terminals.
Can you baby sit your golf cart batteries?
Though due to recent advances in charging technology you can now purchase a Smart charger for your golf cart that will basically baby sit your batteries while you are away on vacation for the summer or whenever.