There are a few different reasons for your golf cart batteries to be getting hot including:
- Loose battery connections
- Dirty or dusty terminals
- Low water level
- Heavy Use at a Cold Outdoor Temperature
Why does my golf cart battery get too hot?
Loose battery connections and dirty terminals are the main reason why your golf cart battery will get too hot. A battery that feels too hot while charging usually means that the water level is too low.
What happens if you tighten golf cart battery terminals too much?
Each golf cart battery terminal has a resistance power and cannot cover more. Any excessive heat can quickly destroy the connection and terminals. On the other hand, if you end up tightening the connection more than what is required; you’re actually stretching the threads and pulling the posts out of the leads.
What are the signs of a bad golf cart battery?
Learn more about the signs of a bad golf cart battery. Bad Charger: IN GENERAL, if the charger kicks on, but doesn't charge fully or kicks off soon after, this is likely a charger issue. If the charger makes a loud clicking noise, this is likely a battery charger issue.
How do I know if my golf cart overheats?
Every golf cart gets hot with continuous use, but if you’re not able to put your hand on the bonnet, you know you have a real issue at hand. If you are able to put your hand on it for even 4 to 5 seconds, your engine is doing fine and there is no issue of overheating.
Why are my golf cart batteries getting hot?
As electrical power flows from one terminal source to another, the golf cart typically gets a little warm. However, overcharging and straining the battery forces the battery to get excessively hot.
Why are my golf cart battery terminals melting?
The main reason why golf cart battery cables will melt is because of too much current passing through the jumper cable; resulting in overheating and melting. A poor contact connection or a missing ground strap between the chassis and the engine may also result in the melting of your golf cart battery cables.
What happens if you add too much water to golf cart batteries?
Overfilling the cells of a battery will cause the gas bubbles to expand inside the cell, which can lead to an explosion, if they are vented up in one spot. If the battery is overfilled with acid, it will cause an electrolyte reaction that adds more heat to the process of gassing. This can also lead to an explosion.
Why is my golf cart battery smoking?
The average cart is powered by lead acid batteries which are positioned underneath the seat. It isn't uncommon to fold back the seat of the cart and find all 6 batteries desperately in need of fluid. When batteries run dry, they can smoke and even explode.
Why is the positive terminal on my 48 v Club cart getting hot?
Golf cart wires will get hot when you are driving them. This is caused by the resistance in the wires. They should not be too hot to touch for a period of time. If they are, then you may need to check your terminals to make sure they are clean and not causing excessive heat.
How do you fix a melted battery terminal?
5:477:06Melted Battery Terminals - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPut you don't need a lot just a couple just a drop or two put it up into that battery terminal andMorePut you don't need a lot just a couple just a drop or two put it up into that battery terminal and tighten it down and don't over tighten it but get it good and snug.
How often do I need to add water to my golf cart batteries?
DO: You have to get your timing right. After charging your battery is when you want to add water. Adding water after charging prevents acid from spilling over. ... We recommend service once or twice a year. Always use distilled water so you don't add additional minerals into your battery.
Does aspirin help golf cart batteries?
The acetylsalicylic acid from the aspirin will combine with the battery acid and increase the charge in the battery, and the water will help restore the electrolyte in the battery.
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.
How do I fix my battery from smoking?
If the battery starts smoking during charging, disconnect the charger immediately. The problem might be overcharging, which can only be stopped by disconnecting the charger and letting it cool. You should also check the charger to ensure it is in good condition.
What does it mean when your battery starts smoking?
overchargedIn most situations, a battery is being overcharged to the point that the battery begins venting the excess pressure created by the overcharging scenario. THE GAS VENTED BY OVERCHARGED CAR BATTERIES IS BOTH FLAMMABLE & TOXIC, SO TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION POSSIBLE.
Why is my battery terminal smoking?
There is a faulty, high resistance (often due to corrosion, wire defect or break or loose mechanical connection) connection at the battery post and/or at the vehicle ground(s) at the frame.
Should I leave my golf cart 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.
Why does my positive battery cable get hot?
Why Is My Positive Battery Cable Melting? During current flow, wires undergo resistance, so they generate heat when exposed to a current through them. The hotter the current, the more heated it is.
Can I use 4 12 volt batteries in my 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.
How does a golf cart solenoid work?
Solenoids are Simple, But Powerful Every time you turn your cart on or press the pedal, a small amount of voltage passes along the wire coil and triggers the steel plunger to close. This process allows energy from the battery to directly contact your golf cart's motor so that it can run properly.
What causes hydrogen gas in golf cart batteries?
Lack of appropriate ventilation can cause hydrogen gas produced by the golf cart’s batteries during charging to leak into the home and cause illness or even death for you and/or your family
How to tell if a golf cart battery is bad?
Initial Crank: Another sign of a short or bad battery is when your golf cart is slow to crank or turn over. A short in the plates will not allow the golf cart battery to maintain the appropriate amount of voltage needed to properly start the golf cart
Why is my battery leaking?
Leaking: If you notice your batteries are leaking an abnormal amount of battery acid, it could be caused by an increase in swelling in the batteries from an overproduction of hydrogen gas and overheating, causing the battery acid to seep out and onto the lid
Why does my battery smell like it's burning?
Odor: You notice a smell like something is burning, this could indicate that the batteries and battery charger are overheating and causing the plastic to melt
Why is it important to keep up with the maintenance of a golf cart?
It is important to remember that even though having a battery operated golf cart does not require as much maintenance as a gas powered golf cart, they do still require some and it is important to keep up with the maintenance in order to reduce the risk of an explosion. Overheating creates the perfect environment for a possible explosion as it allows for more production of hydrogen gas, a highly combustible fume created by batteries.
How many batteries are in a golf cart?
There are generally 4-6 batteries in a single pack on a golf cart and even one bad battery can result in the entire pack blowing up; but why do they blow up?
Why do golf cart batteries need vents?
Golf cart batteries require a vent in order to release the gases and fumes that form inside the pack, if the vent plugs or caps become clogged or blocked from dirt, corrosion, or dust, the accumulation of hydrogen gas is highly combustible. The smallest spark anywhere near the golf cart batteries during this clogging issue can cause the battery pack to blow up. Be sure to keep the battery vent plugs or caps clear and to always remove the vent plugs while charging a flooded battery. In order to properly keep your battery vents clean follow these steps:
What type of battery is used in a golf cart?
First of all, your car's starting battery IS a lead acid battery. It's a different type than the deep-cycle golf cart batteries we use in electric vehicles, but they're both lead acid chemistry. You can read my article about that here, if you like.
Do batteries have a shelf life?
In a word, yes. Batteries have a shelf life, and even if they were stored full and fully charged (that's the right thing to do with lead acid batteries), they're two years older than they were manufactured, and that has an effect on how long they'll last.
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.
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.
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 to protect battery terminals from corrosion?
Connect the terminals back to the post and then use your coating solution somewhat liberally to protect the area from future corrosion. You can use any store bought battery protection product you like, or just petroleum jelly, dielectric grease, or even bearing grease. As long as it will stay there and keep the metals insulated from the atmosphere.
How to clean a battery with corrosion?
First, you’ll want to clean off all of the corrosion. You’ll need corrosion cleaner and a stiff wire brush. You can get any type of battery cleaner in a store to perform this job, or you can use hot water and baking soda in a pinch.
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.
Why does my golf cart battery freeze?
As golf cart batteries contain lead acid, If you carelessly keep the batteries in a discharged throughout the winter, the electrolytes present in the battery casing will freeze due to getting too cold. On freezing, the electrolyte will expand; causing the battery shell to crack and the acid might leak out.
How to make sure your golf cart doesn't overheat?
You can also install another one near the fender panel just to make sure the cart doesn’t overheat. Another option is to upgrade and customise your controller.
How long does it take for an EZGO to overheat?
Some owners of the EZGO TXT complain that their golf cart overheats up after an uphill ride of 35 to 40 minutes. They are barely able to rest their hands on the bonnet because the bonnet is too hot. The ideal maximum of a EZGO golf cart motor should reach no higher ...
Why is my RXV motor not working?
The problem can be attributed to a lack of battery and solenoid compatibility. The RXV has a really complex motor system. Any change in the batteries can overheat the solenoid.
Why is my EZGO Marathon overheating?
One reason your EZGO Marathon is overheating quickly can be that you are using a wrong (too lean) mix of oil. The correct ratio of oil to gas in such an engine is 128:1 (one ounce oil per gallon of gas). If the motor gets too hot, it will dry up the rings and you will end up needing more oil mix and new rings.
How to cool down an EZGO cart?
For this, you need to arrange for a half inch diameter copper tube. You can use it to wrap it around the outside of your cart’s motor.
What is the maximum temperature for an EZGO golf cart?
The ideal maximum of a EZGO golf cart motor should reach no higher than 220 degrees Fahrenheit. (104 degrees Celsius)
What causes a battery to boil?
Overcharging. An alternator that is overcharging the battery can cause boil over. The alternator in a vehicle continuously charges the battery while you drive. The optimum charging voltage for a battery is 14 volts. If the charge gets above 14.5 volts, your battery will overheat and boil, causing severe damage to your battery ...
How to prevent boil over on a battery?
Prevention. In order to prevent boil over from occurring, make sure you do not overfill the battery with water. Also, use battery chargers that have regulated flow and do not charge at a rapid rate. Once you are charging the battery, monitor the process to ensure you remove the charger as soon as the battery has a full charge.
Why do batteries need water?
Batteries use a water and acid mixture that produces a chemical reaction and results in the charge necessary to start your car , boat or other vehicle. Many batteries need to have water added on a periodic basis to keep this chemical reaction going inside the battery.
Is it bad to boil over a battery?
Boil over spills acid that can be harmful to humans. Also, if you have a battery that boils over, replace it as soon as you can to avoid exposure to acid. Casey Case has been writing professionally since 2009 for publications such as thenews24-7.com and kindleowners.com.
Can a boat battery boil over?
If you have ever seen acid coming out of the top of your car, golf cart, or boat battery, you have experienced battery boil over. Boil over can quickly ruin a battery and at best decreases the battery's life. Battery boil is also dangerous and you should know what causes batteries to boil over and how to prevent it.
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.
Why is my golf cart battery red?
Every golf cart battery charger is different with respect to indicator lights, but in general the red light is a fault light that indicates something is wrong with the charging process. 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). However, most of the time, especially with EZ-GO Powerwise chargers, this is the "red light of death" or an internal charger failure indicating that the charger needs to be serviced or replaced.
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.
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.
How long do golf cart batteries last?
If golf cart batteries are properly maintained they generally will last for around 5-6 years.
Why do you need to clean a golf cart battery?
You will need to clean it off because if it builds up it may cause the battery cables to lose contact with the battery and keep your cart from running. Again, please see our Golf Cart Battery Maintenance article for further details.
How to charge a golf cart battery?
You just hook up the red wire (the positive) to the positive terminal on the first battery in the set, and then hook the black wire (the negative) to the negative terminal on the last battery in the set. So, positive to positive, negative to negative. Forget about the blue wire (for more on the blue wire read What's the Blue Wire? ). The ring terminals on the leads are universal and will fit on all batteries. Because all of the golf cart batteries are connected with battery cables, all batteries will be charged in series.
