Your Complete Buying Guide for Golf Cart Batteries in 2021- AHMED

Golf carts are involving more and more in sports and for other purposes, as many people are entering the market of golf cart lithium-ion batteries to get rid of lead-acid batteries.

As by-passing day technology is reaching to new levels, in the earlier-days carts were operated with petrol. Later lead-acid batteries came out, and then various lithium-ion batteries developed wildly in the market, including drone lithium batteries, fish finder lithium batteries, UPS batteries, and camper lithium batteries.

Many people reach lithium batteries for their perfect work ratio and greater power density providing efficient yet effective solutions to different modern golf carts. As for now golf carts are more sustainable and reliable to use when they are operated with llipo batteries.

• 1.What types of batteries are used in golf carts?
• 2.What type of charger is used to charge golf cart batteries?
• 3.How you can charge your golf cart batteries?
• 4.How many batteries I should put in my golf cart and at which voltage?
• 5.How do I know that this specific battery is best for my vehicle?
• 6.On one charge how many hours it will remain last?
• 7.What are the features that you need to look forward to when buying a battery for your golf cart?
• 8.How lithium-ion batteries are more beneficial in golf cats than lead-acid batteries?
• 9.How to maintain golf cart batteries for a longer run?
• 10.Is it better to buy a golf cart battery online or locally?
• 11.How do I know that the golf cart battery is in good health or not?
• 12.What types of tests are performed on the golf cart batteries to check their health level?
• 13.What is the method to replace golf cart batteries?
• 14.What is the total lifespan of a golf cart battery?
• 15.Can I use a lead-acid battery in a golf cart?
• 16.What type of water can I use in the golf cart batteries?

1. What types of batteries are used in golf carts?

Golf cart batteries typically come with two types of batteries: Lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

Lead-Acid Batteries

Lead-acid batteries are the most commonly used batteries for golf carts. They’re further subcategorized into their three types: Flooded lead-acid batteries, AGM batteries, and Gel lead-acid batteries; with the flooded batteries being the most popular among all. The AGM (absorbent glass mat) batteries have an edge over other lead-acid batteries since they confine the electrolyte inside the glass mat which helps them last longer. You may consider them a hybrid of dry and 

Lithium-Ion Golf Cart Batteries

The dedicated lithium-ion battery for golf carts is evolving rapidly in the market. It is somewhat expensive as compared to lead-acid batteries, but an overall increased efficacy makes it an ideal choice to be your golf cart battery. The detailed features of lithium-ion golf cart batteries are discussed in the coming questions.

2.What type of charger is used to charge golf cart batteries?

One of the vital factors to keep the golf cart batteries work efficiently, in the long run, is to select the ideal charger. It is imperative to match battery voltage with the voltage of the charger you're going to plug in. A 48volt golf cart battery would require a 48volt charger. The same goes for the batteries with other voltage types.

Plugging in an overpowered charger (with voltages more than that of the battery) would significantly increase the current flow into the battery, eventually causing corrosion and a decreased battery life. An underpowered charger, in contrast, causes lead sulfate to accumulate on the electrodes leading to a minimized battery performance. Therefore, you're ought to determine the voltage type of the battery before employing a charger.

3. How you can charge your golf cart batteries?

It has been established that an ideal approach while selecting the charger is crucial for the long-term workability of the battery. The golf cart charger typically comes in two forms: off-board charger and on-board charger. Correspondingly, they would establish two types of charging methods.

• Charging Off-Board

For an off-board charging system, the method is as simple as plugging it in the battery once you've used your cart for the day. The automated system in the charger would turn it off once the charging is completed. Keep in mind that you must have to recharge your golf cart battery after each use; no matter how many miles you drove.

• Charging On-Board

An onboard golf cart charger refers to a charger that can be plugged in via an extension cord. The corded charger comes with the privilege of having a variety of voltage systems (36V, 48V, 72V); you may imply any of them depending on the voltage of your deep cycle golf cart battery. Furthermore, when using corded chargers, always remember that “smaller cord length means the least resistance and in turn, the higher efficacy.”

4. How many batteries I should put in my golf cart and at which voltage?

The number of batteries and their voltage can be determined by understanding how much amperage the combination of batteries will be providing. Let’s have some key insights on voltage and ampere comparison, and types of battery systems in the following:

Understanding Voltage and Amperage

When it comes to the electric golf cart batteries, it is prudent to have a fair idea of volt-ampere comparison.

Golf cart batteries are generally comprised of three voltage systems through a combination: 72 volts (highest power capacity), 48 volts (lesser powerful), and 36 volts (least powerful). But power is not everything. Amperage mainly determines the distance a golf cart can travel per charge cycle. This whole concept can be understood by the simple analogy of the traditional fuel car. The MPG (miles per gallon) and HP (horsepower) in a car refers to the quantity of fuel and power of the car respectively.

In contrast, the voltage in a golf cart battery determines its power whereas the amperage is the measure of power being delivered to run the car. In simple terms, voltage is the same as the HP and amperage is the same as MPG.

Below, we’ve listed out the voltages and their combinations to assemble battery configuration:

6-volt Batteries

6V batteries have 8-6 and 6-6 configurations in the golf cart which means, a combination of eight batteries of 6 volts (48V in total) and six batteries of 6 volts (36V in total) respectively. Evidently, these configurations deliver the highest amperage, thus providing an extended range. However, the cart may struggle on the hilly courses with a 6-6 battery system due to its least power output.

8-volt Batteries

Six batteries of 8V are combined to make a 6-8 configuration (48V in total). 6-volt batteries are considered somewhat ideal since they maintain a balance between providing sufficient amperage and possessing enough power to drive on hilly areas. 

12-volt Batteries

They are used in a 6-12 configuration to form a massive 72-volt golf cart battery system. A 12V battery is indeed a powerful battery to due extended voltages. Yet a least ampere-hours output does not let it last longer than other variants which certainly is a major drawback.

The general recommendation to adopt the best battery configuration is the 8-6 battery system. As it is said earlier, configuring your golf cart to this battery system would not only provide sufficient range to last long but will also come in handy in driving through challenging areas.

5. How do I know that this specific battery is best for my vehicle?

When you’re to determine the best battery for your golf cart, power and range are the factors that are needed to be considered. The ideal configuration in this context is the 8-6 batter system.

Another important factor is your golf area where the vehicle is supposed to be driven. In the case of a flat course with no hilly or bumpy ride, you may choose a 6-6 system for an extended range and maximum amperage. You may also opt for a 72V battery system if you’re all set to ‘expedite’ a steeper hilly area with your cart.

6. On one charge how many hours it will remain last?

To understand the golf cart battery's durability per charge cycle, it is better to deduce it in terms of the distance the cart would travel, i.e., “miles” instead of hours.

It mainly depends on two factors: how challenging the course is and what is your battery configuration (combinations of voltages and total amperage as we've discussed earlier). In general, miles per charge cycle ranges from 25 to 40 miles on average, with 25 being the output of lowest amperage and 40 being the highest.

7. What are the features that you need to look forward to when buying a battery for your golf cart?

When buying a golf cart battery, following are the factors you must consider:

• Opting the Appropriate Configuration

Do not remain wholly dependent on voltages and never get enticed by merely increased capacity. Make sure that the battery you’re choosing provides enough acceleration as well as covers maximum miles in one charge.

• Prefer Quality Product Over Cheap One

Quality comes with a little expense. This is where the lithium-ion golf cart batteries come into play. Preferring a lithium-ion over a cheap golf cart lead-acid battery may be a bit expensive idea, but it certainly pays off in the long run. In the next section, there’s a discussion on how lithium-ion battery stands out among other counterparts of the lead-acid category.

8. How lithium-ion batteries are more beneficial in golf cats than lead-acid batteries?

Although lead-acid batteries are more prevalent for golf carts, lithium-ion batteries are turning the next big thing in the golf cart market. It might be a bit costly, here’s how it’ll benefit your vehicle:

• Lithium golf cart batteries do not require any maintenance – no water levels, acid, electrolyte, leakage checks whatsoever.

• Being lighter in weight, lithium-ion battery inflicts significantly less burden on golf carts, increasing their performance for the obvious reasons.

• LiFePO4 golf cart batteries last much longer than lead-acid batteries. Also, if left a fully charged battery unused for a month, the charge depletion stands at a mere 3%.

• A 12V lithium golf cart battery can charge way faster than a lead-acid battery and lasts much longer due to the insane 5000 charge cycles in its lifespan.

9. How to maintain golf cart batteries for a longer run?

Following are some maintenance tips to increase the efficacy and productivity of the deep cycle golf cart batteries:

• Keep regular checks on the water levels (in case of a lead-acid battery). Water your battery at least once in two months. 

• Clean it with some baking soda and water, and use an anti-corrosion agent on the terminals to remove corrosion.

• During the cleaning procedure, make sure acid doesn’t contact the terminals.

• Use the appropriate charger and recharge your cart after each use even if you drove just a mile.

• Clean the narrow areas of the battery using a brush.

10. Is it better to buy a golf cart battery online or locally?

If you’re all set to buy a deep cycle golf cart battery system, here’s a quick analysis on online vs local purchasing:

Buying Online

Buying online obviously means a long-distance deal over the internet. Ordering a product as significant as a golf cart battery system online involves hefty shipping expenses.At the same time, we also provide high-quality lawnmower batteries for sale. If you buy them together, we will ship them at the same time. In the case of lead-acid batteries, you have to pay even more to conduct safety tests to prevent any hazardous situation.

Ordering lithium-ion golf cart batteries surely disregard any such expense though. Overall shipping expenses would be cut down as well since they weigh almost half as the lead-acid batteries.

Buying Locally

Local buying is more of a logical approach due to several reasons. From shipping costs to initial maintenance charges to charges of safety tests – almost everything would be minimized. In addition to that, you can directly get help from professionals and experts to have all your concerns addressed. Any warranty issues and claims may also be dealt with more conveniently if you go for purchasing the batteries locally.

11. How do I know that the golf cart battery is in good health or not?

There are various indications of your battery’s decreasing performance. We’ve listed them out below:

• Slow charging; Although it may be a charger malfunctioning, it is prudent to have the battery checked as well – you never know.

• Lessened Acceleration; Power and acceleration loss is a major functional problem appearing in a dying battery.

• Reduced Capacity; Check the distance your golf cart travels now compared to that it traveled a few months back, how much is it? If your answer is negative, that might not be good news for your battery.

12. What types of tests are performed on the golf cart batteries to check their health level?

Various tests are typically performed to check the health level of the golf cart batteries, given by:

Load Testing

Load testing is a technique to check the behavior of the battery’s voltage under a certain load foisted by a heating coil. If a battery drops 2-4 volts during the process, it is considered to be well-maintained, while dropping 5 or more voltage is a clear sign of a major battery problem.

Discharge Machine

Testing via a discharge machine is more of professional testing. The positive and negative terminals are connected with the discharge machine that imposes a load on the battery. It then measures a discharge rate to determine how long a golf cart could work, with a specific indication of minutes.

13. What is the method to replace golf cart batteries?

To replace the batteries, you must have to determine the actual voltage of the existing batteries and replace them with the exact same one. It is recommended to let the professionals handle the replacement issue. But here’s a brief how-to on replacing your battery if you implement a ‘DIY’:

• Sketch out the entire battery system; the position of terminals, and the connection of cables.

• Disconnect charger, positive and negative terminals, remove the cables, and then the existing batteries.

• Use a solution of baking soda and water to dissolve the acid on the battery holder or tray.

• Time to install; the process of installation and cables’ reconnection should be carried out with the utmost precaution – take assistance directly from the sketch you just made.

14. What is the total lifespan of a golf cart battery?

The lifespan necessarily depends on your regular maintenance checks. This is yet another area where lithium-ion deep cycle golf cart batteries take an edge over lead-acid batteries as they do not require any maintenance. The batteries usually last up to and over 5-6 years given that the maintenance requirements are satisfied and the battery is kept up to the mark.

15. Can I use a lead-acid battery in a golf cart?

Lead-acid batteries are the most commonly used batteries in golf carts. However, there’s been a major shift in the use of lead-acid golf cart batteries ever since lithium-ion batteries showed their brilliance in the market. You may still employ a lead-acid battery for your golf cart if you can:

• Deal with the shipping expenses and the charges of tests conducted to ensure safety during shipment.

• Keep regular checks on water levels, acids, chemicals, and electrolytes inside the battery.

• Perform thorough cleaning at least once in two months, dissolve the acid on the surface, and remove corrosion from the terminals.

• Prevent it from leakage or have an immediate solution to the leakage problem in the lead-acid golf cart batteries.

• Make sure you’re constantly using your golf cart once you’ve installed the batteries, since leaving it untouched inflicts a massive charge depletion (as big as 35% for one month).

16. What type of water can I use in the golf cart batteries?

Lithium-ion golf cart batteries do not need any water check, in fact, they do not need any water or acid at all, since they’re entirely sealed. Although if there’s a lead-acid battery in use, regular water level checks are essential. Some key takeaways in this regard are given by:

• The best water to put into lead-acid batteries is as harmless as distilled water.

• Refrain from using tap water or mineral water to save the batteries from the minerals that may prove detrimental.

• Never water your batteries before or after charging.

• An increased water level may cause the acid to overflow and damage the surface of the battery.

• The battery plates are vulnerable to air. Therefore, a decreased water level below a certain limit (battery plates) renders it exposed to air, thus impairing the functioning of plates.