It’s truly exciting when you get yourself a golf cart. The golf cart you are planning to purchase might be your first or third one, and you must have been thinking whether an electric, diesel, or battery-operated cart is suitable for you.
If you have decided to buy the battery-operated ones, you should know how long do golf cart batteries last?
Here, we will give you information on the batteries’ life spans and share essential knowledge like maintaining and increasing the battery lives. So, without further ado, let’s get down to the business.
How Long Do Golf Cart Batteries Last? Factors To Consider
We often get asked about it. Sadly it’s pretty hard to answer since it’s impossible to predict a battery’s life correctly. The right answer is that a golf cart’s battery lifespan relies on how you use and care for them.
A cart’s batteries can either last longer or less for different reasons. Let’s learn those reasons.
Charging Batteries
The batteries of golf carts require charging. If you charge the batteries wrong, it will not last long. It would be best if you did not use either charge for too long or for a short time.
You should have a best quality golf cart battery charger. There are signals through which you can understand whether or not your battery is fully charged. Try understanding those signs and unplug the charging port right when you find the batteries are completely charged.
In this connection, you should often check golf cart battery charger to get better result.
Usage
Usage is the second largest factor that can drain the batteries faster. If you often use the cart and drive it for a longer distance than recommended, it will sooner dry up the batteries.
If you do the opposite, meaning you use the cart less and maintain the driving distance, the charge of your batteries will last longer.
Additional Features
Sometimes we like customizing our golf carts. That’s a great thing to do, but you should know that an extra feature can suck up most of your battery lives quicker than usual. Therefore, you should carefully decide whether or not you want to customize the cart.
Now, let us share an important thing. Experts say; that generally, golf cart batteries last from 4 to 6 years if cared for and utilized properly.
How to Increase the Lifespan of a Golf Cart’s Batteries?
By properly maintaining your golf cart, you can enhance its battery life.
Firstly, take care of the charging. Avoid overcharging the batteries because it can gradually damage them. If you fail to unplug the charger at the time you should, try buying an automatic charger. It will stop charging the batteries after the charge is completed on its own. Another thing you can do is set a timer; this way, you will get notified about turning the charger off and save your charger from getting damaged.
Secondly, don’t let the batteries die. Charge them after using them, even if you have to charge them regularly. If someone tells you to use your cart till the batteries are dead, avoid them politely. Because lead batteries cannot last long when the owner often and completely discharges them.
Thirdly, clean the cart batteries following a regular schedule. When cleaning, don’t forget to check the water levels of the batteries. Fill distilled water in the batteries at least once a month. Don’t fill water over the mark you are warned not to cross.
Finally, make sure you are not unnecessarily keeping the lights, radios, or other devices on the cart. It will fasten draining batteries. Also, try understanding how powerful your cart is. If it’s not too powerful, try your best not to drive it on steep hills. Don’t put heavy things that cross the weight capacity and drive conservatively.
What is The Right Time to Replace Golf Cart Batteries
If you notice the batteries take longer to get changed than usual or take too long to go through hills, know that you need to replace the batteries.
Also, no matter how much you try to maintain, there will be no improvement in the performance of the batteries. That is the time you should look for new and better batteries for your golf cart.
FAQs –How Long Do Golf Cart Batteries Last
How much does it cost to put batteries in a golf cart?
Battery replacement golf carts are pretty expensive. Therefore, try to buy batteries that can serve you for over 4 years at least. The range of battery replacement starts at $800 and can reach $2000 if the golf cart is powerful.
Can you replace just one golf cart battery?
Generally, one battery is replaced at a time in the golf carts. But that newly replaced battery will not improve the cart’s performance because the other batteries are old and such batteries have defects. Hence, it’s advisable to change all the batteries.
How often do golf cart batteries need to be replaced?
The life of golf cart batteries can vary. While some batteries can live for 6-10 years, others last for 4-6 years. There are also some which can only serve for 2-3 years.
It is impossible to predict the correct time, but you should replace the batteries right when they get slow at taking charge. However, if the batteries are rightly used and taken care of, you might have to replace them after 4 or 6 years.
How do you know if your golf cart batteries are bad?
If your golf cart’s batteries are bad, you can understand it through some signs. Here are the signs of understanding if the batteries are bad.
• It takes longer to charge than the regular time
• The cart struggles to get up hills
• The batteries go down sooner
• Provides your cart with less power
• Crosses less distance
• Low Voltage
Final Words
Batteries are an essential part of battery-operated golf carts. It’s expensive enough to replace the batteries, so you need to make sure you pick the best batteries and take care of them properly.
Since now you know how long do golf cart batteries last, give your best effort in maintaining them so that you don’t have to change them often.