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When you are at the golf course with friends and cruising around, you do not want the fun spoiled. You don’t want your golf cart’s battery to die.
Towing it to the parking lot would hardly be possible. You cannot leave it. So, you would need to have the vehicle towed.
This would be irritating, costly, and …well…rather mortifying.
But, you can stop all this forever. The signs and symptoms show the bad condition of the golf cart batteries. You will see them and have the chance to act before the worst occurs.
Here Are The Bad Golf Cart Battery Symptoms That You Need to Observe:
1. Irregular Charging Times
Manufacturers design deep-cycle batteries to discharge and charge. Active sentence: Manufacturers design deep-cycle batteries to discharge and charge. Mostly, the charging time should remain the same in case you are always using the same charger.
However, the repeated charging will wear off the batteries’ chemical processes. They would charge less than before.
This is likely to take time to establish. But, once you realize that the charging time has decreased a lot, it is a sign the battery is going bad.
2. Less Power
Golf carts are fun, right? You just push the pedal to the metal and away you go- easy work of the long treks down the par 5s.
These vehicles start moving slowly if you lightly touch the pedal. They reach top speed when you press it to the floor.
We do not look for them to zoom off at insane speeds, but we do like driving at a good sporting speed.
It becomes an issue, however, when you realize that your battery is generating less power. Even driving your cart is no fun. And, it looks like your battery is dying too.
This will be especially clear when going up hills. In some cases, your golf cart will hardly reach the top.
This is unfortunately typical for old batteries. When you start seeing it happen, you may have to start looking for a replacement.
3. Less Distance
At the least, your golf cart battery ought not to have any problems getting you through an 18-hole game. They last way longer than that, with some lasting for as long as 36 holes and more.
So, the range that a battery can cover when charged will start to decline once it is over the top.
But, if it starts losing distance to the point when it hardly can hold more than 18 holes, this is a real problem.
When they cannot cover the distance anymore, it might be that it’s about time to change the batteries.
4. Faster Discharge Rates (When Idle)
Golf cart batteries discharge naturally but slowly when they are not in use. If a battery is failing, then this may occur too fast.
This also creates problems. For example, if you leave your cart unplugged overnight. Then, when you come to use it in the morning, you find the battery completely discharged.
5. Visual Signs
Often a quick visual inspection should enable you to know if the battery starts to go bad. Batteries that are not of good quality may swell puff, and somewhat crack.
There may also be signs of corrosion on the top or side. In the worst cases, battery acid may leak.
Always be sure to wear protective gloves when dealing with damaged batteries. Unfortunately, if a battery bulges or cracks, it may sustain too much damage to repair.
Where there is only a little corrosion, you can clean it. This should solve the issue.
But, if the battery acid is leaking, it is unfortunate that we cannot do anything about it. You will have to dispose of it – toss it with caution.
6. Low Voltage
If you are unsure if your batteries are charged and have the correct voltage, the best way to test them is to test them.
With a digital voltmeter, you can quickly check if your batteries have enough voltage.
After that, you should do more tests. Use a hydrometer and a load tester. They will give you a better diagnosis of your batteries’ health.
Below is a detailed guide on how to test golf cart batteries using a voltmeter, a hydrometer, and a load tester.
Time For a New Battery?
If these traits are fading, then yes, you need to replace your batteries. The good part is that we have you in the loop. The following are the top golf cart batteries for durability and cost. Hopefully, this will ease the burden. It’s hard to find the perfect golf cart battery.
Final Thoughts
No matter how good the quality of lead-acid golf cart batteries is, it is inevitable that they will go bad.
Though such an event may not occur good ten years, yet in the long run it is inevitable.
What you should do is try to spot the clues that they are starting to get spoiled. If you capture them early. There is still something you can do to increase your batteries’ lifespan.
But, if you see these symptoms and fix them, you will avoid at least the annoyance and shame. The golf cart won’t stop mid-round.
