Contractor Tips Blog

Aug
30

Golf Cart Battery Maintenance

Posted in Golf Carts

The batteries are one of the most important components on an electric golf cart.  Taking good care of your golf cart batteries will help them hold a charge better, last longer, and avoid expensive golf cart repairs.  Replacing a set of golf cart batteries costs several hundred dollars so it makes sense to follow good maintenance habits and maximize the life of the batteries.

Golf cart batteries need more care and maintenance than your car battery because larger demands are placed on them.  Unlike the engine starting battery in your car which is kept almost fully charged by the alternator, golf cart batteries are used until they are deeply discharged before recharging them.  This discharging and recharging cycle is hard on a battery.

The basics of golf cart battery maintenance are cleaning, watering, and charging.  When performing any maintenance on your golf cart batteries, be sure to wear appropriate protective gear to protect your eyes, skin, and clothing.  Also, golf cart batteries give off hydrogen gas so no smoking and avoid sparks while maintaining your batteries.

Golf cart batteries should be charged after every use.  Avoid discharging the batteries completely and always charge the battery fully.  Regularly undercharging or overcharging the batteries will shorten their life.

Once a month, clean the batteries and check the water level.  The water level in each cell should be checked and distilled water added to bring it up to the proper level.  Always add water after the battery is fully charged and don’t overwater.

Make sure the caps are tight, then clean the batteries using a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 1/2 gallons of water.  Spray the mixture on the batteries and let it sit for about five minutes.  Rinse with fresh water and dry the batteries with a clean rag.  Avoid spraying water directly on any electrical components.

Dec
23

Golf Cart Safety Tips

Posted in Golf Carts

As golf carts become increasingly popular forms of transportation, golf cart accidents have risen correspondingly.  Not only do more golf carts in use equal more golf cart accidents, but these days many golf carts can travel at significantly higher speeds than traditional golf carts found on golf courses around the country.

First, watch your speed when driving a golf cart.  You don’t have to drive the golf cart at top speed all the time.  Slow down when common sense says that the conditions warrant a slower speed.  You will have more time to react to the unexpected.  Also, just like any vehicle, it is easy to lose control of a golf cart traveling at high speed.

Don’t overload the vehicle by carrying more passengers than it was designed to carry.  The easy rule of thumb is there should be one seat for each passenger.  If your golf cart only has four seats, don’t carry more than four passengers.  Overloading a golf cart makes it difficult to control.  Both steering and braking are severely affected by an overloaded golf cart.

Keep your eyes on the road.  This should go without saying, but golf carts tend to be used in scenic areas and it is all too easy to get distracted.  A child, animal, or vehicle can jump out in front of you without warning.

Finally, be sure to keep your golf cart maintenance up to date by an experienced golf cart repair shop.  A well maintained golf cart is less likely to have blowout or other mechanical failure that could lead to an accident.

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