Golf Cart Battery Maintenance

By Larry Parr

Golf cart batteries require more maintenance than your typical car or truck battery, for the simple reason that golf cart batteries are not recharged as the cart is being driven. This frequent discharge of the batteries can decrease the life of each battery unless certain precautions are taken.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step 1

Mix 1/4 cup of baking soda into 1 1/2 gallons of water and mix thoroughly. Put this solution into a spray bottle.

Step 2

Spray the entire top of each battery with the baking soda solution and allow the solution to soak for five minutes in order to neutralize any acid on the battery connectors, posts or on the top of the battery.

Step 3

Put on your acid-resistant gloves. Moisten a cloth with clean water and wipe the tops of the batteries thoroughly. If there is any corrosion around a battery post or on a connector that is attached to a battery post, respray with the baking soda solution, allow to soak for another five minutes and then wipe off with a cloth dampened with plain water.

Step 4

Put on your eye goggles and remove the plastic caps that cover each of the battery cells and visually inspect each cell. If the water is below the top of the plates, use your turkey baster to add distilled water until the plates are completely covered.

Step 5

Tighten any connectors which may have come loose using your small crescent wrench. Connectors should be tight on each post of each battery.

Step 6

Attach the 3-phase 6-volt battery charger to your batteries as per the manufacturer's instructions. Wear your goggles and make sure that the caps are off of the battery cells during the charging period. Allow the batteries to charge overnight.

Step 7

Turn off and remove the battery charger. Inspect the water level in each cell after the batteries are charged. Often charging will cause some of the water to evaporate. Use your turkey baster to refill any cells as needed, using only distilled water.

Step 8

Replace the battery compartment cover.

Tips & Warnings

Batteries should be cleaned with the baking soda solution every 30 days or as needed if corrosion appears prior to the scheduled 30-day cleaning. Inspect the water level in each battery cell before and after every charge.

Batteries should be cleaned with the baking soda solution every 30 days or as needed if corrosion appears prior to the scheduled 30-day cleaning.

Inspect the water level in each battery cell before and after every charge.

Always leave the covers off the the battery cells when charging to avoid the build-up of potentially explosive gasses. Never put tap water into a battery--always use distilled water.

Always leave the covers off the the battery cells when charging to avoid the build-up of potentially explosive gasses.

Never put tap water into a battery--always use distilled water.

About The Author

Larry Parr has been a full-time professional freelance writer for more than 30 years. For 25 years he wrote cartoons for TV, everything from SMURFS to SPIDER-MAN.

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