Reconditioning golf cart batteries is a great way to save some money. Let’s face it, batteries can be expensive, and while it’s not always practical to recondition a battery for your golf cart, it will work in many instances. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to refurbish golf cart batteries so you don’t have to run out and buy another one, you’ve come to the right place.
Table of Contents
- 1 How Do You Know When Your Golf Cart Batteries Need to Be Replaced?
- 2 Benefits of Reconditioned Golf Cart Batteries
- 3 How to Refurbish a Golf Cart Battery?
- 4 Golf Cart Battery Reconditioning Dos and Don’ts
- 5 How Can I Make My Golf Cart Batteries Last Longer?
- 6 FAQs - How to Refurbish Golf Cart Batteries?
- 7 The Takeaway
How Do You Know When Your Golf Cart Batteries Need to Be Replaced?
Just like a car battery, golf cart batteries will show signs that they’re about to give out. These usually include the following signs:
- It takes longer for the battery to fully charge.
- You can only drive a short distance on each charge.
- It takes longer to accelerate and may not reach the desired speeds.
- Batteries have cracks in them or a lot of corrosion.
If you have any of these signs or others, it’s time to check your batteries and see if they need to be replaced.
Benefits of Reconditioned Golf Cart Batteries
While reconditioning golf cart batteries doesn’t always work, it’s always worth giving it a try. You can save a lot of time and money, and some of the many benefits include:
- You can extend the life of your battery by up to two years. Even in the worst-case scenario, you can add a good six months to a year to the life of the battery.
- You save money. Batteries can easily cost $800 to $1,500, but reconditioning a battery can be done for 25% to 50% of the retail value, which makes it worth it.
- You save on waste reduction. When you recondition your battery instead of buying another one, that’s one less battery going to waste.
How to Refurbish a Golf Cart Battery?
Learning how to refurbish a battery in your golf cart isn’t as complicated as it sounds. You don’t have to have any mechanical knowledge whatsoever; instead, you just need some time and a few simple tools.
If the battery isn’t too far gone, you can usually rejuvenate it with some Epsom salts, which are super inexpensive to buy and easy to find.
But before starting the reconditioning process, you’ll need to prepare the following items:
- Safety goggles
- Rubber gloves
- Battery Charger
- Epsom salt
- Baking soda
- Distilled water
- A plastic container
- Flathead screwdriver
- A toothbrush or a paintbrush
- Turkey baster
To recondition a golf cart battery, just follow these simple steps:
Step 1. After wearing your protective goggles and gloves, the first thing you’ll need to do is to lift the front seat of the golf cart to find the battery pack and remove the batteries from the cart using a crescent wrench.
Step 2. Next, mix one part of distilled water with two parts of baking soda, and with a toothbrush or a paintbrush, clean the battery terminals. Be careful when scrubbing because none of the baking soda water should enter the battery. After you’re done, rinse the battery then dry it with a paper towel or let it air dry. Examine the battery for any leaks or cracks once it has been thoroughly cleaned. If the battery is leaking acid, you need to replace it immediately.
Step 3. Remove the caps using your flathead screwdriver. Drain roughly half of the fluid of each battery into some type of plastic container. Make sure the acids that remain on the case are rinsed off, but again, don’t get any water into the battery cells.
Step 4. Next, you’ll be replacing the drained acid with Epsom salts. Mix 2 quarts of distilled water that has been previously warmed with about 8 ounces of Epsom salts. Make sure the Epsom salt is completely dissolved by stirring the solution.
Step 5. Place some of the mixture into each cell using your turkey baster until it gets to the proper fill level. Replace the caps and then shake the battery to completely mix the solution. What you’re trying to do is dissolve any sulfication or deposits that have accumulated on the battery plates.
Step 6. At this point, you’ll want to charge the batteries overnight using a battery charger. Connect your battery charger to the battery by plugging the red cable to the positive (+) terminal, and the black cable is to the negative (-) terminal.
Step 7. Next, use a battery tester to check whether your battery was able to hold the charge fully. You can alternatively use a multimeter, but the battery tester will also confirm whether the battery is capable of starting your golf cart or not. If the battery hasn’t been fully charged, repeat the procedure in steps 5 and 6, but this time using a battery acid from a local hardware store instead of the Epsom salt solution.
If you’re having problems with the battery not charging, check to make sure there isn’t a problem with the battery charger itself. Always make sure your charger is operating correctly before testing your batteries. Never forget the goggles, gloves, and an apron.
Golf Cart Battery Reconditioning Dos and Don’ts
- DON’T recondition your battery without using protective gear.
- DON’T refill the water in your battery cells until after you’ve fully charged the battery. Doing so could cause spillage that might be dangerous.
- DON’T use tap water to recharge your golf cart battery as it contains chemicals that might damage your battery; only distilled water should be used.
- DON’Tlet the battery acid solution come into contact with you or your clothing, as it might cause burns.
- DO work in a well-ventilated area at all times.
- DO remove the caps from the cells while charging the battery.
- DO prevent sulfate salt buildup by never fully draining the charge of a lead-acid battery.
How Can I Make My Golf Cart Batteries Last Longer?
Golf cart batteries are a lot like car batteries, which means a lot of the things you do to save your car battery applies to them as well. These include never leaving the lights on, reducing the time you spend with the radio on or any other feature that uses the battery power, and simply using common sense when taking care of your batteries and driving the cart around day after day.
FAQs - How to Refurbish Golf Cart Batteries?
Q: What kind of battery does a golf cart use?
A: The majority of golf carts are equipped with flooded lead-acid batteries. And they usually take multiple batteries of 6V, 8V, or 12V.
Q: How long do golf cart batteries last?
A: A good golf cart battery will last up to five years on average. You can extend the life of the battery by another one to two years by reconditioning it.
Q: Can you refurbish golf cart batteries?
A: You can refurbish batteries by utilizing the steps above, but only if the battery is not completely dead and ready to be replaced.
Q: Why are my golf cart batteries dying so fast?
A: Numerous things can cause this, but the most common reason is that you’re letting the water level in the battery get too low. Regular water checks, therefore, are necessary for your golf cart batteries to last.
Q: How often should you add water to golf cart batteries?
A: You should check the water level regularly and add more when necessary. It’s recommended that you check it once a month, switching to once a week in the summer months.
Q: What is the cost of a golf cart battery?
A: The average cost of a golf cart battery is $800 to $1500, which explains why reconditioning them makes so much sense.
The Takeaway
Reconditioning a golf cart battery is simple and saves you a lot of money, not to mention the fact that it is better for the environment (golf cart batteries are lead-acid batteries). Even better, it is a simple process that anyone can do, even if you’re not mechanically inclined.
James is an engineer and a professional blogger. He has gained extensive experience over the years, handling all types of power projects. He loves to share his experiences with all things related to batteries, generators, and other power-related topics.
