Ever wondered how to check golf cart batteries? It's actually pretty simple, and it only takes a few minutes. Plus, it's something you can do at home with just a few tools.
What You'll Need
To test your golf cart batteries, you'll need a voltmeter, a hydrometer, and a clean rag. You'll also need access to the battery itself, so make sure you have the necessary tools to remove the battery cover.
Step 1: Remove the Battery Cover
Using the appropriate tools, remove the battery cover so that you have access to the individual batteries. If you're not sure how to do this, consult your owner's manual or an online tutorial.
Step 2: Check the Fluid Level
With a clean rag, wipe away any debris from around the battery terminals. Then, using the hydrometer, check the fluid level in each battery cell. The ideal reading should be between 1.265 and 1.280. If the reading is below 1.265, add distilled water until it reaches the proper level.
Do not overfill! When adding water, fill each cell until the water reaches just below the level of the separator plates inside the battery. Above all else, never use plain tap water to top off your batteries—this will shorten their lifespan significantly.
Make a note of any cells that are low on fluid; you may need to add distilled water more frequently to these cells in the future. Also, be sure to check the electrolyte level before each charge cycle. This will help ensure that your batteries are able to accept and retain a full charge.
Step 3: Test the Voltage
With your voltmeter set to DC volts, touch one lead to the negative terminal of each battery and one lead to the positive terminal. The ideal reading for a fully charged battery is between 6 and 8 volts DC. If any of your batteries fall below this range, they will need to be recharged as soon as possible before they are damaged beyond repair. Once you've taken voltage readings for all of your batteries, it's time to move on to testing their capacity. (Note: if any of your batteries show a voltage above 8 volts DC, do not continue with this testing procedure—overcharged batteries can be extremely dangerous.)
Step 4: Test Capacity
To test capacity, first recharge your batteries until they are fully charged (consult your owner's manual or an online tutorial for charging instructions specific to your type of golf cart). Once they are charged, disconnect them from the charger and let them rest for at least two hours so that they can settle into their resting voltage state—this is important because capacity testing must be performed at rest in order for accurate results).
Now that they're fully charged and at rest, it's time to test their capacity. Using your voltmeter set to DC amps, connect one lead from the meter to the positive terminal of one of your batteries and touch the other lead briefly (for about one second) to the negative terminal—do not leave it connected for longer than one second or you will risk damaging both your voltmeter and your battery!
After touching the leads together for one second, take note of both the digital display on your voltmeter as well as how long it took for that number (the amp-hour reading) stabilizes on the display—this latter number is called "peak hold." The ideal peak hold number for golf cart batteries is between 7 and 9 seconds—if yours falls outside of this range, then further testing will be necessary in order determine whether or not your golf cart batteries need replaced or if some other issue is at play here (consult an expert for further assistance).
Step 5: Repeat
Repeat steps 4 & 5 until you've tested all of your golf cart batteries!
Regularly testing golf cart batteries is essential if you want them to last as long as possible—and who doesn't want that? By following these simple steps outlined above, you can easily test golf cart batteries at home with just a few tools that you likely already have on hand. Testing takes only a few minutes but can save you hours (and money) down the road by helping you identify issues early on so that they can be addressed before they become serious problems. Happy testing!
When its time to replace those batteries we've got you covered with a review of the 5 best golf cart batteries! Go check them out!
CJ Young
