Everyone who owns a golf cart wants to be ready to go at any given moment. But to do that, especially with battery-powered ones, proper maintenance is essential to make them more reliable and cost-effective. According to Fred Wehmeyer, Senior VP of Engineering at U.S. Battery Manufacturing, the first way to make batteries last longer and prevent having to purchase new ones as often is to start with a better battery. If you’ve always shopped for the less expensive battery on the shelf, you’re sacrificing capacity and extended operation. Premium batteries may cost a little more initially, but it is because they have more lead plates and greater overall capacity. This plays a major factor in battery longevity by providing greater capacity for longer run times and/or lower depth of discharge between the charging cycles.

But with either high-quality or economical batteries in your golf cart, there are always ways to keep them lasting longer than average. According to Wehmeyer, here are some tips that are proven to work.

Limit Your Depth of Discharge to 50% or Less

One of the best ways to lengthen the service life of your deep-cycle batteries is to limit the depth of discharge (DOD) to 50 percent of the battery pack’s capacity. Battery manufacturers agree that limiting discharges to 50 percent DOD will make them last much longer. To determine when your golf car batteries reach 50 percent DOD, check their state of charge (SOC) with a hydrometer.

Measure the Battery’s State-Of-Charge

Ninety percent of the problems with golf cars that act sluggish are caused by operating with an undercharged battery pack. You should always allow your battery charger to complete a full charge and check each battery’s state of charge with an inexpensive hydrometer. Comparing specific gravity readings to the specifications found on the battery manufacturer’s website can help you determine if the battery is at a full or partial charge and can also help diagnose other potential problems.

Water Your Batteries After Charging

Although this seems like a simple task that most know about, many golf cart batteries go unattended for long periods. After charging, the electrolyte in the battery cells may have lost water from the electrolysis. It’s essential to fill each cell with distilled water (after a charge, not before) to the manufacturer’s recommended level. The batteries should not have the cell plates exposed due to low electrolyte.

Perform a Monthly Equalization Charge

An equalization charge reduces electrolyte stratification. This is a condition that occurs when the acid in the electrolyte that is produced during charging, fails to mix completely with the rest of the electrolyte and settles to the bottom of the cell. The method used to equalize batteries is as easy as using a high-quality battery charger that features an automatic equalizing mode or by manually initiating an equalization charge. Wait until the charger terminates automatically, and then restarting the charging process manually by disconnecting AC power and reconnecting. The charger should restart and extend the charge cycle by several hours.

Store Batteries at a Full Charge

When you put your golf cart into storage for more than a month, make sure the batteries are fully charged. It’s especially important during the winter months, as the fully charged electrolyte will keep the batteries from freezing and prevent damage to the battery case. At other times, keep the vehicle and/or batteries in a cool and dry location. Occasionally, check the SOC of the batteries and recharge as necessary. If using an automatic charger, leave it plugged in during storage. The automatic feature will maintain the SOC of the batteries during storage. Otherwise, when taking them out of storage, give them a full charge before use.

Although this may seem like a lot to remember and do consistently, the facts are that they work extremely well. The best examples come from new and used golf cart dealers who are seeing the benefits of training for their customers on these tips and maintenance procedures. Many report that they have had customers get an average to five to seven years out of their batteries and can dramatically reduce the cost of owning and operating a battery-powered golf cart over the long haul.