What is the best type of battery for a golf cart?

Golf carts are very useful equipment, and they are used in various businesses for a lot of different applications. Mostly they are used in golf clubs, hotels and first-class resorts to transport guests and other stuff. So keeping them in top shape to allow them to provide the optimum performance expected out of them is a must.

One way of keeping golf carts in top shape is by getting the best golf cart batteries to provide them all the power they need for their everyday tasks. However, choosing the best ones can be very overwhelming due to the wealth of choices available today.

If you are planning to purchase a battery for your golf cart and you are having a dilemma or getting confused about what to choose due to the overwhelming amount available. This guide and product may be very helpful to your cause.

What is the best type of battery for a golf cart?

It may seem puzzling to discern one battery type from another, but this is an essential consideration to make when thinking about the best type of battery for your golf cart. It might seem tempting to stick with what you know and purchase the same time type of battery that you used previously. This isn’t a bad idea, but there is no harm in knowing what’s out there so your decision is an informed one.

Lead Acid Batteries

Lead-acid batteries are what you will normally find powering an electric golf cart. These are a trusted battery type that has been used for years in electric golf carts – and are an affordable and reliable choice. Some lead-acid batteries will require some maintenance as you need to make sure the electrolyte level is okay and add battery water if it is not.

The term ‘lead-acid’ can refer to flooded batteries, gel batteries, and AGM batteries. With flooded lead-acid batteries, you will, unfortunately, need to check the electrolyte levels as these are not sealed batteries – these generally tend to be on the cheaper side. Gel lead-acid batteries are a better option if you like to take the golf cart off-road as a thickening agent within the battery prevents the electrolyte from moving. Finally, AGM lead-acid batteries, also known as a ‘sealed’ lead-acid battery, are a great option for golf carts as they are pretty robust and they have the added bonus of charging quickly – great when you are desperate to get out on the golf course but you have let your battery discharge.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

A newer contender on the golf cart battery market is the lithium-ion battery. They have many advantages over the lead-acid batteries but do come with a heftier price tag.

To begin with, they are much lighter, about half the weight of a lead-acid battery, and will immediately make a difference to the overall weight of your golf cart – which will mean you can go faster.

Another advantage is charge speed, with lithium-ion batteries taking a third of the length of time as lead-acid batteries to charge up. Great if you are in a rush. They also react better to being discharged as they are immune to the sulfation damage which makes it dangerous to let lead-acid batteries get too discharged.

Lithium-ion batteries are also capable of lasting longer than their lead-acid counterparts and have a much higher cycle life. So while the upfront cost might seem high, in the long run, it is likely that a lithium-ion battery is an economical choice.

Before exploring the lithium-ion market make sure that your golf-cart is compatible with this newer battery type.

What size battery do I need for my golf cart?

Before we move onto what voltage size you will need for your battery, let us look at the physical size. The last thing you want is to order your new golf cart battery, and then when it arrives it doesn’t fit into the allotted space in your golf cart. To prevent this nightmare situation, make sure you check the dimensions you need for your new battery/batteries (this will be stated in the instruction manual, or you can just check the dimensions of your old battery).

It may be that, due to space, you need to pick batteries with a higher voltage and buy fewer of them (say three 12 volt batteries to make a combined voltage of 36V), or you have ample room and would prefer to opt for several batteries at a lower voltage so you can be more specific with your voltage requirements (perhaps six 6 volt batteries to make 36V).

Now let’s look at the number of volts you will need. As you know, golf cart batteries work by being wired in series and the total number of volts you need depends on the size and the weight of your vehicle, so make sure you check those specifications and pick the best fit voltage size for your golf cart.

Another consideration is sped if you want to be overtaking your friends on the golf course than you need to have a higher voltage in your batteries. Golf carts with a total of 36 combined battery voltage will be able to travel at around 12-14 mph, whereas with 48 volts you’ll be able to cruise along at a cool 20mph. Of course, golf carts are not designed to go very fast but if you are wanting to go as fast as you can you’ll need to make sure you opt for a combination of batteries that take you to a higher voltage.

It also won’t surprise you to hear that the higher the batteries voltage, the longer the run time on the golf cart – another factor to consider when thinking about what is the best golf cart battery for you.

Will the battery be okay if I don’t use my golf cart all winter?

There are preventative steps that you can take when storing your golf cart away for the winter period to make sure that it’s in tip-top condition for when you want to use it again.

The best way to store golf cart lead-acid batteries for the winter is to ensure that you connect it to a battery tender. If lead-acid batteries discharge too deeply then this can severely damage your battery and reduce its productivity and its lifespan.

A battery tender will deliver a low trickle charger to your battery over the winter so it is maintained at a healthy level of charge. This means that your batteries health will be maintained during the winter, and you won’t need to worry about it being discharged when you need it either. Most battery chargers come with this function, check out our reviews of the Best Golf Cart Battery Charger.
For lithium-ion batteries you don’t need to worry so much about winter storage, they do not lose their charge in the same way as lead-acid batteries and are not as susceptible to damage if they do discharge. You don’t need a battery tender if you have a lithium-ion battery, instead, make sure it is stored at a 40% charge level and then just charge it up again when you need to use it.

What about battery maintenance?

In addition to ensuring you have a trickle charger in place to make sure your golf-cart battery survives the winter (if it is a lead-acid battery), there are other steps you need to take to keep your battery healthy and that you get the most out of your golf cart.

It is a good idea to check your battery every now and again to make sure it is free of debris. You can clean the batteries (when they are turned off) with a solution of baking soda and water  (but make sure you wear gloves and protection for your eyes). Another idea, to prevent corrosion, is to spray the connecting battery cables with an anti-corrosive spray.

Make sure you keep an eye on the water levels in your battery (for lead-acid batteries). The instruction manual for your battery will state what the required water level is and will give you instructions on how to do this. Only add distilled water or specialist battery water to your battery (check what your batter requires) and only ever top it up when your batteries are fully charged.

While it is fine to discharge golf cart batteries to 80% discharge, it is wise to not let your batteries go completely flat as this can be damaging – particularly for lead-acid batteries.

With these important maintenance tips, you can ensure your golf-cart batteries will last as long as they are meant to.

Conclusion

When it comes to selecting the best golf cart battery for your needs it is important too, first of all, think about the type of battery you want to invest in. Lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries have their pros and cons and this choice will have an impact on how your golf cart runs, and the maintenance required of the battery.

You also need to think about speed as the number of volts you opt for in a battery will affect the speed your golf cart is able to go at – remember, the higher the voltage the faster the golf cart will go and the longer the charge will last.

Don’t forget about all-important battery maintenance, and if you opt for lithium-ion batteries make sure you have a battery tender to keep them healthy during periods of disuse.

Addition ideas to choose golf cart battery

Whatever may be the reason you are looking for a golf cart battery replacement, you should not look beyond the best golf cart battery that has deep discharge cycles and delivers sustainable performance without driving up your maintenance costs. And, if you can get them and get them cheap, they might be a very good option for the long term as well.

Golf cart batteries generally have thicker plates capable of undergoing deep cycles day in and day out than the typical starting battery. They are fantastic options for those who are new to battery storage systems in general, and for folks who are looking for trainer batteries. These batteries are known to sustain pretty high rates for fairly long duration of time and to continuously deliver a high power output despite their lightweight construction.

Several battery makers offer a great line of golf cart batteries that are available in 6-volt, 8-volt and 12-volt sizes, featuring advanced technology that helps maximize the battery’s longevity. If you are looking for the best golf cart batteries, there is a wide assortment of batteries out there- from a low cost, deep cycle battery with tremendous power to a powerful battery that has faster recharge rates and is compatible with floor scrubbers, hybrid vehicles, RVs and almost everything in between. Throw into the mix, the special deep cycle golf cart batteries that have a long life, offer superior starting power and provide superior performance.

So, there is a whole lot of them out there.

How do you about buying the best golf car batteries money can buy. Where do you start?

Golf cart battery reviews are a great way to decide what the best battery for your golf cart is. But, the golf cart battery buying guide below helps you learn more about the many things you need to consider in a battery and how to choose the best of all golf cart batteries.

Things to consider

If you had done some research, you would have understood that price is an important factor while buying a deep cycle battery for your floor scrubber or RV; however, there are a few other considerations as well.

To make sure you choose the best of all golf cart batteries, look into some basic details such as battery type, capacity, energy rate, terminal type, dimensions, and weight. Each factor, either on its own or in combination, could have a direct impact on the performance, life, maintenance, and replacement of the battery.

There are a variety of batteries available in the market at different price ranges. Selecting the best batteries for golf carts becomes a little intimidating among these many choices. But, ensuring that you have the best batteries in your cart is the first rule of a well-facilitated golf game. Here are a few things to consider when buying a golf cart batteries to ensure the best deal:

Vendor:

It is of utmost important that you buy from a reputable vendor. If you are buying them online, ensure that the website is popular and has certified vendors listed on the site. Additionally, you must buy from a vendor/ website that has a significant market history.

Compare prices:

Comparing prices on different websites/ vendors is another must. Different vendors offer a different price for the same batteries and thus choosing the one who offers the lowest price is always a great deal.

Have a budget & follow it:

Often, with so many choices, it becomes tough to find out the best batteries for your golf cart. It is great to have a fixed budget and enjoy shopping within it.  This will not only help you in buying within your range but also ensure that you have limited and best choices to choose from.

Check out the essentials:

Buying batteries that come with some added advantages are always great. However, to ensure that you get all these advantages handy you must check that the vendor offers you the same. The list of things includes a warranty, shipping cost, service assistance, home delivery and more.

New/Used:

Many times, people prefer buying used batteries as they are cheaper. But, usually, used batteries do not deliver the desired output and you end up wasting money and buying a new set of batteries. New batteries are the best options to buy to have a maintenance-free and hassle-free battery usage.

Buying what is suitable:

Last but not least, you must buy the batteries that are best suitable for your motor as well as the budget. Different batteries support different types of motors and thus buying a compatible model is a pre-requisite. When you end up buying the wrong model, it will not only deliver under-performance but also affect the life of your golf cart.

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