The main heart beat of an electric cart is the battery power pack. It will consist of (4) 12v, or (6) 6v, or (6) 8v batteries. These batteries are usually lead acid deep cycle "golf cart' batteries. If taken care of they will last anywhere from 3 to 6 years depending on the brand and or quality of the batteries.      

     The first and most important thing to remember is to always maintain the proper fluid level in the battery cells. Too much fluid and the wrong type is just as bad as not enough. There should be approximately 1/2" to 3/4" of water/acid above the cell plates. Not enough will cause the cells to go dry and once that happens, prepare to purchase new batteries for the old ones will be shot. On the other hand if you put too much water in,  then the fluid will boil out the top during the charge cycle and create a mess under the cart!    

     The fluid level should be checked @ least every other month and ALWAYS after the batteries have went through their charge cycle. Make sure to use the right type of fluid when adding to the battery cells. The ONLY type of water to add is the distilled kind. Other water that stems from the ground has too many minerals that can lead to damage and shortened service life of the batteries.

     Another thing to do to extend the service life of your batteries is don't over charge them. There is a huge misconception about making sure the batteries "are fully charged in order for the cart to go faster." Most carts have current restrictors on them and are only going to allow limited current that the factory programmed it to do! Every cart is different and will need to be charged according to the way and amount that they are used. A lot of full pedal driving is going to need charging more than the 1/2 pedal driver who only uses the cart sparingly. A good rule of thumb is to charge the cart only when the performance begins to become sluggish.

     Each battery goes through thermal cycles prior to, during and after the charge cycle. The battery is cool before charging, becomes warm/heated during charging and cools down after the charge. There are only so many thermal cycles to a batteries life and the more that they are charged the fewer those cycles become! Therefore only charge when neccessary. These are just a few tips on how to take care of the batteries in your cart. Hope they were helpful and remember, injoy your cart, that's what its for.

You can visit Best Buy Golf Carts / Allens Auto Electric at:
3293 Highway 17
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Or call : 904-284-5300 / 904-437-4868

Or toll free at: 1855cartparts (1-855-227-8727)

M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat., 8:00 am - 2:00 pm