Golf Cart Battery Maintenance

A little routine care is the difference between a pack that lasts and one you replace early. Here's what to do for each battery type.

Flooded lead-acid

• Charge after every use. Lead-acid lasts longest when it's kept charged; avoid running it below about half charge.
• Water after charging, not before. Check the levels monthly (more often in hot weather) and top off with distilled water to just above the plates, after a full charge. Never add acid.
• Keep terminals clean and tight. Clean corrosion with a baking soda and water solution and a brush, rinse, dry, and use a terminal protector. Loose connections cause heat and lost range.
• Equalize if your charger supports it, per the battery maker's guidance.

AGM

Sealed AGM batteries need no watering. Keep them charged, keep the connections clean and tight, and use a charger with an AGM setting.

Lithium (LiFePO4)

• No watering and no equalizing.
• Use only the lithium charger supplied with the kit, or one the maker approves.
• Check the main cable connections are tight once in a while.
• Use the Bluetooth app or state-of-charge meter to keep an eye on the pack.
• Don't charge below freezing unless the battery is heated or has low-temperature protection.

Storing a cart for the winter

Lead-acid: fully charge, water if flooded, and either leave it on a charger that's designed for storage or recharge every few weeks. A lead-acid battery left discharged can be permanently damaged. Lithium: follow the maker's storage guidance; most recommend storing partly charged with the battery switched off or disconnected, and topping up every few months.

Safety

Lead-acid batteries contain sulfuric acid and give off hydrogen when charging: wear eye protection and gloves, charge in a ventilated area and keep sparks away. Don't lay tools across terminals. Lithium batteries store a lot of energy; follow the maker's installation and safety instructions.

Ready to replace a worn pack? See complete lead-acid sets or convert to lithium.

Start-of-season checklist

• Charge the battery fully with the correct charger before the first ride.
• Flooded batteries: check and top up the water after that charge.
• Check every cable end for corrosion, fraying or looseness, and the hold-downs for tightness.
• Lithium: check the SOC meter or app and confirm the charger starts and finishes normally.
• Test the lights, horn and accessories, so a 12V converter problem shows up in the driveway, not on the course.

Maintenance at a glance

Cleaning lead-acid terminals, step by step

1. Turn the cart off, set Tow/Run to Tow if your cart has it, and put on glasses and gloves.
2. Brush on a baking soda and water mix. It fizzes as it neutralizes the acid.
3. Scrub the terminals and cable ends, rinse with a little clean water, and dry.
4. Check that every cable is tight and none are frayed or hot-looking.
5. Apply a terminal protector.

When maintenance isn't enough

If one lead-acid battery keeps reading lower than the rest after a full charge, or the pack needs water far more often than it used to, the set is wearing out. See how long golf cart batteries last for the signs. For a lithium battery, the app or SOC meter is the first place to look: Bedrock's Bluetooth app shows state of charge and battery data.

Related guides

• The complete lithium conversion guide: steps, make-by-make notes, costs and install videos.
• Fitment Guide: every battery we sell by make, model and year.
• Charger guide
• Lead-acid vs lithium

Need a hand? Use the Fitment Guide to see every battery we sell for your cart, or send us your cart's make, model, year and serial number and we'll confirm the right battery before you order.