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k2at
10-17-2009, 08:01 AM
I am planning on buying an electric golf cart, but will be in New Jersey for 4 consecutive months of each year. Can I plug the golf cart charger in for the entire 4 months or is there something else one must do to keep the batteries charged? Will it harm the batteries to have the charger plugged in all the time?
tpop1
10-17-2009, 08:10 AM
I am planning on buying an electric golf cart, but will be in New Jersey for 4 consecutive months of each year. Can I plug the golf cart charger in for the entire 4 months or is there something else one must do to keep the batteries charged? Will it harm the batteries to have the charger plugged in all the time?

Hi K2at,
I've had electric golf carts for 9 years and go back north for 6 months at a time.

I keep the cart UNplugged while I am gone...afraid batteries might lose the distilled water over those months. It only takes ovenight for my cart to charge for use when I get back.
Good luck.

Len
Barefoot
10-17-2009, 11:54 AM
We were told to leave our golf cart plugged in during our six month absence. And we have done this for the past two years. The manufacturers of the cart said leaving it unplugged would significantly decrease the life expectancy of the batteries. :shrug:

I think you should check with the manufacturer of your particular cart.
steigers
10-17-2009, 12:51 PM
What a great question. I have always thought the electric carts needed to be left unplugged with someone going in on a monthly basis to check the water in the battery, etc.? What part of NJ are you from and how lucky can you be to only have to spend 4 months out of the year here. Weather is currently cold and dreary. Hope you get your issue resolved...Bye:)
golfnut
10-17-2009, 02:17 PM
Although the manufacturer recommends leaving the cart plugged in while away, since we are gone for 4 months during the summer we have a neighbor come in once a month and charge the batteries.....GN
tpop1
10-17-2009, 03:04 PM
1st year in FL. our neighbor had a lightening strike while up north...fried her cart.

That was good enough reason for us to not keep ours plugged in. Also kept TV's and computers unplugged, even though we had surge protection.
RayB
10-17-2009, 09:11 PM
We were told by the Club Car dealer three years ago when we purchased our first new electric cart to never leave the charger plugged in while we were gone. They said any near lightning strike (and we all know we have plenty of those) may knock out your charger and possibly ruin your electronics in the electric cart. They told us there have been several situations in The Villages where lighting strikes through plugged in chargers had caused fires. They told us to ALWAYS disconnect the charger during a thunder storm. Their suggestion was that if the cart was to be idle for an extended time to either have someone come in and charge batteries once in awhile or buy a gas powered cart.
k2at
10-18-2009, 05:28 PM
This great. Half say leave it plugged in and half say keep it unplugged. It would appear that buying a gas cart is the solution.

Steiger, We live just outside of Hightstown (exit 8 on turnpike). We stay in Jersey from October to about June and then leave the villages for the summer as it is just too hot. However, just love the Villages the rest of the year.
bargee
10-18-2009, 07:42 PM
Starting to hear about an item called Battery Saver.Purported to be a desulfinator and supposed to increase battery life and travel distance.Anyone have any knowlege of this?
Summerhill Golfer
10-21-2009, 09:14 PM
I own 2 Gas Golf carts and love them. We never smell any fumes and never have to worry whether we can make it home at night when we have driven all over the place all day long. We were part timers for 4 years and we never had any problems. Just press the accelerator and off we go.

One cart is a Yamaha Drive and the other one is a Streetrod which is built on a Club Car chassis. They get someone between 40-50 MPG and have been extremely dependable.