Dead golf cart battery to recharge

[Villageshooter]

My golf cart has set approximately eight weeks and the battery has went dead in it. I have a jumpstart module to jumpstart it, but what would be the best situation to get it charged up, by driving it?, Do I take it on a long trip from the top of the villages to the bottom of the villages? Will that charge it well enough? I really don’t want to have to buy a battery charger. Any advice you could give me I would be appreciated.

[mrf6969]

That battery sitting for just 2 months should not have been dead. What you need to do is have a cart tech install a new battery for testing purposes only and then they will be able to see if the starter generator is actually doing its job. If it is then you probably need a new battery, especially if it is over 3-4 years old. The worst-case scenario is that you have draw, and those can be a real challenge to find.
There is a golf cart tech that is on this site, Kenny P. I believe, hopefully he will chime in and give you the professional advice.

[Normal]

I know you don’t want to buy a battery charger but;

You may be able to bring it back to life with a trickle charge. The charger is cheaper than the battery and it can be used again. I would remove or disconnect it, and place it on a low charge for a couple days.

[TommyT]

I've used this for years on my golf car and motorcycle usually I get five years on the battery even in Florida.

Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=asc_df_B000CITK8S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693375481814&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5165287211289247313&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011014&hvtargid=pla-370669784302&psc=1&gad_source=1)

[villagetinker]

Be careful with a trickle charger, especially the cheap ones, I destroyed a new battery with one around 2-3 years ago. A true battery tender will work much better.
I agree with the previous comments regarding the age of the battery and the possibility of a parasitic load. If you have or can borrow a digital voltmeter, use some long leads and clip directly on the battery, you should have around 12.5 VDC at rest. Now take the cart out for a ride with the voltmeter still connected, you should get 13.5 to possibly 14.5 VDC which would indicate the starter/generator is working. Last test, back at your house, disconnect one of the battery leads, set the digital voltmeter up for DC amps, and connect the meter from the battery terminal to the disconnected lead, you should have 0 amps. If you get a reading, then something on your cart is still on. In the past the speedometer was reported to be the main culprit since these can be wired to be on all the time.
If you do not have access to this equipment or are concerned about doing these measurements, send me a PM and I can help.

[MrFlorida]

If you don't live here full time , you should have a battery tender for your cart. It will keep your battery charged, and shut off when it reaches a full charge.

[Topspinmo]

IMO knowing the cart was going to set you should have disconnected battery. Why? Some carts have add on features that drawn milliamperes. And With weak battery could drawn it down enough to not crank the starter generator. As reported Yamaha carts seems to have overcharging problem so if you drive it the battery will charge up. But, that maybe part of problem if battery few years old? Bottom line unless you charge battery and test it or have it tested you have no clue the condition of battery. Unless you know the condition by testing if could die at anytime?

[Bill14564]

Driving the cart for a while (how long??) should charge the battery.

BUT

As many others have pointed out, you really should figure out why it lost charge in the first place.

1. If the generator is bad then driving it won't charge it at all (probably won't go far either)
2. If something is drawing current when the key is off then it will continue to discharge while you are away and you'll come back to a problem again
3. If the battery is bad (happens at about 5 years) then it won't hold charge and you will have the same problem about three days from now.

I have left the cart for several months multiple times without a battery tender. Most of those times I disconnected the battery cable to ensure there was no load but not every time.

One time after not using it for a week it had a dead battery. No problem, I put the charger on it and used it later that day. Two days later the battery was dead again. I knew there was no extra load because of my past experience with letting it sit for months. I guessed it was a bad battery and found a replacement. It has worked fine ever since.

[Arctic Fox]

[QUOTE=Topspinmo;2364275]Knowing the cart was going to sit you should have disconnected battery./QUOTE]

We leave our car for up to six months, with the battery disconnected, and it always fires up first time when we get back. It then charges up fully after just a few drives.

[Topspinmo]

This cheap battery tester will tell you the exact condition of battery.

ACCEL BST200 battery analyzer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kDc8gAypW4

[Velvet]

I’ve got this little thingy and it works like a dream. Lift cart seat up, I use a wooden spoon to brace it, hook black cable then red cable. Plug in. Select battery type; lead. Leave for several hours. Takes maybe 15 seconds to do. Works like a charm to jump start (takes time to charge up), or to leave on for 6 months at a time, or to just charge up to full any time. (I have a Yamaha gas cart.)

[Villageshooter]

a special, thank you to everyone that commented to help me solve my problem with my dead battery in my golf cart,, I did go to Walmart and purchase one of those instant jumpstart boxes, I used it to start the cart. It started right off. I did take a trip in the cart down to Finney and back which was almost a two hour trip. The battery has gotten completely charged. I have it set overnight and it fired off first thing this morning., I did use a volt meter on the current setting to see if there was a constant drain on the battery and there was absolutely no current flowing. So I think we are good, thank you so much for everyone for the suggestions. I did order a trickle charger for it so that when I leave again if there’s any problems.

[tophcfa]

a special, thank you to everyone that commented to help me solve my problem with my dead battery in my golf cart,, I did go to Walmart and purchase one of those instant jumpstart boxes, I used it to start the cart. It started right off. I did take a trip in the cart down to Finney and back which was almost a two hour trip. The battery has gotten completely charged. I have it set overnight and it fired off first thing this morning., I did use a volt meter on the current setting to see if there was a constant drain on the battery and there was absolutely no current flowing. So I think we are good, thank you so much for everyone for the suggestions. I did order a trickle charger for it so that when I leave again if there’s any problems.

Glad you got it working. Definitely a good idea to use a battery tender when not there for an extended period of time. Also, if you have a Yamaha, use your volt meter to check out the charging voltage. Some Yamahas charging voltage is too high which can prematurely kill the battery. Put the cart in neutral with a wedge under a tire and check the voltage while holding the gas pedal to the floor. If the voltage is over 15, especially 16-17, it’s a good idea to fix the problem. There is an excellent thread on TOTV, authored by Villagetinker, that illustrates the fix.

[Lyarham]

My golf cart has set approximately eight weeks and the battery has went dead in it. I have a jumpstart module to jumpstart it, but what would be the best situation to get it charged up, by driving it?, Do I take it on a long trip from the top of the villages to the bottom of the villages? Will that charge it well enough? I really don’t want to have to buy a battery charger. Any advice you could give me I would be appreciated.

Buy a battery maintainer

[pvetrano1]

Buy a battery tender at Walmart for $25. Whenever you go away for any period of time it will keep your battery charged.

[Sgt Ed]

My golf cart has set approximately eight weeks and the battery has went dead in it. I have a jumpstart module to jumpstart it, but what would be the best situation to get it charged up, by driving it?, Do I take it on a long trip from the top of the villages to the bottom of the villages? Will that charge it well enough? I really don’t want to have to buy a battery charger. Any advice you could give me I would be appreciated. Get it jumped off then buy, yes buy a battery maintainer, NOT A TRICKLE CHARGER, NOCO brand is pro stuff, and about $50 buks on internet. Dead batter in the future is history and a maintainer does the correct stuff to prolong battery life.

[mkjelenbaas]

That battery sitting for just 2 months should not have been dead. What you need to do is have a cart tech install a new battery for testing purposes only and then they will be able to see if the starter generator is actually doing its job. If it is then you probably need a new battery, especially if it is over 3-4 years old. The worst-case scenario is that you have draw, and those can be a real challenge to find.
There is a golf cart tech that is on this site, Kenny P. I believe, hopefully he will chime in and give you the professional advice.
DO NOT GO TO SUMTER LANDING for any work - they are UP CHARGERS and will want to charge for things that don’t need to be done!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

[dewilson58]

DO NOT GO TO SUMTER LANDING for any work - they are UP CHARGERS and will want to charge for things that don’t need to be done!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

Love LSL service center. They are great.

I'm 5 minutes from Brownwood, but I drive 20 minutes to LSL to get my cart serviced.

[DrHitch]

Some carts have add on features that drawn milliamperes.

Yes, an add-on stereo system, USB ports (lite up), and many other components will continue to draw power even when the cart is turned off.

It may be best to physically disconnect the battery when not used for long periods.

As others have said, don't use a cheap trickle charger because they do continue to charge slowly and can burn up a battery. Use a "battery tender" with auto shutoff

[mistamick]

My 6 month old Yamaha sat unused for two weeks and wouldn’t start. When I bought it the salesman handed me a trickle charger, which I found unusual. He suggested I use it if the cart was stored for a time.
I charged the battery with a regular charger and took the cart to Sumter Village Carts and complained. I was told that the new speedometer that Yamaha now uses will draw down the battery even when the ignition is off.
He showed me how the speedometer can be shut off by holding down the button on the upper left. Sure enough, off it went.
So, apparently that’s the answer to the mystery.

[mrf6969]

DO NOT GO TO SUMTER LANDING for any work - they are UP CHARGERS and will want to charge for things that don’t need to be done!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!
You are so WRONG about this. I have used them for 15 years now and never had an issue like what you are claiming. They must be doing something right as they service over 75 carts a day just at that one Sumter location.

[Bwanajim]

Buy a trickle charger. Leave it plugged in if you’re not going to use cart for a while.

[Road Apple]

I had battery problems with two carts until I did this: I went to advance auto parts and bought a battery disconnect switch (~40 bucks). I disconnect the battery after every trip. Have not had a problem one time since. There are ways the battery drains even when off…like those light strips, which I have. Also adds a little security vs. theft. I don’t know that the bad guy would try to solve the issue if the cart won’t start…which it won’t when disconnect switch is off. Good luck!

[CoachKandSportsguy]

I had battery problems with two carts until I did this: I went to advance auto parts and bought a battery disconnect switch (~40 bucks). I disconnect the battery after every trip. Have not had a problem one time since. There are ways the battery drains even when off…like those light strips, which I have. Also adds a little security vs. theft. I don’t know that the bad guy would try to solve the issue if the cart won’t start…which it won’t when disconnect switch is off. Good luck!

Great idea for golf carts! A battery tender is about 60$-90$ bucks, and mine is hard wired into our Subaru so I just plug it into the wall and plug it into the matching socket, close the hood and leave. Bought one for a friend while she left her car in the garage for 6 months. Starts right up!

Battery disconnect also works, but can't help a drained battery. Buy both and install both. . .

YMMV

[KennyP]

DO NOT GO TO SUMTER LANDING for any work - they are UP CHARGERS and will want to charge for things that don’t need to be done!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

That is only the tip of the iceberg -

[DARFAP]

I know you don’t want to buy a battery charger but;

You may be able to bring it back to life with a trickle charge. The charger is cheaper than the battery and it can be used again. I would remove or disconnect it, and place it on a low charge for a couple days.
I have one with a repair mode. It brought a dead battery back to life in my cart. The charger was not expensive (Amazon), and is handy to have on hand.

[dewilson58]

My golf cart has set approximately eight weeks and the battery has went dead in it. I have a jumpstart module to jumpstart it, but what would be the best situation to get it charged up, by driving it?, Do I take it on a long trip from the top of the villages to the bottom of the villages? Will that charge it well enough? I really don’t want to have to buy a battery charger. Any advice you could give me I would be appreciated.

shooter...............what did you do??

[Villageshooter]

shooter...............what did you do??
as I stated earlier, I used instant charger block. It started right off., took a two hour trip down to Finney, I bought a battery maintainer for the next time and all is good. I certainly appreciate all the ideas that I got here.

[villagetinker]

To ALL,
be very careful of the "tickle chargers" as opposed to battery tenders", I completely destroyed an automotive battery using an inexpensive (harbor freight) trickle charger. These devices place a CONSTANT charge on the battery and eventually will overcharge the battery, and then it is junk. I true battery tender actually turn turns on and off or maintain the correct charge level.
If anybody wants an old harbor freight unit you can have it for free, going into the trash very soon.

[LeRoySmith]

To ALL,
be very careful of the "tickle chargers" as opposed to battery tenders", I completely destroyed an automotive battery using an inexpensive (harbor freight) trickle charger. These devices place a CONSTANT charge on the battery and eventually will overcharge the battery, and then it is junk. I true battery tender actually turn turns on and off or maintain the correct charge level.
If anybody wants an old harbor freight unit you can have it for free, going into the trash very soon.

I got this one pretty cheap from harbor freight and it's worked very well for me. I have a couple of old 6 volt cars I've left it on with good results.

[Normal]

I got this one pretty cheap from harbor freight and it's worked very well for me. I have a couple of old 6 volt cars I've left it on with good results.

I’ve had zero problems doing trickle charges on dead batteries. The charger I have does high charge, standard charge and trickle charging. I bought it about 10 years ago for around 50 dollars at Autozone.

Just make sure to keep lead acid batteries off concrete floors because they will discharge. If you need to take the battery out, make sure to place it on a block of wood or something insulated from your garage floor. Trickle charging is only recommended for batteries that are completely dead. You basically are bringing the battery back up to life slowly so it will hold a charge. The method doesn’t work with Lithium type batteries. Gell Cells, Nickle Cads and lead acid batteries can all be trickle charged.

[Topspinmo]

I’ve had zero problems doing trickle charges on dead batteries. The charger I have does high charge, standard charge and trickle charging. I bought it about 10 years ago for around 50 dollars at Autozone.

Just make sure to keep lead acid batteries off concrete floors because they will discharge. If you need to take the battery out, make sure to place it on a block of wood or something insulated from your garage floor. Trickle charging is only recommended for batteries that are completely dead. You basically are bringing the battery back up to life slowly so it will hold a charge. The method doesn’t work with Lithium type batteries. Gell Cells, Nickle Cads and lead acid batteries can all be trickle charged.


I still have my bass boat battery charger it does it all.

[FloridaGuy66]

My golf cart has set approximately eight weeks and the battery has went dead in it. I have a jumpstart module to jumpstart it, but what would be the best situation to get it charged up, by driving it?, Do I take it on a long trip from the top of the villages to the bottom of the villages? Will that charge it well enough? I really don’t want to have to buy a battery charger. Any advice you could give me I would be appreciated.

That's a ton of work to avoid buying something that can be found for under $20 and you would probably use in the future.

[LeRoySmith]

Just make sure to keep lead acid batteries off concrete floors because they will discharge. If you need to take the battery out, make sure to place it on a block of wood or something insulated from your garage floor.

I wonder why? I've been sitting car batteries on a block of wood all my life and I'm not sure why or how sitting then in concrete discharge them. I'm confident my dad is grandpa told me to do this when I was a kid and I've never looked back.

I bet someone knows the actual answer.

[Normal]

I wonder why? I've been sitting car batteries on a block of wood all my life and I'm not sure why or how sitting then in concrete discharge them. I'm confident my dad is grandpa told me to do this when I was a kid and I've never looked back.

I bet someone knows the actual answer.

I think it’s a moisture thing and the ease of electron movement to the floor? Heat is a worse culprit though. Just like in a lab, the warmer it is, the more the chance for chemical reactions. It’s a better environment for electron valance migration.

[biker1]

There may have been a good reason for not storing lead acid batteries on concrete in the distant past but that is not true for lead acid batteries today.


I’ve had zero problems doing trickle charges on dead batteries. The charger I have does high charge, standard charge and trickle charging. I bought it about 10 years ago for around 50 dollars at Autozone.

Just make sure to keep lead acid batteries off concrete floors because they will discharge. If you need to take the battery out, make sure to place it on a block of wood or something insulated from your garage floor. Trickle charging is only recommended for batteries that are completely dead. You basically are bringing the battery back up to life slowly so it will hold a charge. The method doesn’t work with Lithium type batteries. Gell Cells, Nickle Cads and lead acid batteries can all be trickle charged.

[Normal]

There may have been a good reason for not storing lead acid batteries on concrete in the distant past but that is not true for lead acid batteries today.

It’s possible issues have been addressed. I did notice there were no caps to pop before charging on the last lead acid I charged. No telling what has been done on the inside of these. Shoot, I’m not even sure if they even sell the acid anymore. We’ve come a long way since Plant’s first work on batteries.

[LeRoySmith]

I think it’s a moisture thing and the ease of electron movement to the floor?

I guess it could be moisture, the electrons would probably go from one post to the other rather than the floor?

[biker1]

I suspect it has to do with the battery cases that are now made with better quality “plastics” than in the past, when charge leakage may have occurred.

It’s possible issues have been addressed. I did notice there were no caps to pop before charging on the last lead acid I charged. No telling what has been done on the inside of these. Shoot, I’m not even sure if they even sell the acid anymore. We’ve come a long way since Plant’s first work on batteries.