golf cart battery charger

Golf Cart Battery Chargers are made specifically to recharge the electrical systems for golf carts.  Golf carts usually use 36/48 volt DC systems.  Your typical golf cart batteries are usually warranted for about 1,000 charges.  Depending on what area of the country you live in, this may be enough to last 2-3 years, or even longer if you are in the North.  If you are managing golf cart fleet for a course, your battery replacement cycles will depend directly on the utilization level of your golf carts. 

There are many different styles of golf cart battery charger levels.  The initial charging state is also known as a bulk charge.  This is where current is sent at the maximum rate, until the batteries reach approximately 80% of their voltage level.  At this stage, the battery charge will start the absorption mode.  This mode is for the 2^nd stage of battery charging. 

Voltage regulation is critical for maintain your golf cart batteries.  When golf cart batteries are worn or damaged, they may give false capacity readings which result in undercharged batteries.  The reason for this is because the batteries will appear to be in a full charge step, causing the battery charger to shut off. 

You should recharge your batteries after every full round of golf, whenever possible.  If you want to make sure your golf cart batteries last, make sure that you do not level them in extreme temperature conditions.  Leaving your golf cart in a hot uncooled garage can shorten the lifespan of your golf car batteries.  

With float chargers, the charging voltage of your cart charger will be reduced.  These are also known as trickle chargers, which are meant for keeping your golf batteries in a “topped off state”. 

You don’t have to buy battery chargers from the manufacturer, as there are many low cost alternatives available for your Club Car, Columbia, Yamaha, and Cushman golf carts.  Golf cart battery chargers can be also used for other applications such as charging forklifts.  High end battery chargers will also include a desulphator. 

Keep in mind that you are not only saving costs for new batteries, but also for the labor costs of replacing the batteries.  If you are maintaining a large golf course, using golf cart chargers with desulphators will definitely payback in a short amount of time.

Desulphator units will extend battery life by helping your batteries avoid the transformation of lead sulphate into crystals.  These battery charges will cost more ($2,000+) however will usually payback over the life of your golf cart.  You can usually increase the life of your batteries at least 50% by using a desulphator.  This is also much safer than overcharging your golf cart batteries.