Have you ever wondered how long does it take for a golf cart battery to get off zero and back on the road?
Unlike vehicle batteries, there’s one difference with golf cart batteries – golf carts can be driven and run out of charge. That means that you cannot take your golf cart on a game or cruise around the green until it is fully charged up to cruising level. Fortunately though, knowing how long does it takes for full charging comes in handy when you are playing tournament games or heading out for a ride over a long distance. This will also prove beneficial for planning purposes if you want to schedule charging time for your golf cart and reserve it for other activities or activities that require the use of another electric vehicle.
So, How long it takes to fully charge a golf cart depends on the battery.
Charging your golf cart for 8 to 14 hours is a good rule of thumb, but it can be as short as 4 to 6 hours or as long as 20 to 24 hours. The length of time it takes to charge a golf cart is dependent on the size of the battery, the golf cart’s age, and how deeply discharged the battery is when you begin charging.
The amount of time it takes to charge your golf cart also varies depending on whether you are charging the battery on the cart itself or if you choose to remove the battery from the cart and charge it separately.
Golf carts can be charged in two ways: externally through a direct connection to an electrical outlet or internally through a charging system that contains an alternator, an electronic circuit and a regulator. External charging systems have both advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that they allow you to charge your golf cart anywhere there is an electrical outlet. The main disadvantage is that they take much longer to charge than an internal charging system.
What are the possible factors that affect how long it takes to charge a golf cart battery?
One of the most common questions asked about golf cart batteries is, “How long does it take to charge a golf cart battery?” The answer to this question depends on a number of different factors. A few of these factors that affect how long it takes to charge a golf cart battery are listed below:
- Battery Quality
- Battery’s Depth of Discharge
- Golf Cart Charger Quality
- Number of Cycles on your Charger
Battery Quality
The age of the battery is a critical factor in determining how long it takes to charge. The older the battery is the slower it will take to achieve a full charge. The voltage output drops as the battery ages and this makes it harder to achieve a full charge.
The make, model, and size of the battery also affect how long it takes to charge. A golf cart size battery can take approximately 12 hours to achieve a full charge while a regular car battery might take 6 to 8 hours. The larger the battery capacity, the more power it has and therefore it will require more time for charging.
If you are using a solar charger, there are two main factors that affect how long it will take for your batteries to charge – the power of the solar panel and its orientation towards the sun.
A low-powered solar panel will not be able to charge your batteries effectively so you might be waiting for a very long time before you get any sign of charging.
If there is no direct sunlight, your batteries will not charge at all. It would be best if you use batteries that can hold their charge longer. They can retain their power even when not in use and this would help speed up the charging process when you do decide to use them again.
For golf cart batteries, the most important factor is the charge acceptance rate. If you have a 100 amp battery that has 80% of its capacity left, then you can do approximately 60 amps. If someone has a newer 100 amp battery with 100% capacity, they could do 100 amps. In this case, time will be a function of how much current is going into the battery. The accepted method for charging batteries is to apply 10-15% of the battery capacity as CCA (cold cranking amps) for 6-8 hours.
Here are some factors that affect how quickly you can recharge your golf cart battery:
- Newer batteries can hold more charge than older batteries.
- A deep cycle battery can accept more charge than an AGM or a flooded cell battery.
- For flooded cells, the use of a poor charging method like using a constant voltage charger will shorten the life of your battery and reduce its ability to accept a charge.
- The best way to determine when your golf cart needs to be charged is to monitor the specific gravity levels of your battery.
- On average, you should try and keep your actual usage below 50% of the full charge capacity of your golf cart battery pack. This means that if your golf cart holds 100 AH (amp hours), you should try not to go over 50 AH in a day’s use.
What is the proper battery charging cycle?
Good battery charging practice can increase the life of golf cart batteries by 5-7 years. Proper battery charging is one of the simplest yet effective ways of saving money and resources.
Not every battery is created equal. Lead-acid batteries, for example, are designed to be cycled regularly (discharged and then charged), whereas lithium-ion batteries should not be run below 10% capacity or they risk damage.
The proper charging cycle for a golf cart battery depends on the type of battery you have. Lead-acid batteries are designed to accept a charge after being used and to be periodically discharged—they’re the kind used in automobiles.
The best practice for golf cart batteries is to avoid using up the battery’s energy before recharging. Generally, people should reserve about half the battery’s capacity after each use; if the battery is constantly being drained below 50%, it can have permanent damage that lowers its life expectancy.
The first rule of maintaining golf cart batteries is to keep them charged. A fully charged battery has a useful life of five to seven years. If the battery is kept at full charge, it will be able to perform in the best possible way for a long period of time.
To maximize the useful life of your battery, recharge it after every use. Leaving a battery partially discharged shortens its life and may result in permanent damage that requires replacement.
It is safe to leave the battery connected to an automatic charger for an indefinite time period, but it is important not to allow overcharging. The general rule is to set a timer on your battery charger so that your golf cart batteries are charged only when they need it. Fully charged batteries can lose as much as 5% of their charge per month if left unused.
It is important to charge a golf cart battery in the proper manner. If the battery is left to charge for too long, the battery will not charge effectively and will be damaged. The battery should never be charged when it is above 85%, as this can result in overcharging, which decreases the battery’s lifespan and creates lengthy charging times subsequently. Undercharging a battery will eventually cause it to discharge at a faster rate than the optimal power level for that battery. You may read also How Long Does It Take To Play 9 Holes Of Golf?
Battery’s Depth of Discharge
The third factor is the depth of discharge. The DOD of your battery should be at least 50%. That means you should not use more than 50% of your battery capacity. The reason is simple: when you allow the battery to discharge more than 50%, it reduces its cycle life, which in turn reduces its overall life.
When the battery is fully charged, it has a greater power output than when it is at 50% or 40% charge level. When you discharge a battery to say 80%, 90% or even 100%, the power output will be much less than when it’s fully charged.
Here’s an example:
You have two batteries with the same amp hours (AH) rating and voltage but different depth of discharge (DOD). One is 50% discharged, the other is 20% discharged. Now, if you charge them both for 14 hours, the one that was 20% discharged will take much longer to reach full charge compared to the one that was 50% discharged. This example shows how DOD affects charging times. You may check out the guide on the best golf bags for push carts
Golf Cart Charger Quality
The charger is an essential component of your golf cart. It is responsible for charging and maintaining your battery so it is important that you get a good one. The golf cart chargers can vary in terms of performance depending on their make and model. You should choose a charger that works quickly but also charges safely without causing damage to your battery life and overall health.
The wrong charger type for your golf cart can not only increase the charging time for your battery, it can also cause damage to your golf cart battery.
If you’re a regular golfer, you know that golf carts require the right type of charger to ensure that the battery is being charged as quickly as possible and to maintain a good level of charge for long-term use. It’s important to understand the voltage requirements of your golf cart battery before choosing a charger.
A 36V and 48V electrical drive system exist for golf carts, so it’s vital that the voltage from your charger corresponds to the number of volts in your golf cart battery. If you use a 48-volt charger on a 36V golf cart or vice versa, it can take much longer for the battery to charge, not to mention negatively impacting its life and performance over time.
The golf cart battery is the heart and soul of any golf cart. If you have a 36V or 48V golf cart, the battery is your main source of power when it comes to starting up and driving the golf cart, so it’s important that you maintain it.
For instance, if you have a 48V golf cart with cells of 2 volts each, and your current batteries are at 50 per cent charge, a charger rated with an efficiency of 85 per cent may take 6 hours to completely charge them. A charger rated with a 60 per cent efficiency may take 10 hours to charge them fully.
To know whether your golf cart is a 36V golf cart or a 48V golf cart, you will need to read the number of cells (holes) present in the battery. A cell has 2 volts (2 holes). Hence, if the golf cart contains 6 batteries, a 48V golf cart would be one with 4 cells (4 holes) in each battery.
If the batteries have about 50% charge left, with the appropriate charger (with great efficiency), charging may happen quickly, with only about six or seven hours. Inappropriate chargers (with low efficiencies like two to five amp output) may take longer than ten hours.
Golf cart chargers are something that you should pay attention to when purchasing. Most golf cart chargers will charge at 10-20 amps. If you have a 220 amp hour battery and are charging at 15 amps, it will take about 14 hours to charge. If you are charging 100 amp hours at 10 amps, it will take 10 hours to charge. It really is a simple math equation based on your used up amp hours and your chargers charging amp hours.
The most common problem is that people don’t understand how to properly charge the batteries in their golf cart. Most people will charge it at 10-20 amps and it’ll take 10-14 hours. That’s a lot of time. This is how you should charge your golf cart:
First, determine how many amp-hours you have used up. If you have a 100 amp hour battery and you’re charging at 20 amps, then it will take 5-6 hours to charge up. If you have a 220 amp hour battery and are charging at 20 amps, it will take between 8-10 hours to charge. The math is simple, but if you’re not sure, just look at how many amp-hours you’ve used up and multiply that number by the charger’s amps.
Read Also: How many golf balls fit in a 5 gallon bucket
Charger Cycles
A major factor that affects how long it takes to charge a golf cart battery is the number of charger cycles it has gone through. The number of cycles a battery goes through refers to the number of times it has been charged and discharged. A charge cycle occurs any time the battery is 100% discharged then charged again. For example, if you discharge a fully charged 12-volt battery by using it until it is completely dead, you have just completed one charge cycle.
The more charge cycles a battery has gone through, the shorter its lifespan tends to be in total. To figure out how many charge cycles your golf cart battery has undergone, look on the sticker that should be affixed to its top or side. On this tag will be an indication of how many cycles your battery has gone through and an estimation of how much life it has remaining before it needs to be replaced.
It has been estimated that many golf cart batteries require more than twelve hours to charge when they have been completely discharged. But how long does it really take to charge a golf cart battery?
It used to be that golf cart batteries were either charged with an onboard charger or by plugging the cart into a wall socket. These methods do not take into account the way the battery needs to be charged. They can lead to overcharging and damage to your battery.
Now, most chargers are equipped with three charging cycles: bulk, absorption, and float. This is to ensure that your batteries get the optimum charge for a full golfing experience every time you hit the course.
There are three basic modes of operation for a golf cart battery charger. They are bulk, absorption, and float.
Bulk charging is the first phase of charging a battery. This is where the charger puts out at its highest amp hour rating. For example, if you have a 10 amp charger and the battery holds 100 amp hours, then it would take 10 hours to charge. This is the fastest way to get energy into the batteries but also puts a lot of stress on the batteries.
Absorption is the second mode of operation for a golf cart battery charger. This is where the charger holds the battery voltage constant while it fills more energy into the batteries. This takes more time than bulk charging because it has to work at it longer but puts less stress on your batteries.
Float mode is when the charger will drop the voltage down to an appropriate level and slowly fill your batteries up keeping them topped off until you are ready to use them again.
Thus, bulk charging a 100 amp hour battery for 7 hours, absorption charging the same battery for 5 hours, and float charging the same battery for 2.5 hours will take a total of 14.5 hours to charge the battery.
