Before you take your golf cart out, you want to make sure that it has a full charge. That way, you can make the most of your cart before it needs another charge. You likely will want to charge your cart the day or night before you need it, because any cart will not be able to reach full capacity in just an hour or so.
There are several factors that play into how long your cart will take to charge, most of which having to do with the quality of the actual batteries in the vehicle. Here at J’s Golf Carts in Holly Springs, North Carolina, we have the expertise to detail approximately how long your chart should take to charge.
Factors Affecting Charge Time
The time it takes to fully charge your golf cart will differ depending on several factors. After all, you cannot expect an older battery to function as well as a brand new one. The age of the battery itself is not the only factor that will determine the time and quality of the charge. Let’s look into the most important factors which make a difference in this process.
Battery Quality
As we just mentioned, the older the batteries in your cart are, the less likely they are to work at their full capacity – this instance shows a decline in battery quality. This leads to a slower charging time. Another factor to consider is how well the battery has been taken care of throughout its use.
A battery that has been well taken care of will not need as much time to charge, as it has not declined in quality nearly as quickly as one that may have been neglected. If you have a standard lead-acid battery in your golf cart, this includes keeping an eye on the water levels, making sure the battery terminals are clean, among other routine maintenance steps.
In addition to the age of the battery and how well it has been maintained, you want to consider if you have consistently charged it to full capacity. A battery that has continually been charged fully will have a proper battery charging cycle. However, if your battery still has a high battery percentage when you are finished using it, you do not need to charge it right away. It is best to use the battery a little further before you decide to charge it.
Battery Depth of Discharge
An easy way to understand the depth of discharge of a battery is to look at how much of the battery percentage or capacity has been used. Whatever percentage of the battery has been used for that particular charge is the depth of discharge. This is the opposite of the battery’s state of charge.
Additionally, if your golf cart’s battery has not been discharged much, then your cart will not need as much time to charge. This is because it already has a relatively high state of charge already, and it only needs to charge up a little more. If your battery still has a relatively high charge after you use it, you may not need to charge it right away. It will last you a good amount of time on your next use, and this will also prevent you from overcharging the batteries, thus extending the life and health of the battery.
The depth of discharge is important to understand because it ties into the battery’s overall health.
Quality of Charger Used
Do you use the charger that came with your cart’s battery? Or have you needed to purchase a new one since you first got the battery? If you have purchased a new charger or use a different one than the charger that came with the battery, you may want to check the quality of that charger.
If you are using the wrong charger, this may change the charging time needed for the battery. Make sure to confirm that the voltage from the charger matches the volts of the golf cart battery to ensure it’s getting the correct amount of energy and charge.
Using a less powerful charger will also increase the time that it takes to charge your batteries. This is why it is so important to make sure you have the proper, high-quality charger for your cart. We have multiple options available in our store and are happy to help you select the best option, if needed.
How Long Does Charging Take?
As you can see, there are many different factors that go into how long your cart will take to charge. While some you have control over – such as the quality of the charger you purchase or how often you charge it to keep the depth of discharge minimal – some factors just happen with time.
With that said, a well maintained battery that has been completely drained of charge can take between 3 and 9 hours to charge to full capacity.
Your 48V battery, on a full charge, will most likely last between 20 and 25 miles. When your cart’s battery has a high voltage, such as 48V, it will actually take less time to charge. If you have a 36V cart, not only will it take longer to charge, it will not be able to take you as far on one charge.
Contact J’s Golf Carts Today!
Whether you are having an issue with your cart’s charger or battery, or if you have questions regarding your golf cart, reach out to us here at J’s Golf Carts! We are located in the Holly Springs, North Carolina area; feel free to bring in your charger and we will test it for free. We are also able to assist you with changing the batteries on your cart. Contact us using the form below and someone will be in touch with you shortly.
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