You have a beautiful new golf car and are excited to play with your friends, family, or clients. One of the first things you’ll want to do is connect the charger for your phone. You’ve charged it at home and it’s still on its original battery. So you’re ready to go, right? Not so fast. Before you can drive off, you have to remember one important thing: connecting the battery takes time.
It’s not that difficult, but it is a little bit tedious. You have to remove the cover on the back of the battery, connect the positive cable on the charger to the (+) terminal on the battery, and then connect the negative cable to the (-) terminal on the battery. Once you’ve done that, you can start the car and enjoy its increased range.
But wait a minute… That doesn’t sound right. You said the battery was brand-new, did you not? That’s what you usually say when someone asks you how to charge a new battery. “Oh, just leave it on its charger for a while,” you’ll reply, while nodding your head. But in this case, you have to go above and beyond what you normally do. That’s because when you’re replacing the battery in your golf cart, you have to consider a couple of factors: how long will it take to charge, and how much power does it have when it’s fully charged.
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How Long Will It Take To Charge?
The first thing you need to do is figure out how long it will take for the battery to charge. You’ve put in the effort to purchase a new one and it’s not yet midnight, so it’s going to be a while. But how long is “a while”? That’s entirely dependant on your charger. Some chargers charge quickly, at least a couple of hours, so you won’t have to wait long. But if your charger takes a long time to charge – six, seven, or eight hours – then you’re going to have to spend the night somewhere. This isn’t ideal, but it is a reality you need to prepare for.
How Much Power Does It Have When It’s Fully Charged?
The second thing you need to do when you’re replacing the battery in your golf cart is figure out how much power it has when it’s fully charged. Now is the time to consider what rate you want the car to travel, as well as how far you want to go. Think about what’s important to you and make a list of everything you need. You should have at least some idea of how much power your cart has when it’s fully charged. Otherwise, you’ll be scrambling to figure it out on the go – which could be dangerous. Fortunately, most cars have a barometer to indicate how much gas is left in the tank. If you’re not sure what it is, then just ask your service advisor or gas station attendant. They’ll know exactly what you need to do. (If you’re still in doubt, then use the Search function on your smartphone to find the car’s service manual).
Where Did You Buy It?
Finally, you need to consider where you bought the battery. You’re sure it was brand-new and purchased directly from the manufacturer, so there shouldn’t be any problems, right? Well, not exactly. There are a couple of things you need to check for, but it’s not difficult. Simply do some research online and look for any recalled batteries or that are not safe to use. If you find any such items, then don’t use them and contact the company directly to see if they have any replacement program.
Connection Basics
Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge necessary to properly connect the battery in your golf car, you can get started. It’s a three-step process: remove the cover from the back of the battery, connect the positive terminal on the charger to the (+) terminal on the battery, and then connect the negative terminal to the (-) terminal on the battery. (If you want, you can put the charger on a small tripod so you don’t have to hold it while connecting the cables).
Removing the cover on the back of the battery is pretty easy. All you need is a small flathead screwdriver. You’ll want to do this under a light so you can see what you’re doing. Most likely, you’ll have to pry it up with the screwdriver. (If necessary, use your fingernails to get the job done). Once you’ve removed the cover, you can determine if the battery is good or bad. A bad battery will either not hold a charge or will lose charge quickly. If it loses charge quickly, then it’s not worth your time or effort. But if it holds a charge, then you can continue to the next step.
The next step is to connect the positive terminal on the charger to the (+) terminal on the battery. The reason for this is that when you’re connecting two different terminals, it’s usually best to go from negative to positive. This is because electricity usually flows from negative to positive. So if we follow this rule, then we ensure that the current flows in the right direction – and the battery will charge correctly. (If you don’t know what a positive and negative terminal are, then it might be a good idea to read this short article on how to connect a battery).
The last step is to connect the negative terminal on the battery to the (−) terminal on the charger. This is the step that requires a certain mental agility. You have to make sure that both cables are connected in the right way, because if they’re not then your car won’t start. (If you’re not sure what a (+) and a (−) terminal are, then it might be a good idea to read this short article on how to connect a battery).
Now that you know how to connect a battery in a golf car, you can feel confident that you’ll be able to do it quickly and correctly. If you want, you can charge up the battery overnight and take it for a test drive in the morning. If everything goes well, then you can continue to enjoy the increased range on your phone or MP3 player. If anything goes wrong, then you can reverse the process and try to determine the cause of the problem. If you’re still unable to fix it, then you can contact a professional to help out.