Like golf cart engines need oil, your electric golf carts with batteries need water in order to properly function.
We will break down the best method of adding water to your golf cart battery and how often to add the water below
How To Add Water To Golf Cart Batteries
If you are ready to add water to your golf cart batteries, there are a few steps to keep in mind so that this is done properly and your golf cart operates at maximum performance all the time.
- See what level your current water is at before you start adding water. You do not want to add too much water to the batteries.
- Make sure you are using only distilled water when you add water to your golf cart batteries.
- Check to be sure your batteries are charged before you add the water.
- Pour your water in slow and steady to make sure you are reaching the desired level.
- Reattach the battery cover when you have finished watering your golf cart batteries.
While it seems as though adding water to your golf cart batteries should be an easy task, this is critical that you follow each step and make sure that you are doing this process appropriately.
1. Check Your Water Levels
It is important to make sure they are not too full, so you do not want to have more than half of an inch maximum and no less than a quarter-inch at all times.
If you favor the quarter-inch level of water, then you will need to check your battery levels more frequently but can avoid excess acid from the battery.
If you go up to a half-inch of water, you will not have to fill it as much, but there will be acid discharge from the battery.
2. Distilled Water Only
While you may have tap water on your property to use, it is not advised to use tap water in your golf cart batteries.
This water does not filter out minerals, and too much of them from the tap water can adversely affect the battery.
Distilled water has been filtered, and the minerals removed, making it pure and clean.
This is why it is important to use your golf cart batteries because there isn’t anything within the water that can cause a negative impact.
Some golf cart owners in the past used tap water, and it worked fine once or twice.
Unfortunately, the minerals can change in tap water pretty often, so what may have been okay one month could cause irreversible damage the next month if you try to use it.
3. Have Your Batteries Been Charged?
If you have not already charged your batteries before adding the water, you want to do that first.
Do not add water to batteries that have not been charged.
When you do charge the batteries after adding water, they can start releasing acid.
This is damaging to the motor and the operations within.
4. Add The Water Slowly
Because the levels of water that you add to your golf cart are so important, you do not want to do a fast pour and add too much water.
When you add it slowly and easily, you can avoid an overfull issue and avoid too much acid developing from too much water.
5. Reattach Battery Cover
When you have finished adding your water back to your golf cart batteries, it is essential that the battery cover is reapplied and secured onto the battery chamber.
If any of that water were to get into other components of your golf cart, you could have more repairs on your hands.
How Often Should I Add Water To My Golf Cart Batteries?
You can do this every month or wait every two months to check, depending on how much water you are using.
You do not want to go beyond two months without checking your battery water, so make a decision to choose once a month or every two months.
This means that each year, you should be checking the water levels at least 6 times.
This is based on those who frequently use their golf carts for fun, transportation, and running errands during the day.
Make Sure You Are Maintaining Your Levels
When you do check your water levels, make sure they are staying between the quarter-inch and half-inch levels that are required for best performance.
If you do not have enough water in your batteries, you will start to notice a decline in power when traveling and other issues could develop mechanically.
Too little water will have the engine running hot in a matter of minutes.
Too much water can be damaging too so you need to pour slowly if you have recently purchased your golf cart and want to get it to the right level.
Too much water will cause short circuits in the electrical and could keep certain functions from operating when driving your golf cart.
Is Maintenance Required For Golf Cart Batteries?
Even if you have been responsible and checking the water in your golf cart batteries every other month, there is still a need for maintenance and having someone with experience check and make sure you are taking care of them.
💡 Golfible Tip: It is a good practice to have a professional inspect your golf cart batteries and the water levels once or even twice a year.
The older your golf cart gets, the more important this maintenance service is to your golf cart. It can help prolong the life of the batteries and determine if there are any issues that we should be made aware of.
FAQs
How often should you add water to golf cart batteries?
Golf cart batteries typically require distilled water to be added every 1 to 2 months, or as needed. It’s important to check the water levels regularly and add water as needed to prevent the batteries from drying out, which can reduce their lifespan and performance.
How do I know if my golf cart batteries need water?
To check if your golf cart batteries need water, open the battery compartment and inspect the water level indicator in each cell. The water level should be above the battery plates but below the fill line. It’s recommended to check the water levels regularly, at least once a month, and to add distilled water as needed.
