How Long Can You Leave a Golf Cart Uncharged? Battery Care Tips
Golf cart batteries keep your vehicle moving on the course. But what happens when carts sit unused for extended periods? Can batteries maintain their charge over time or do they require occasional charging to stay healthy?
At Center Power, we specialize in deep cycle batteries for golf carts and other electric vehicles. Here we’ll explore how long golf cart batteries can hold a charge when left unattended, along with tips to maximize battery life during storage.
How Golf Cart Batteries Lose Charge
Golf carts typically use deep cycle lead acid or lithium-ion batteries designed to provide power over long periods between charges. However, there are several ways batteries slowly lose charge if left unused:
- Self Discharge – Chemical reactions within the battery cause gradual self discharge over weeks and months, even without any load.
- Parasitic Loads – Most golf carts have small parasitic loads from onboard electronics that steadily drain the battery over time.
- Sulfation – Lead acid batteries develop sulfate crystals on the plates if unused, reducing capacity.
- Age – As batteries chemically age, their ability to hold a full charge decreases.
The rate of self discharge depends on the battery type, temperature, age and other factors. So how long will a golf cart battery maintain an adequate charge when sitting idle?
How Long Can a Golf Cart Battery Last Uncharged?
For a high quality deep cycle flooded or AGM lead acid battery at room temperature, here are typical estimates for self discharge time:
- At full charge, the battery may drop to 90% in 3-4 weeks without use.
- After 6-8 weeks, the state of charge could fall to 70-80%.
- Within 2-3 months, the battery capacity may only be 50% remaining.
The battery will continue to slowly self-discharge further if left sitting beyond 3 months without recharging. Rate of discharge slows over time but capacity loss will accelerate.
For lithium-ion golf cart batteries, self discharge is much lower, only 1-3% per month. However, lithium batteries are still affected by parasitic loads and age. Generally, lithium batteries hold over 90% charge for at least 6 months when sitting idle.
While deep cycle batteries can hold usable charge for some time, it’s not recommended to leave them unattended for more than 2-3 months at most. Doing so risks excessive self discharge and sulfation. To maintain health and longevity, batteries need periodic charging and maintenance.
Tips to Preserve an Unused Golf Cart Battery
To maximize charge retention when a golf cart sits for weeks or months:
- Fully charge the battery before storage and top it off monthly. This compensates for gradual self discharge.
- Disconnect the main negative cable if leaving more than 1 month. This eliminates parasitic loads.
- Store carts with batteries installed indoors at moderate temperatures. Cold weather accelerates self discharge.
- Periodically do an equalization charge on lead acid batteries to reduce sulfation and stratification.
- Check water levels in flooded lead acid batteries every 2-3 months, adding distilled water as needed.
Avoid leaving any battery completely unattended for longer than 3-4 months if possible. A maintenance charger or occasional driving can keep the battery healthy. If your cart will sit longer, consider removing the battery and storing it properly.
Get Optimal Battery Life from Center Power
Post time: Oct-24-2023
