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Don’t let those cold Canadian winters drain the life out of your golf cart batteries! We’re here to help you—this guide will provide you with everything you need to effectively put your golf cart to bed this winter, so let's get started!
1. Check if Your Batteries Need a Water Top-Up.
Three Weeks Prior To Storage:
You will need:
- 1 jug of distilled water
- Latex gloves
Start with an assessment. Firstly, select a battery to start with, and remove the caps on each chamber.
Your next step is to assess the water levels—here's how to determine if the batteries need a top up:
Start by using a flashlight to peer into the chamber. You should notice some water with plates submerged at the bottom. The water levels must cover the plates, while still remaining lower than the battery casing. Also, note that each cell requires its own water level check, as the chambers are separate reservoirs and are not interconnected.
2. Add Distilled Water to Your Batteries as Needed
Three Weeks Prior To Storage:
Any chambers that have less than 1/2" to 1/4" of distilled water covering the plates need a top up.
That leads us to the final step! If any batteries require a top up, use distilled water only, adding small amounts at a time. Be very careful not to overfill the chamber because doing so will result in overflow during charging, and will ultimately cause damage to your batteries.
3. Clean the batteries
Immediately Prior To Storage:
Turn the key switch to the off position.
Place the run/tow switch in the tow position (you can find the run/tow switch under the seat or on the dashboard near the key switch).
Clean the battery pack with a spray on battery cleaner: this process must be done outdoors to prevent fume inhalation, and you must wear latex gloves for hand protection. Make sure each cell's caps are sealed. Spray the batteries liberally with your chosen battery terminal cleaner (we recommend this one). Do not spray inside the batteries. Give the batteries a quick rinse using a hose, and avoid spraying water directly onto any electronic components.
4. Fully Charge Batteries
Immediately Prior To Storage:
Give the cart a full charge and an additional top up charge: first, charge your cart overnight. In the morning, unplug the cart from the charger, wait at least 30 seconds, then plug the charger back in. Allow the charger to perform a top up charge, allowing an additional charge of 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours. Once the charger has automatically turned off, unplug the charger from the cart, disconnect the last negative cable in the battery pack using a wrench, and secure the cable end so it doesn't touch any terminals.
The last negative cable can be found circled in the photos below.
That's it! Your cart is now put to bed for the winter.
Cold Canadian Winter? Here's a Bonus Tip:
To prevent batteries stored outside from freezing, place a piece of cardboard under the seat and over the batteries for insulation against frost.