How to Change Dead Golf Cart Batteries

Whether using a cart provided by the course or one of your own, carts provide a means to concentrating on your game and not walking. The last thing you want to have happen is for the battery in the cart to lose its charge while you are out there playing.

Items you may need:

• Protective goggles


• Rubber gloves


• Crescent wrench or box end wrench


• Funnel


• Lead acid battery charger


• Distilled water


• Epsom salts
  
  
  1. Wear goggles and gloves; use a crescent or box end wrench to loosen and remove battery cables.
  
  
  2. Remove the battery from the cart battery holder. The batteries contain sulfuric acid, which may cause chemical burns.
  
  
  3. Mix a solution of two quarts of distilled water with eight ounces of Epson salts. (Mixes faster if the water is warm.) This will replace the water currently in the battery. DO NOT use tap water, which may contain chemicals that can damage your battery.
  
  
  4. Remove the cell caps on the battery. Drain the water from the battery.
  
  
  5. Use the funnel to re-fill the cells with the Epsom salt solution. DO NOT OVERFILL! Fill only to the fill mark indicated on the cells.
  
  
  6. Shake the battery to more evenly distribute the solution. Keep right side up so as not to spill the solution.
  
  
  7. Hook the battery charger to the battery. (Positive-to-positive lead and negative-to-negative lead.)  Make certain it is unplugged while connecting.
  
  
  8. Start recharging the battery with a three-stage lead acid battery charger. It will automatically turn to trickle when charging is completed. Let it charge overnight.
  
  
  9. Replace the cell caps. (You should be wearing gloves and goggles.)
  
  
  10. Unplug and remove the battery charger.
  
  
  11. Re-install the battery using the crescent wrench or box wrench to securely fasten the cables. It should now function normally. Repeat this process a couple of times over the next week to fully restore the battery’s capacity.