How to Test a Golf Cart Battery Charger  – A Very Common Question

How to test a golf cart battery charger is a question
that troubles many golf cart owners.

Are you tired of being stranded on the golf course with a dead battery? Do you want to prolong the life of your golf cart battery and charger? Look no further on how to properly test your golf cart battery charger.

Testing your golf cart battery charger may not be at the top of your to-do list, but it’s an essential step in maintaining the health of your golf cart and preventing damage to your battery. A malfunctioning battery charger can lead to a dead battery, leaving you stranded and frustrated. Regular testing can also prolong the life of your golf cart batteries.

But don’t worry, testing your battery charger is not as daunting as it may seem. Following is the process step by step, including the necessary tools and equipment, and how to identify if the charger is malfunctioning. We’ll also be discussing common issues and how to troubleshoot them.

So, whether you’re new to golf carts or a seasoned pro, this article is for you. By the end of it, you’ll be better equipped to maintain the health of your golf cart batteries and charger, and you’ll never have to worry about being stranded on the golf course again.

Let’s dive in and learn how to properly test your golf cart charger!

Often golf cart owners say that their battery charger does not work, or that it will not kick on and is showing no signs of life.

The first question to ask yourself is how long has it been since you’ve charged your batteries?  It’s possible that the batteries may not have enough voltage in them for the charger to start working. 

An automatic golf cart battery charger needs a minimal amount of voltage in the batteries to even start working. They need somewhere in the range of 20-35 volts in the batteries to allow the chargers to know that they are connected up to batteries and to kick on. To find out for sure whether your batteries are the culprit, you’ll need a Digital Voltage Tester to test each individual battery. You’ll want to completely charge your golf cart before testing.

Very often it’s a battery problem. What’s the easiest way to determine whether you have a charger problem? Test your charger on another cart, or test another cart’s charger on your cart.

Knowing how to test a golf cart battery charger is fairly simple

.You should check the amount of power your battery charger generates by connecting a voltmeter to the positive and negative clamps of the charger.

The needle on the voltmeter will move from left to right to show the amps available.

The extreme left means the battery has no power or amps while the extreme right indicates maximum amperage.

A golf cart battery charger can register as many as 36 amps on a voltmeter.

Don’t forget to look at the cables on the battery charger. Turn the ignition to the auxiliary. If the golf cart battery charger doesn’t turn on then there is a problem with the connection between the charger and the battery.

Check the battery charger transformer by listening for a humming sound. Also, ensure that the AC power cord is plugged into a working outlet.

If the battery is getting electrical current then you should hear the transformer humming.

 

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Here’s a video on how to test a golf cart battery charger:

Track the wiring circuitry of the battery charger. In the owner’s manual, there is a wiring diagram for the golf cart. There needs to be a continuous connection from the battery charger to the battery for power to run continuously.

Look for any frayed wires, cut wires, and corrosion on the terminals of the battery.

Search for the grounding wire from the battery charger. It will be a single wire that comes from the charger and attaches to the metal frame of the golf cart inside the engine housing.

A disconnected ground wire stops the battery charger from charging the battery.

Find the charger fuses in the service panel on the back fender of the golf cart. If the battery charger fuse is blown the battery won’t get charged.

Pull the caps off the battery terminals. If the liquid is gray or brown then the battery needs replacing and won’t charge.

Feel the battery charger. Overheating cause it to malfunction. Make sure that the battery charger is clean of grime and debris as any type of corrosion can cause overheating.

Make sure you wipe down the battery charger after it rains.

 

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Warning when troubleshooting and checking a golf cart battery charger

You must think about safety when you’re working around, and with, batteries. Remove all jewelry. You should use gloves that do not conduct electricity when checking the wiring circuitry.

As batteries age, their maintenance requirements change. This means longer charging time and/or a higher finish rate (higher amperage at the end of the charge).

Usually, older batteries need to be watered more often. And, their capacity decreases while the self-discharge rate increases.

Knowing how to test a golf cart battery charger is important if your electric golf cart experiences “shuttering”, you can take it to mean that it has low voltage. “Shuttering” could also be an indication that your charger is not functioning properly.

Do not assume that you need to buy a new charger just because your golf cart battery charger does not work. However, if you know that the batteries need charging and the ammeter will NOT go above 15 amps, then you probably have a faulty charger and it must be repaired.

If the battery pack voltage is too low the charger WILL NOT come on! This usually leads one to think the charger is bad.

Chargers are fairly simple devices but there are several common failures that can be inexpensively and easily fixed. Other failures, such as a burned-up transformer, or a bad circuit board can get rather expensive.

 

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How to test a golf cart battery charger – Common failures

Timer units, diodes, and bad DC charger plugs are the most common failures in golf cart battery chargers.

Be sure to disconnect your charger from the house AC and from the golf car if severe electrical storms are nearby. Also, disconnect the charger if you are leaving for an extended stay away. Batteries in good charged condition will keep most of that charge for several months.

Most modern “automatic” battery chargers require a minimum voltage be present in the battery bank prior to the charger powering up and recharging.

Finally when looking at how to test a golf cart battery charger, please keep in mind that even under the best of conditions, most lead acid batteries only last 5-6 years.

If they’ve been sitting for 10 years, we suggest that you don’t even bother trying to resurrect them.

How much does it cost to repair a golf cart battery charger?

Obviously, this depends. In general, with the cost of parts and service, a good estimate is somewhere in the range of $150 to $250.

Conclusion:

Knowing how to test a golf cart battery charger is an important step in ensuring the health and performance of your golf cart battery.

By using a multimeter or battery load tester, you can determine if your charger is functioning properly and delivering the right amount of voltage and current to your battery.

By regularly testing your charger, you can catch potential problems before they cause damage to your battery or other components, ensuring that your golf cart is ready to go when you are.

Whether you’re a seasoned golf cart owner or a beginner, this simple and straightforward process will help you keep your golf cart and its battery in top condition for many rounds to come.

 

 

Check out our golf cart charger repair page.

 

 

 

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