Author Archive: Don

The Benefits of Switching to a Lithium Battery

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Melbourne Beach Golf Cart is in the business of selling lithium golf cart batteries, most notably Roy Pow lithium batteries. With our turn-key replacement system, anyone can easily convert their golf cart from the standard lead-acid batteries to lithium batteries in less than an hour. Switching to lithium batteries comes with several benefits, and can take you and your golf cart to distances far beyond where it could go before, and then further.

the benefits of switching to a lithium battery

Why choose lithium?

Lithium batteries are slowly beginning to enter the mainstream world of golf carts – they are universal and can be installed in any golf cart. At Melbourne Beach Golf Cart, not only do we offer Roy Pow lithium batteries, but for a nominal fee, we can install it and easily convert a lead-acid battery system in less than an hour. Roy Pow batteries also come with a 5-year warranty.

When buying a lithium battery, the price is higher than a regular lead-acid battery, but the benefits far outweigh the cost. For one, once that lithium battery is installed, it won’t need to be replaced for up to 10 years – up to 70% in expenditures can be saved over a 5 year period, since it won’t need to be continuously replaced like a lead-acid battery. Roy Pow lithium batteries have a quick charge time of approximately 2.5 hours, and can be rapidly charged to about 80% in only an hour. It takes up to five hours to charge the battery completely, and once fully charged, it will hold that charge for about 8 months when not in use. – they also have a life cycle of up to 3,500 charge cycles. The distance a golf cart can travel depends on the power level of the lithium battery, measured in amp hours (A/H):

56 A/H: 30-35 miles per charge.

105 A/H: 60-65 miles per charge.

160 A/H: 95-100 miles per charge.

Lithium batteries are also much better for the environment, since they aren’t made with harmful chemicals like lead-acid batteries and give off no dangerous fumes. Since they aren’t filled with water either, they don’t need to be maintained like lead-acid batteries, and are considered maintenance free. Roy Pow lithium batteries are much lighter as well – since multiple lead-acid batteries are used to power a cart, the weight increases vastly, but only one lithium battery is needed, and depending on the level of power, can weigh less than 100 pounds. This puts less stress on the golf cart, and allows it to carry more weight and reach higher speeds with less effort. A Roy Pow lithium battery also has multiple built-in safety measures, such as fire detection systems, water spray systems, flammable volatile monitoring and alarms, battery box warnings and protections, battery operating situation monitoring, and anti-collision, along with many other active safety systems. They have systems that prevent them from overcharging, over discharging, short-circuiting, overheating, and even have anti-theft systems and remote GPS tracking, with the ability to check the battery status remotely in real time.

To power a golf cart, 6 or 8 lead-acid batteries are needed. Only one lithium battery is needed to power this whole cart.

Why switch from lead-acid batteries?

Lead-acid batteries are the standard in almost every golf cart, most of the time being flooded lead-acid. These batteries need to be regularly filled with water, and also contain multiple chemicals and gases, including sulfuric acid and lead compounds. Not only are these batteries filled with a multitude of harmful chemicals, they have a possibility of giving off potentially dangerous fumes when plugged in to charge, and can even explode if something goes wrong during charging. The water inside also makes them very heavy, and with 6 or 8 in a golf cart, a lead-acid battery system can add over 300 pounds of weight to a golf cart. When plugging in a golf cart with lead-acid batteries, it’s very important to remember to lift up the seat to ventilate the fumes that may come off the battery, as buildup under the seat can be extremely dangerous. Cart owners with lead-acid battery carts must regularly perform maintenance on them, like waterfilling and terminal tightening, as well as cleaning potentially harmful acid deposits. Lead-acid batteries will also only last a few years at most, with a life cycle of about 500 charges. They need to be charged every day as well, and can take about 12 hours to fully charge. In short, lead-acid batteries do have their benefits and are easy to find, but don’t last long, and need to be replaced often – replacing them also comes with the cost of having them installed.

If you’re interested in switching from lead-acid to lithium batteries, or just want more information, you can visit our lithium battery site to view the various types of lithium batteries available and contact us using the phone number or contact form.

the benefits of switching to a lithium battery

How to Prepare Your Golf Cart for Long-Term Self-Storage

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If you would prefer to store your golf cart on your own property rather than in a storage facility, there are several important steps to take to ensure that your golf cart stays in top condition during the off-season or time it’s not in use. Even when storing your golf cart for long periods of time, there is more to it than simply tucking the cart away in a shed for months at a time. Golf carts still require periodic maintenance when not in use, but following the right guidelines to storing your golf cart will keep it preserved and ready for when it’s time to be brought out again.

Battery Preparation

When preparing your golf cart for storage, you’ll want to first perform some basic battery maintenance. Begin by disconnecting battery cables, and clean any corrosion from the cables and battery by using a mix of baking soda and warm water (or white vinegar and water) – baking soda neutralizes acid corrosion. Fully charge the battery, as batteries will naturally self-discharge when not in use. When disconnecting the battery charger, unplug it from the AC outlet before unplugging it from the cart. Using only distilled water, refill the batteries, making sure the cart has been fully charged. Do not refill the batteries before fully charging your cart, as this can lead to electrolyte overflow.

Turn the key switch off to turn off everything on the cart, and depending on your cart, you’ll have either a Run/Tow switch or a Run/Maintenance switch. Flip this switch to “tow” or “maintenance” in order to reduce battery discharge and fire risks. Finally, disconnect the main positive and negative connections – it’s recommended to tape the connections together in order to not forget where they go.

You’ll want to periodically check in on your charge and water levels – especially in warmer climates, the water levels can slowly decrease due to evaporation, and batteries will self-discharge when left unused for extended periods of time. It’s recommended to return to your cart every 2-4 weeks and check these levels – fully recharge and refill the batteries as needed.

Tire Checks

Before putting the golf cart in storage, you’ll want to inflate your tires as high as possible without over inflating them. When the cart is stationary for long periods of time, the tires naturally deflate from the weight of the cart, possibly causing damage to the tires like flat spots. When checking in on the cart as recommended, inflate the tires every two weeks and move the cart slightly, applying pressure to a different part of the tire.

Another option is storing the golf cart off the ground – raise the cart up onto jack stands, which will take pressure off the tires and ensure that no flat spots will form.

General Cleaning

Even in the best storage, moisture will still be produced. Inspect your cart to make sure there are no rust spots, and if there are, cover them with fresh paint. Rust spots can increase from moisture in the air if left untreated, and any other markings will also worsen with extreme temperatures. Be sure to remove any crumbs that may be on the seats, as they can grow and harbor bacteria in the time the cart is stored, and make sure to clean the flooring and upholstery to prevent any possible molding. Remove any rugs or carpets, cut and polish any scratches, and replace spark plugs if needed. Other things to clean include any dirt or grime, bird or other animal droppings, mirrors, fuel, air, and oil filters, and cables and connectors.

Storage

An important tip to remember is to leave the cart in neutral when storing it, and if storing it on the ground, keep it on a level surface and surround the wheels with bricks or other heavy objects to keep it from rolling. Do not keep the parking brake engaged – this can damage the cart.

Most golf carts will fit in a 10×10 enclosed space – placing the golf cart inside is critical and will prevent any damage that could be caused by harsh weather and below freezing or exceedingly high temperatures. A garage is a good option, although it can take up space that may be needed for cars, so storing it in a small shed is another ideal choice.

Even though the cart is inside, always use a protective cover to keep dust and dirt off the cart. If you don’t have a cover specifically for golf carts, a large canvas cloth will suffice – the most important thing is simply making sure the cart is covered.

Even when not in use, your golf cart still needs periodic maintenance, so it’s important to follow these steps to ensure that your golf cart is sufficiently prepared for storage and regularly checked in on, so when it comes time to use it again, it’ll still be in top condition.