Selecting the right battery charger for your golf carts battery is an important decision. A quality golf cart battery charger will help to ensure that your battery performs to its optimum, and ensures the longevity of battery life. Factors such as battery size, the speed at which you want to charge and whether or not your golf cart will be stored away for periods of time are things you need to consider before purchasing the most appropriate golf cart battery charger for your needs.
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Best 36-volt Golf Cart Battery Charger
If you are looking for the best 36-volt golf cart battery charger on the market, then look no further than the Schauer 36-volt Golf Cart Battery Charger. This absolute beauty of a charger can be used with both lead acid batteries and AGM batteries and comes with an 18-month warranty, giving you a decent amount of security on your purchase.
Smart is an excellent word to describe this charger. It is fully automatic and will make sure your battery is receiving the correct charge level and then, when it detects that the battery is fully charged, it will go into ‘float’ mode. The float mode ensures that your battery is held at full charge while you are not using it, so you can rest assured that when you come to use your golf cart after a long winter it will be fully charged and ready to be driven.
This golf-cart battery charger is rated at 20 amps, a good amperage rating that will ensure your battery is charged quickly if you are rebooting it from a deep discharge. So if you want to charge your battery faster, this is a great option for you.
Another superb feature of this golf cart battery charger is how lightweight it is, weighing in at just 13 pounds you can be assured that you won’t be hurting your back whilst lifting this charger, and can easily move it if needed. It is also pretty robust thanks to its sturdy aluminium casing, so you don’t need to worry if you are a bit clumsy or heavy-handed.
The battery charger comes fitted with a crowfoot connector, which is commonly used as a golf cart connector – but make sure you check that this fits with your model before taking the plunge.
This charger is also easy to use, the front panel allows you to select which battery type you will be charging and then you simply let it do its work. It also comes with a built-in fan that is pretty quiet, so you don’t need to worry about annoying the neighbours (or yourself) by keeping it plugged in on the float charge.
Q&A: Do I need to select a specific float setting to maintain the battery?
No, if you keep the battery charger plugged in it will automatically go to float mode when your battery has reached full charge.
Q&A: My golf cart runs on an AGM battery, will this battery charger work with this?
Yes – this battery charger works with both lead acid and AGM batteries.
Best 48 Volt Golf Cart Battery Charger
Accusense 48volt 17amp Golf Cart Battery Charger Review
If you are looking for a 48-volt battery charger for your golf-cart battery then this powerful model from Accusense offers a great range of features and is very well made. This comes with excellent multi-stage charging technology, superb safety features and trickle charge functionality. This is not the cheapest charger, but as always if you invest in a high-quality charger you will help to improve your battery lifecycles, so will be saving yourself money in the long run.
The excellent multi-stage charging process first checks the state of your battery and uses this information to prepare the battery for fast charging up to the 80% fully charged mark. This is followed by an equalization stage bringing the charge close to 100% charged, a final stage brings it up to 100% with a top-off charge. All this love and attention for the different needs of your battery mean you will get a highly efficient result and keep your battery working optimally for longer.
Another useful feature is the inbuilt trickle charger so that you can keep your battery topped up when you are keeping your golf-cart in storage. This means you can be confident that, when the sunshine comes out, you will be starting up the golf cart with ease and rolling around on the golf course all day. This charger also works great with a variety of batteries, including AGM and flooded cell so is suitable for most people’s needs.
Other useful features include an ammeter which allows you to monitor charge and overall battery condition. There are also useful safety features such as reverse charge protection and no spark charging. The LED system also usefully lets you know what might be wrong with your battery. The product is also certified to UL/CSA standards so you can be sure it is a great product.
So if you want a battery charger that works excellently across a broad range of battery brands to maintain health, charge efficiently and is capable of being used as a trickle charger, then you will not be let down by this model.
Q&A: Does this charger automatically shut off when the battery is fully charged?
A: Yes, the relay in the charger disconnects the A/C power and it will effectively monitor the battery, providing trickle charge when required. So you don’t need to worry about leaving this battery charger attached.
Q&A: Will this charger be able to charge a golf-cart battery that is very low on power?
Yes, this high voltage, high amp charger will be able to take on this task. It will bring your battery up to speed so you will be back playing your favourite sport in no time.
Best 48 Volt Golf Cart Battery Charger on a Budget
Granite 2365-48 48V 50W Quick Charger Review
If you are working within price constraints, then you could do a lot worse than invest in this Battery saver from Granite Digital. It comes complete with a microprocessor, so you know your batteries are going to be getting exactly the treatment they need and also acts as a maintainer. The 50W quick charger with auto pulse allows you to charge multiple batteries connected in series or in parallel and as this product is such great value and so easy to use it is definitely worth your attention.
What makes this particularly useful is that it that it also acts as a battery maintainer, checking their condition and improving their life with its automatic pulse desulfator and microprocessor. The maintainer also means you can fight against natural discharge which happens when you are not using your battery often. So you won’t have to worry about finding your golf-cart stationary next time you fancy a few rounds of golf at the club.
Despite this being a very cheap golf cart battery charger, and one of the cheapest 48V chargers on the market, it also has a decent number of safety features. This includes such as reverse polarity protection and spark proof connections. There is also over-current, short-circuit and over-voltage protection included with this very smart little device. This means you won’t have to worry about causing damage to your batteries if you hook something up wrong.
This small and lightweight unit comes with all the parts you need to get started and is very easy to install too. So if you want a great charger, with smart technology built-in, that won’t empty your pocket and will extend your battery life-cycles, then this could be the charger for you.
Q&A: Will this desulfate a battery?
A: Yes, this battery charger comes with a desulfator.
Q&A: Can this charge 6 8-volt batteries connected in series?
A: Yes, this will work both with that setup or 4 12-volt batteries connected in series.
Best All Round Golf Cart Battery Charger
Accusense 36 volt 18amp Golf Cart Battery Charger Review
The Accusense Charge Series 36volt 18amp Golf Cart Battery Charger is a top quality golf cart battery charger. Here we have the 36volt version of this product – perfect if you are looking for an excellent battery charger but your golf-cart battery voltage requirements are at the lower end of the spectrum.
As soon as you plug this battery charger in, it will impress you. Immediately, this Accusense charger will test the condition of the battery and then react automatically to its needs, ensuring it receives the correct level of charge to bring it to 100% full charge in a safe way. This will help ensure longer battery life for your batteries.
There will be no overheating or overcharging with this battery charger as it comes fitted with no spark charging and reverse battery protection. This is especially important as this battery charger doubles up as a battery maintainer – you can leave it plugged in and once your golf-cart battery is fully charged it will trickle charge it doesn’t lose its charge when you need to store it.
This golf cart battery charger is a great all-rounder as it is compatible with pretty much all types of lead-acid batteries. It is also built to last, made in the USA, this battery charger is a reliable model and promises to be one of the most durable around.
With an 18amp charge, this battery charger is able to confidently charge your batteries at a fast speed so you will soon be back working on your par if you have let your golf-cart battery discharge. With this smart charger, you can be confident that a flat battery is a thing of the past.
Q&A: Do I need to switch this battery charger off?
No, this battery charger will power off when your battery reaches 100%. It will then kick start again when it detects that your battery starts to lose voltage so that it is in the optimum condition when you need it.
Q&A: What is the warranty that comes with this product?
Accusense products come with a three-year warranty – a reassuring length of time that can make you confident in the purchase of this product.
Factors to consider before purchasing a golf cart battery charger
You have carefully selected the best electric golf cart and this beautiful machine is proudly sitting in your yard – but the next thing you need to do is to purchase a battery charger so that you can use it! There are a few things that you need to think about before running out and buying one to make sure that you are getting the most appropriate charger for both yours and your golf carts needs.
What size golf cart battery charger do I need?
You will notice that golf cart battery chargers come with a volt and amp rating. To discern which is the correct match for the battery in your golf cart you need to check the voltage size of your battery – this will be stated in your instruction manual but if you don’t have this the voltage rating should be labelled on the battery itself.
The choice of amp level depends on how fast you would like to charge your golf cart battery. The speed at which your battery will charge is also dependent on how discharged your battery is. If you are looking for a speedy charge you need to choose a battery charger with a higher amp rating. However, there is also such a thing as having too many amps which can damage the battery if it charges to quickly (say if you use a high amp charger with a low voltage battery). Look out for the charging times on the battery charger and make sure you select the correct amp rating to suit the size of your golf cart battery.
It is also important to check that the plug connector on the battery charger you select is compatible with the plug type on your golf cart, and that the battery charger is able to charge the type of battery you have (be it AGM, flooded, or gel batteries). You will find that a lot of battery chargers work with a variety of battery types.
What are the different types of golf-cart battery chargers?
There are a variety of different types of golf cart battery chargers on the market, and if you have an older golf cart it may be that you need a non-automatic charger. With modern electric golf carts, however, it is most likely that you will require a smart charger(also known as an automatic charger) to power up your battery.
In order to protect your golf carts battery, and ensure optimum productivity and longevity, it is essential that the battery is charged at the correct voltage level and does not overheat. In the past, this meant that the battery had to be charged very slowly but with the invention of smart chargers this has sped things up a bit. Smart chargers are able to monitor the temperature of your battery and switch the voltage and current levels to ensure optimum charge, it also makes sure that the battery will not overheat or overcharge.
How often will you be using your golf cart?
You can also get smart chargers that are able to maintain your battery. If it is likely that your golf cart will be sat in your garage for periods of disuse then it is essential that you select a battery charger that has this ability.
Look out for a trickle charge feature on the battery charger as this means you can keep the charger attached, and it will ensure that a low-level charge is delivered to your battery so that it doesn’t go flat. An excellent feature which means if you need to store your golf cart away for the winter, you can be confident that come the spring the battery will still be fully juiced up and ready to hit the links.
Conclusion
Investing in a good quality golf cart battery charger is an essential way of keeping your batteries in tip-top condition. Making the right choice in this regard can see you enjoying your golf cart batteries to their optimum lifespan. A smart battery charger is able to regulate the charge that your batteries receive so that they do not undercharge and also won’t overcharge or overheat. If you are going to be storing your golf cart over the winter, or know you are going to have a period of disuse, make sure you opt for a battery charger that comes with a trickle charge feature. This will mean you can leave the charger plugged in and it will maintain the batteries on your golf cart so they are ready when you need them.