How Many Batteries In a Golf Cart
Are you needing new batteries and wondering how many batteries in a golf cart so you can replace them? Or maybe you’re looking to buy a new golf cart and want to know how many you’ll be dealing with.
If you’re short on time just know that, in general, there are 6 batteries in most golf carts. But there can be some times when the combination is different. I’ll go over that in this article.
It’s more about the voltage needed to run your golf cart. Golf cart batteries range from 6 volts to 8 volts. And getting the battery pack depends on how much speed and torque your golf cart needs to run efficiently.
The battery packs are usually:
36 Volt Pack is probably the most popular and has 6 X 6 Volt
48 Volt Pack will either have:
- 8 X 6 Volts
- 6 X 8 Volt battery pack in it.
- It could also have 4 X 12 Volts.
For hills climbing or added passengers, some new model golf carts are now up to 72 Volts and using 6 X 12 Volts with an AMP controller. This isn’t typical yet, so you can safely go with the 4, 6, or 8 battery pack set rule.
The easiest way you can tell how many batteries your golf cart has is to lift up the seat and check.
Most golf cart batteries use deep cycle batteries, not your typical car batteries. The main reason is the batteries are used for the long haul and need the steady current to last the 20 miles that you’ll be traveling. Car batteries are more geared toward the starting power needed to turn over an engine, or a short burst of amperage.
One of the best deep cycle batteries on the market is the Trojan batteries. We’ve used these deep cycle batteries for golf carts and for our cabin batteries in our RV.
They seem a little pricier than batteries that you can get at Sam’s Club or Rural King, but if you look at the overall time of ownership for the batteries, you’ll have the Trojans for much longer than the Sam’s Club batteries. After time, you’ll replace your Rural King batteries faster and your cost will be twice as much.
Why?
Because the store bought batteries from Sam’s Club will last 1-3 years and the average is 2. With the Trojan batteries, you can expect 7-9 years usage out of them. All of these time frames assume that you’re taking care and maintaining your batteries to prolong their life span.
Can You Change Your Battery Count?
Yes, you can change your battery count for your cart, but you’ll want to make sure that a few things are in place or available to do that.
First, you’ll need to make sure that the battery frame or tray in your golf cart will handle the different sized batteries. Usually, you can buy a new frame if it will fit your model golf cart.
Then, you want to make sure that you have the right number of cables for the different battery setup. For instance, if you want to change from a 4 X 12 Volts to 6 X 8 Volts, then you’ll need to get 6 battery cables to go across the two extra batteries.
Also, consider the extra weight. If you’re going from 6 X 8 Volt to an 8 X 6 Volt, there is extra battery weight, which can reduce the distance that your cart can go. For some, that isn’t an issue.
Conclusion
Many of the older golf carts will likely have the 6 pack 36 Volt battery back option, but newer models are really gearing for 48 volts with some at 72 volts. This battery voltage still goes with 4 count, 6 count, and 8 count battery combination for your golf cart.
