Golf carts for hunting are more popular than ever, especially in Tennessee, where they’re incredibly useful for hunters who want to navigate challenging hilly and forested terrain. But hunters must always consider the health of their cart’s battery. Sometimes, this means needing to replace it every few years to ensure it doesn’t fail in the middle of a hunt! Below, we offer hunters some simple but effective tips to preserve their hunting golf cart’s battery.
Don’t Overcharge
One of the most common mistakes golf cart owners make regarding their battery is overcharging it. While it may be convenient to just hook the battery to its charger overnight and check back again in the morning, overcharging can harm its performance and longevity.
Ideally, your hunting cart would have a battery management system that will stop charging automatically once it reaches a full charge. If not, check the charge yourself and remove it from the charger when it reaches capacity to avoid harming the battery.
Store Correctly
Another key consideration for preserving your hunting golf cart’s battery is to store the cart and the battery correctly. During extended periods of inactivity, a battery will discharge and die, which is never good for the battery’s health. Either disconnect the batteries in storage or use a trickle charger to maintain a healthy battery life. Also, store the cart and the battery in a dry, well-ventilated, and climate-controlled area away from direct sunlight to avoid freezing or overheating.
Keep the Batteries Dry and Clean
When navigating the rough off-road terrain of Tennessee while hunting, your cart and your cart’s batteries can get quite dirty. But your cart’s battery must remain as dry and clean as possible, so inspect the terminals and cables frequently and clean them as necessary.
Cleaning a cart battery is relatively simple—an old toothbrush or bristle brush with a baking soda solution can effectively destroy dirt and grime without harming the battery. Also, check the terminals and cables to ensure they’re always snug and tight.
Install Energy-Efficient LED Lights
Those who hunt at night or in the early morning should also consider the bulbs in their cart’s headlights. A golf cart’s headlights can significantly accelerate the battery drain, especially if they’re standard halogen bulbs.
One of the benefits of LED lights on your hunting cart is they’re much more energy efficient and will drain less of your cart’s battery. Less of a battery drain means you can spend more time out on the hunt with your cart than back home charging it!
We hope our tips help you extend the lifespan of your hunting golf cart’s battery for years to come. If you don’t want to replace your hunting cart’s battery every few years, remember to avoid overcharging it, keep it dry, and store it correctly!
