How to Troubleshoot a Golf Cart Battery
Golf cart batteries are connected together in a series. Six 6-volt batteries are connected together to create 36 volts. If one of the batteries in the set of six performs poorly, it needs to be identified and replaced. The problem with this is that all six batteries look the same. There's really only one way to troubleshoot a golf cart battery, and that's with a hydrometer. A hydrometer identifies the battery in a set that has a lower-than-normal specific gravity so it can be replaced without having to replace all the batteries.
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Instructions
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1
Squeeze the hydrometer bulb while the tip of the hydrometer is inserted in the battery electrolyte. That's the liquid under the caps. Be careful, the liquid is acid. Do this a few times to get the hydrometer to adjust to the electrolyte temperature.
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2
Take a look at the color of the electrolyte. Brown or gray electrolyte indicates the battery is failing.
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3
Draw some more electrolyte into the hydrometer. The float should be free without touching the top or bottom of the cylinder. Note the reading where the electrolyte meets the scale on the float.
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4
Add or subtract four points (.004) to the reading for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit that the electrolyte temperature is above or below 80 degrees. For example, if the float indicates a specific gravity of 1,250 and the electrolyte temperature is 90 degrees, add four points to 1,250 to make 1,254.
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5
Test all the batteries. Correct all the readings to 80 degrees (see previous step.) All the batteries should be within 50 points of each other to be good. If one or more batteries aren't---identify the battery or batteries.
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6
Recharge the vehicle and repeat the test.
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7
Replace the battery if the previously identified battery or batteries still aren't within the 50-point parameter.
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