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How to Rebuild a Golf Cart Battery

by Tammy Bronson

dead battery image by Katrina Miller from Fotolia.com

A golf cart battery, also called a deep-cycle battery, is a 12-volt battery with six 2-volt cells. A deep-cycle battery contains lead acid. When a deep-cycle battery sits for long periods of time in bad weather, damage occurs. When you purchase a new battery, pour additive into the terminals, which prolongs the life of the battery and readies it for reconditioning in the future. Every battery comes with a guaranteed lifespan; however, the level of maintenance determines whether it reaches its full lifespan potential.

Step 1

Dress in complete safety attire with goggles, rubber gloves and a rubber apron.

Step 2

Work next to a continuous water source because a lot of water is required. Water helps dilute the acid of the battery; work in a well-ventilated area.

Step 3

Take the terminal cables off the battery and remove them from the golf cart. Set the battery on a work bench.

Step 4

Pry off the cell caps on the battery. Depending on the amount of corrosion, you may need a screwdriver to help you pry off the cell caps.

Step 5

Turn the water source on and empty the contents of the battery into a container that is not made of metal. Make sure you have your safety gear on properly. Rinse out the battery cells with running water, pouring the water into the container.

Step 6

Mix Epsom Salt and distilled water together in another container. The ratio of this mixture is 7 ounces of Epsom Salt to 1 quart distilled water. Use distilled water because it is free of minerals that cause corrosion in batteries. Stir the mixture, completely dissolving the Epsom Salt.

Step 7

Pour the Epsom Salt into the battery cells, making sure each cell has the same amount of liquid.

Step 8

Hook a three-phase charger to the golf cart battery. Leave the rebuilt battery charging overnight.

Step 9

Take the rebuilt battery and put it back into the golf cart, reconnecting the battery terminals.

Start the golf cart and use for one week. At the end of one week reattach the golf cart battery to the three-phase battery charger and leave until a complete charge is accepted.

References

Tips

Adding a reconditioning additive to a new battery prolongs the lifespan of the battery.

Things You'll Need

Safety goggles
Distilled water
Epsom Salt
Three-phase charger
Drill
Nonmetallic container
Wrench
Rubber gloves

Warnings

Use an antifreeze tester to extract acid from a good battery and squirt the contents into a glass jar. Put a piece of nylon cloth on top of the acid in the jar. The acid eats the nylon.

Writer Bio

Tammy Bronson has been a freelance writer since 1994. As a writer for Thompson Gale Publishing she wrote autobiographies and legal reviews. With Remilon.com Bronson wrote innovative informative articles about colleges and universities nationwide. She lives in the Greater Boston Area and has a Master of Arts degree in literature and writing from the State University of New York.