A golf cart is a must-have for every golfer. Think about the times you can travel around the course conveniently or even sit in the shade while watching the game from a distance.
However, like all vehicles, many things can go wrong with your golf cart, whether because you’re not careful enough or because of bad luck. One of them is getting the cart’s battery wet.
So, how can a golf cart battery get wet? What happens when it gets wet? Keep reading to learn more about this topic.
Can Golf Cart Batteries Get Wet?
Golf cart batteries can accidentally get wet from the rain or when you drive through a water puddle on the golf course. You can even wet the battery when you power wash the cart to remove debris after storing it for a long time.
However, it’s never a good idea to soak your golf cart battery in water. Moreover, if it happens to get wet, you should dry it and never try to wet it every single day.
In most cases, a golf cart battery gets accidentally wet because of heavy rain, although it’s Ok to drive your golf cart in light showers. Only a few drops might get in touch with your battery and they won’t cause serious damage.
However, in very heavy rain, too much water can get in touch with your battery. In this case, it might stop working. In addition, leaving the golf cart in the rain might get it stuck or slide, so it’s better to move it to a dry location if there’s a rainstorm.
Rain isn’t the only reason why your golf cart battery might get wet. A golf cart has more exposed parts than a car, so driving in a deep water puddle will probably get the battery soaked.
Moreover, power washing without being too careful can get the battery and all the electric connections wet. Although it’s important to wash and clean your golf cart regularly, you want to make sure that the water doesn’t get in contact with any of the electric parts.
The strong pressure of the water can permanently damage the battery’s terminals and wires. It might even puncture the protective casing.
What Happens When the Golf Cart Battery Gets Wet?
The extent of water damage depends on two factors. The first one is how long your battery was exposed to water and the second one is how fast you managed to dry it.
Being exposed to water doesn’t mean that your golf cart battery is damaged for good. The battery comes with a protective cover that protects it from debris and water, so a little water won’t cause any damage.
Nevertheless, when it’s soaked or drenched in water, the case won’t be able to provide much protection. The battery’s terminal may emit electric starts, eventually leading to a fire, damaging the battery for good. Here are some ways water can damage your golf cart batteries.
Water Can Get into the Cells
Distilled water is the only water that can get into the battery without damaging it. Tap water and rainwater will damage the cells and ruin the battery for good.
The reason is that tap water and rainwater contain minerals. When these minerals deposit on the battery cells, they cause permanent damage.
Water can Cause Electrical Shorts
An electrical short or short circuit happens when an electric current passes through a wrong path. This happens when a low-resistance connection is created between two conductors, in this case, the battery and the water.
The presence of an electric spark can start a fire that might threaten your life. Moreover, it will definitely damage the battery for good.
Water Will Shorten the Battery Life
Golf cart batteries are expensive, and you don’t want to ruin your battery too soon. Unfortunately, getting water repeatedly into the battery will lead to the accumulation of buildup on the terminals.
This buildup affects the battery’s performance, so it might fail to start several times. Eventually, your battery will have a shorter life if you don’t protect it from getting wet.
What Should You Do if the Golf Cart Battery Gets Wet?
Accidents happen, and even if you’re extremely careful, your golf cart battery might get wet.
If the battery hasn’t been soaked in water or exposed to a lot of water for too long, you might try one of the following solutions.
- Use a dry and clean cloth to wipe the battery’s exterior. Make sure that you absorb most of the moisture before trying to start the golf cart one more time.
- Park the cart in the sun and keep the battery exposed. Keep it in the sun for a few days until you’re sure that it has dried completely.
- Use a blow dryer or a fan to dry the battery. Leave it in the sun or in a dry, warm place to make sure that it’s completely dry.
Unfortunately, in some cases, none of these methods will work. This means that the starter or the solenoid is damaged. In this case, you have to test it to make sure that it’s functioning. Here’s what you should do.
- Switch off the golf cart and keep it in a neutral position.
- Disconnect all the battery cables.
- Attach a voltmeter probe to each of the battery’s big terminals. It should read 0ohm because the battery isn’t working.
- Switch on the golf cart and put it in the forward position.
- Press down the accelerator, and listen carefully. If you hear a clicking sound from the starter, then the battery still works.
- Use the voltmeter to measure one more time. If it reads more than 0.4ohm, the battery should be replaced.
- If you don’t hear a clicking sound, set the voltmeter to DC and use the probes to measure the smaller terminals.
- If it shows a full voltage, then the coil needs to be replaced, and if it reads zero voltage, then a mechanic should better have your golf cart examined to find the real cause of the problem.
Wrap Up
Golf cart batteries would still work after getting wet, as long as you don’t get them soaked. However, you should avoid getting them wet in the first place, as this can damage them permanently.