If you own an electric golf cart, you are undoubtedly familiar with charging the batteries. If your batteries get too low, you could be stranded. To avoid this, you have to ensure that your battery charger is working correctly.
If your battery charger ever fails, you should have some sense of where the problem might lie and how to mitigate it. You can’t address every problem with a simple DIY repair, but a sound diagnosis can save hours of frustration. In many cases, the solution is simple, and you’ll be able to handle it with minimal expense. In cases requiring a professional touch, at least the diagnosis will be definite. Read on for a list of symptoms and solutions for your battery charger.
Your Charger Won’t Turn On
If the charger doesn’t turn on, it may still be functional. Here are a few things to check first:
Make Sure the Batteries have Some Charge
In the scenario that it doesn’t turn on, it might mean you waited too long to recharge them, and now the charge that they currently carry is too low for the charger to detect them. When your charger can’t tell that your batteries are hooked up, it often won’t even turn on. A base charge of 25-30 volts is usually sufficient to wake up your charger and begin charging.
To get around this problem, specific chargers offer modes that keep your batteries charged even when you’re not using them. This is useful if you go out of town and you want to avoid coming home to dead batteries. However, if you’re stuck at no charge, a small, manual charger should provide each battery with enough juice to activate your regular charger.
Check Your Connections
If your batteries aren’t hooked up correctly, or the connections between them are weak or frayed, this can quickly lead to a loss of power and cause your charger to fail. Make sure you check each battery terminal for corrosion; any buildup will impede the flow of electricity, and could likewise cause problems.
Battery vs. Charger
Generally, if you plug in your charger, and nothing happens, this is most likely a problem with your batteries or connections. To know whether your batteries need replacement or recharging, you should own a voltage tester. By testing your batteries you will get a strong indication of whether they are still working and need a charge, or if they need replacement.
If you find that your golf cart won’t go very far on a full charge, then you probably need new batteries. Test them to make sure that the power on them is low; if indeed it is, then you need new batteries.
Battery Charger Problems
Charger Runs Too Long or Not Long Enough
If you plug in your charger and it charges for too long or not long enough, then you may have a problem with the device’s computer. A failure in the “brain” of your charger can result in it not knowing when to stop charging. A quick tutorial on how to replace this component might save you some cash, but you may need to purchase a new one.
Clicking Sound
If the charger makes a clicking sound when you plug it in and then does nothing, this is a strong indication that the charger knows it’s time to charge but is failing for some reason. You should have a professional examine it. When replacing any component of your charger, check your warranty, if you have one.
Golf Cart Issues
If you own a 48-volt Club Car, sometimes your golf cart itself can get in the way of a proper charge. If your batteries are carrying a minimal load, and your charger will still not charge them, it may be because your golf cart’s onboard computer is confused about how much charge they are currently carrying. Only the club car can monitor the charge of your batteries, but it bears mention because these computers can fail, thus requiring a replacement.
If the Club Car’s computer is working correctly, the relay should make a “click” sound when you plug in your charger. If it does not, then you could easily have a blown fuse. If you check the fuse and it is okay, then you could also have a damaged relay, although this is rare.
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Just put in new batteries. 6. 8v or 48 v. I just ran my cart for like 5 minutes and put my charge on but the charger won’t come on. Is there possibly a bad fuse. I tried another charger that works but that won’t come on either. Is there a fuse someplace. Thanks
It’s a battery golf cart. When I charged it, it still won’t pull off forward or reverse. It surges like it wants to go but want.
I have two 48 V golf carts. And the charger I use is good for Cary number one but will not come on for cart two
I recently replaced the batteries in cart two and have run it about half an hour.
It’s a club car 1997 Ds. Fuses are cold. Any suggestions as to where I should start my fault finding
Cart one has 4 12 volt deep cycle batteries and cart two has six eight volt batteries
Help! I bought all new batteries and cart still wouldn’t start, took cart to repair shop to have electrical system checked, was told there was a bad battery which was replaced (#7), bought new charger, cart still wouldn”t start, replaced all connector cables, connected to charger overnight, needle on gauge never moved, cart still won’t start. HELP!
charger hums when turned on but gage on charger never moves to indicate charging level stays on zero charger?
I have e 36 v D.C. Charger the lights on it Will ont turn on when plugged in telling me when its chargiing
I have had a club car golf cart for about 2 years now and it has charged just fine till now and the charger needle has started going all the way to the right staying there till the white button pops out and it stops charging. The yellow light stays on the entire time. What is wrong and/or what do I need to replace????
I have a Columbia and no clicking when I plug in the cart at home. The charger has no lights. It might not be charging. Any thoughts
garyvanmaanen@gmail.com
Addition. I have new batteries
Where is the rest buten on my charger
Hi
I have club car ,all is good , batteries etc. . ,my charger won’t charge, took my power drive 3 club car charger apart and found the fuse is bad is it possible something else is wrong
All comments place blame on batteries. I have 2 powertrain drive chargers. One of them works fine. The other gets quite warm and kicks out the breaker. Batteries are not my problem.
I have a ROHS Ezgo Golf Cart Battery Charger 48Volt that the meter shows 95.8. Is this correct? Thanks
golf cart runs fine there is no action with charger when not pluged in
Batteries are still new. Everytime charger switched on both relays tripps. What could be the problem?
Charger doesn’t turn on, what would be the problem
I have a Club Car 48 V and the charger Will not charge the batteries, could you tell me where the fuses are located no charger will work with my Club Car. Thanks Elam
I have a 3 prong charger but one of the prongs is loose. Could this cause the charger to not charge? When I plug it in it makes a clicking sound and the charger buttons flash.???
Grandkids left the keyon, it was on charger, won’t start
When you first plug charger into cart it flashes red then it goes green then green light goes out and never flashes
GOT EMC 48 VOLT GOLF CART AFTER PLUGGING IN CHARGER 8 TO 10 SECONDS AFTER IT LIGHTS UP ALL THE LIGHTS AND THEN GOES TO THE BOTTOM LIGHT WITCH IS RED WITH BATTERY AND SPANNER WHAT IS THE PROBLEM NO ONE SEAMS TO KNOW THEY SELL THESE CARTS AND KNOW ONE KNOWS ANYTHING THANKS NEED HELP.
My batteries all have a charge of 85-90%. My problem is- – my golf cart charger will NOT PLUG INTO THE RECEPTACLE ON THE GOLF CART ITSELF!! It will not make a connection! What should I do?
what if when you plug it in it doesn’t click and just humms and my batteries aren’t low I had just ridden it. But I did use it to jump a dead gold cart and ever since that mine hasn’t worked
Just bought a new Abakoo 17 amp 48 volt charger and when I plugged it in it read 17 amps an hour and a half it’s reading 3.5 is this normal
I keep my charger connected to the golf cart for for proper maintenance, however however if I unplug and plug back in the charger is at 20 amps charging down. Shouldn’t it already be at 0 if it is properly maintaining the batteries?
After spending $1,600 to fix my cart was told my charger doesn’t work n don’t know if they can get me a 42 voukt charger
I ask them why wiukd I pay you sixteen hundred dollars an now don’t have a charger
You should of told me that before fixing it
I have a club car and put a trickle charger on while away on months vacation. Came back and the batteries were dry. Refilled the batteries with distilled water and plugged into the main charger. The voltage regulator would not kick in. What to do? Judy. 352-638-3576
very good information very useful now knowing what to look for if there is a problem could save a lot of money thank you
Hi my charger is good and my cart is running ok to but I can’t charge my cart with charger, no clic on contact can you help
Willa a 36 volt system that the charger is putting out 45.5 volts damage the batteries , they have to be replaced every two years, only use in a resort for 6 months of the year, then charged and disconnected until fall ,only use distilled water in the
batteries
My golf cart won’t charge. My cart is dead I plugged in my charger and it doesn’t do anything.
Can you help me out? You can email me at mcdoman@frontier.com
My yamaha charger keeps clicking on and off, I have checked and cleaned all terminals unplugged and plug into another power outlet but the charger still clicking off and on what else should I try?
I am useing a typical car charger, but it doesn’t charge my club car battery’s. My charger is producing voltage, however when hooked to the battery there is no amp draw. Mucary will go approximately 50 ft and stop, after leaving it on charge for several hrs
Hello. I recently purchased a 2009 Club Car Carryall. After plugging in the charger, I am unsure if it is charging correctly? I’m in search of advice of which model charger I should be using? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Here is the info on the OBC label:
OBC mfd.
by LESTER ELECTRICAL
PN: 26515-11
USE ONLY WiTH CLUB CAR POWeR DRIVE BATTERY CHARGERS ON 48 UDC BATTERY SYSTEM.
My golf cart is not working at all
My charger charges when you plug it up. However, it will not charge when the charge drops. My golf cart may set for a week connected to the charger, but the charger does not detect the voltage drop.
Do I need a new charger?
Workaround, ever time I am near it, I will disconnect and reconnect it to activate the charger.
I have a Club DS 2007. When i charge it, the charger does it when first connected. It does not recharge later after the voltage drops. By unplugging and replugging the charger to the cart, the charger will recharge again. It will not automatically recharge while connected. What is wrong: the charger or cart?
When I plug in charger nothing happens the charger is good because charged other golf cart with it
Why is the charger red/yellow/red lights blinking even with the cart not connected?
Does the key need to be turned to the right and placed in neutral during the charge?
I have a brand new kandi golf cart with 48 volt lithium battery when I plug in the charger nothing lights up on the charger box it says on the dashboard 28 percent and will go no higher