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6 | LIFE IN SOLERA | FEBRUARY 2022 | Golf Cart Maintenance - Take it Seriously What Can Go Wrong? Underfilling or overfilling a golf cart's battery water may make it run hotter, produce excessive hydrogen, and/or create excessive heat, and lead to a fire. Adding non-distilled water to their cart's battery may lead to damage and a high risk of fire. Non-distilled water contains trace elements of metals and other minerals which may cause arcing within a cart's battery. Sulfuric acid in a golf cart battery may cause severe burns to your skin and damage your clothes and any surface. Old batteries may leak and exacerbate this problem. Overcharged golf cart batteries may catch fire and/or explode. Turn off power switch when connecting or disconnecting power cables to the batteries to avoid possible arcing and eliminate possibility of explosion. 10 Safety Tips 1. Follow safety precautions listed in the user/maintenance manual. 2. Only use the electrical cords and battery charger designated for the golf cart. Never charge your battery with an extension cord. If cords show wear, replace them. 3. Regularly check for damage or leaks in the battery. 4. Do not place any rags, papers or boxes on or near the chargers. 5. Always unplug the charger from the outlet when leaving the area for a prolonged period of time. Although most new "smart" battery chargers turn off when the batteries are fully charged, if a safety mechanism malfunctions the battery may result in a fire. 6. Charge your batteries in a well-ventilated area. Keep your garage door open while charging. (Older golf cart batteries may emit hydrogen, an odorless, colorless gas that is highly flammable.) 7. Use only DISTILLED water in the batteries and fill to the correct level. Don't overfill or underfill. The general rule of thumb is to add water to 1/4" above the plates. Add water to batteries AFTER they are fully charged unless the water levels are below the level of the plates. 8. Look for and remove corrosion from battery terminals. This will reduce chances of battery terminals overheating due to higher connection resistance. 9. Wear protective gear: goggles, gloves, and protective clothing when maintaining your golf cart battery. 10. Never smoke around lead acid batteries. Hydrogen gases produced by a battery may be ignited by any spark or flame and cause a battery explosion. To view a video on the subject, go to www.solera-cert.info/training Solera CERT Cadre