How to Check for a Dead Cell in a Golf Cart Battery
One dead cell in a series pack produces a distinctive pattern: the cart runs, but not as far, and the charger behaves oddly.
Symptoms
- Range drops noticeably but the cart still drives
- Charger runs much longer than it used to
- One battery runs hotter than its neighbours after charging
- Voltages across the pack do not settle evenly
Testing
Measure the resting voltage of each battery after a full charge and again twelve hours later. A unit that sits well below the others, or gets warm during charging, is the suspect. A proper load test confirms it.
What to replace
When one unit in an ageing pack has failed, the others are usually close behind. Replacing the full pack is normally cheaper over the next two years than replacing batteries one at a time.
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