Northeast winter storage

hawkchucker · 10-17-2010, 08:32 AM

OK simple question for you gurus of the golf cart. My 85 will see its first winter by me, and I have to know do you guys remove your batteries and store them inside? It would be kept in a non heated detatched garage. I do have electricity out there but would not really trust it and feel that I have no other option but to remove them.

OLD MEC · 10-17-2010, 09:49 AM

If you dont trust electricity to keep a 36 volt automatic charger hooked up for winter I would say you are going to have to remove batterys and store them where they are kept above freezing temp? I am old fashioned and always store batterys off ground, cement, etc as I was taught many years ago that batterys discharge faster that way?
( ALL batterys discharge some even when unhooked ) I also would use the removal time to clean, repair battery box areas on cart and paint them. Also wash batterys after removal and dry them so discharge wont be as fast as dirty batterys do? If you happen to have a auto 12 volt automatic charger I would hook it up to ( each 2 batterys in series ) at a time and maintain charge during down time.

shadowman · 10-17-2010, 01:35 PM

the safest way is to remove the batts, but if you have a good set and they are fully charged all you really need to do is park it and cover it and you shouldn,t have any issues.........just make sure they are good and fully charged................................

gornoman · 10-17-2010, 01:51 PM

You are ahead of most guys in the snow zone, you have a garage to get the cart out of the wind. Clean everything up real nice, charge the pack, switch the controller to "TOW" if so equipped, and leave it. If you can, drive the cart for 15 minutes once a month and charge it again after each of these short drives. This would be the best practice for your cart. If driving is not an option, charge the cart anyway once a month. A charged battery will NOT freeze in the lower 48 states.

buscopat · 10-19-2010, 01:24 PM

When I help store carts, I fully charge the batteries, and disconnect the main positive and negative.
In the spring reconnect the batteries, hook up the charger, and when done, enjoy the ride.

lockman1 · 10-19-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buscopat

When I help store carts, I fully charge the batteries, and disconnect the main positive and negative.
In the spring reconnect the batteries, hook up the charger, and when done, enjoy the ride.

Ditto!
Did it that way for 4 years with no problems!

hawkchucker · 10-19-2010, 03:59 PM

Thanks for all the responces, but my son made the decision for me. this weekend we are re wireing the whole cart and removing the batts. Then we will be painting the whole battery storage area and the underneath.

lockman1 · 10-20-2010, 06:39 AM

Make sure to take before, during, and after pics!!!

Ol Jake · 10-20-2010, 06:58 AM

When you store your batteries, keep them up off the concrete on wood blocks. That'll help make sure they don't drain or freeze also...

OLD MEC · 10-20-2010, 07:34 AM

When you paint battery support area I use one of the truck bed liner sprays or bed paint and allow it to dry fully or it may slide loose with weight of batterys.

10-17-2010, 08:32 AM	#1
hawkchucker Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Ma Posts: 25	Northeast winter storage OK simple question for you gurus of the golf cart. My 85 will see its first winter by me, and I have to know do you guys remove your batteries and store them inside? It would be kept in a non heated detatched garage. I do have electricity out there but would not really trust it and feel that I have no other option but to remove them.

10-17-2010, 09:49 AM	#2
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: Northeast winter storage If you dont trust electricity to keep a 36 volt automatic charger hooked up for winter I would say you are going to have to remove batterys and store them where they are kept above freezing temp? I am old fashioned and always store batterys off ground, cement, etc as I was taught many years ago that batterys discharge faster that way? ( ALL batterys discharge some even when unhooked ) I also would use the removal time to clean, repair battery box areas on cart and paint them. Also wash batterys after removal and dry them so discharge wont be as fast as dirty batterys do? If you happen to have a auto 12 volt automatic charger I would hook it up to ( each 2 batterys in series ) at a time and maintain charge during down time.

10-17-2010, 01:35 PM	#3
shadowman The Last Moja Morani Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: jumping from cart to cart Posts: 8,975	Re: Northeast winter storage the safest way is to remove the batts, but if you have a good set and they are fully charged all you really need to do is park it and cover it and you shouldn,t have any issues.........just make sure they are good and fully charged................................

10-17-2010, 01:51 PM	#4
gornoman Stay thirsty my friends! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suburban Chicago Posts: 24,286	Re: Northeast winter storage You are ahead of most guys in the snow zone, you have a garage to get the cart out of the wind. Clean everything up real nice, charge the pack, switch the controller to "TOW" if so equipped, and leave it. If you can, drive the cart for 15 minutes once a month and charge it again after each of these short drives. This would be the best practice for your cart. If driving is not an option, charge the cart anyway once a month. A charged battery will NOT freeze in the lower 48 states.

10-19-2010, 01:24 PM	#5
buscopat Gone Crazy Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Churubusco, IN Posts: 2,161	Re: Northeast winter storage When I help store carts, I fully charge the batteries, and disconnect the main positive and negative. In the spring reconnect the batteries, hook up the charger, and when done, enjoy the ride.

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10-19-2010, 03:59 PM	#7
hawkchucker Not Yet Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Ma Posts: 25	Re: Northeast winter storage Thanks for all the responces, but my son made the decision for me. this weekend we are re wireing the whole cart and removing the batts. Then we will be painting the whole battery storage area and the underneath.

10-20-2010, 06:39 AM	#8
lockman1 What the ....? Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.E. Wisconsin Posts: 14,928	Re: Northeast winter storage Make sure to take before, during, and after pics!!!

10-20-2010, 06:58 AM	#9
Ol Jake Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NorthEast, Pa. Posts: 323	Re: Northeast winter storage When you store your batteries, keep them up off the concrete on wood blocks. That'll help make sure they don't drain or freeze also...

10-20-2010, 07:34 AM	#10
OLD MEC Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,391	Re: Northeast winter storage When you paint battery support area I use one of the truck bed liner sprays or bed paint and allow it to dry fully or it may slide loose with weight of batterys.

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