March 2019 March2019 | Page 10

c k y W o rL D Wa oF s f G L C R The a By Julie Wilson, Owner WHEELZ Custom Carts & Accessories Brand is Important, Too Golf Car batteries are one of the largest expenses golf car owners invest into their vehicle. When properly maintained, your golf car battery pack can provide several years of outdoor enjoyment. When batteries are well maintained, they can yield up to 750 cycles before they begin to fade. Each battery brand makes claims about having better technology and being the best choice for your golf car. In reality, once you have decided on volt- age and run time, a few brands will emerge as the leaders. With seemingly limitless options for golf car batteries, how do you know which ones to purchase? All golf car batteries are not cre- ated equally, so it is important to do your re- search and consider which batteries will best meet your performance and budget needs. 1. Trojan Known to be one of the best brands of battery in the golf car world, Trojan batteries typically come at a premium price. The greatest value in purchasing Trojan golf car batteries is that they offer a two-year full replacement warranty. Battery Capacity is Important 2. US Battery Offering similar battery specifications as Trojan, US Battery also has a strong reputation and warranty. Founded in 1926, US Battery is a well trusted brand for both deep cycle and AGM batteries. Battery capacity refers to how much run time you will have with a single charge. The for- mula is simple. The more lead, the longer the run time. When the Club Car Precedent golf cars were released with four 12V batteries rather than six 8V batteries, golf car capacity become a hot topic. A standard 48V golf car with an 8V battery configuration will yield ap- proximately 20 hours of run time. The same golf car with 12V batteries will only yield about 17 hours of run time. Why? Because, although both configurations are 48 volts, six batteries have a longer minute capacity than four batteries. Similarly, when shopping different brands of golf car batteries, cheaper is not always better. Consider the capacity of each battery and whether it will provide an adequate run time for your use. 10 Are All Golf Car Batteries Created Equally? WWW.GOLFCAROPTIONS.COM 3. Deka Batteries A private, family owned battery company, EastPenn is the manufacturer of Deka Batteries. Although they don’t market heavily to golf car owners, Deka Batteries are known to be one of the best brands of batteries on the market. Whether you choose one of these top brands or another brand like Crown or VMax, stay away from Costco or Sam’s Club golf car batteries. It is easy to be enticed by a low-priced battery; however, ware- house clubs are notorious for selling generic brands with older date stamps. The fresher the battery, the better it will perform over time.