The primary focus of this article is to provide useful tips and strategies which can help minimize battery usage on your electric golf trolley. These tips and strategies are simple yet effective ways to ensure that your trolley remains powered throughout an entire 18-hole round.
If you are fed up worrying whether your electric golf trolley will have enough charge to complete a round, then read on to uncover these invaluable battery conserving tips.
At the end is one bonus tip that will guarantee your electric golf trolley always completes a round!
Tip 1 – Out On The Course, Optimize Speed Settings And Adjust Your Golf Trolley According To The Terrain
To limit battery usage on an electric golf trolley during a golf round, optimizing speed settings and adjusting your golf trolley according to the terrain is recommended.
You should adjust the speed setting so that your trolley travels neither too fast nor too slow; this will help conserve energy from the batteries. Additionally, if playing on hilly courses, select a lower speed setting as going up hills requires more power than with flat surfaces. This can also reduce wear and tear of components such as motors and brakes due to strain on them when climbing hills at high speeds.
When out on the golf course, consider applying the following adjustments and settings to your electric trolley to account for the terrain:
- During your round, try to move your electric trolley over softer golf terrains such as grass or sand instead of harder ones like asphalt or concrete which require more electricity to move upon.
- Reduce going up inclines as much as you can and take a flat route from tee to green whenever possible.
- If available, use the reverse gear feature which enables ease in manoeuvring when turning around tight corners without expending extra energy.
- You may not realise it, but going downhill conserves battery life due to gravity assisting forward motion rather than using motor power alone.
- Avoid sharp turns or sudden acceleration that might put a strain on the battery and consequently shorten its life span between charges.
- Using cruise control modes to maintain constant speeds on flat courses instead of manual inputs saves considerable amounts of energy per hole.
Tip 2 – Reduce The Use Of High-Tech Features On The Course
High-tech features on electric golf trolleys provide convenience for the golfer, however, using too many of these features can significantly reduce battery life during each round of golf.
- GPS features and remote control devices can be a drain on your battery. Instead of using your trolley’s built-in GPS if it has one, a solution could be to use a GPS app on your mobile phone, or a stand-alone GPS.
- Instead of using a remote control, it may be more efficient to simply program your trolley to travel a set distance without any further intervention.
Tip 3 – Use Lithium-Ion Batteries
The use of lithium-ion batteries has become increasingly popular in modern electric golf trolleys due to their superior performance on the golf course and long life span. They are ideal for a round of golf as they offer higher energy density than other battery types like lead-acid allowing the same power output but with a smaller size and weight.
This is also advantageous when it comes to transportability and storage and not only an improved range on the course. Below is a table summarising some key benefits and disadvantages of using lithium-ion batteries:
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Higher Energy Density – Longer Range | More Expensive Than Other Battery Types |
| Smaller Size & Weight – Makes the electric golf trolley lighter and more manoeuvrable | Can be fragile and a complete discharge could damage a battery |
| Improved Performance Over Time With Regular Use/Maintenance | Temperature Sensitivity Can Lead To Poor Performance In Extreme Conditions |
If you want to find out more about lithium-Ion Batteries for your electric golf trolley, we have written a guide about lithium batteries
Tip 4 – Maintain Your Battery With A Proper Maintenance Strategy
To properly maintain both lithium and lead-acid electric golf batteries, and make them give you maximum performance on the golf course, these key points should at least be understood:
- Battery Storage – It is important to store batteries at room temperature or slightly lower when not in use. Batteries stored in hot environments will discharge more quickly than those kept within optimal temperatures. Additionally, storing batteries on their side rather than flat helps minimize corrosion which can lead to decreased performance over time.
- Cleanliness – Keeping the terminals clean from dust and dirt with a damp cloth or brush prevents buildup and improves electrical contact between the battery and charger. This increases the efficiency with which power is transferred into the cells leading to better overall performance.
- Charging Habits – Recharging soon after each round instead of waiting until the battery is completely depleted ensures that all cells are charged evenly and reduces potential damage caused by deep discharges. Additionally, using slow charge options whenever possible allows for more complete charging cycles without subjecting the cells to excessive heat build-up due to fast charges.
- Avoid leaving depleted batteries connected to their chargers for extended periods as this could result in permanent damage to the cells within them.
- When storing away an electric golf trolley after a round of golf, ensure that all connections between the battery pack and charger are disconnected before doing so.
- Always use specific chargers designed for your particular type of battery as generic chargers might cause irreparable harm over time if used incorrectly.
Proper storage can help prolong battery life significantly, while regular maintenance ensures optimal performance on the course.
A useful video on the charging process of a Powakaddy battery
Tip 5 – Routine Maintenance Ensures Your Trolley Does Not Put A Strain On The Battery
Any additional strain put on your battery will reduce the on-course performance and range of your electric golf trolley. Minimize this risk by adhering to the following:
- Check regularly for signs of dirt or debris which might impede power transfer from the motor to the wheels; also ensure that any test points located on the controller board remain clean at all times.
- Wheel alignment should be checked periodically to prevent excessive resistance due to misalignment which would otherwise lead to increased drag and therefore greater energy consumption from the motors, eating battery life. Rebalancing wheels after every few rounds may also prove beneficial since unevenly weighted tires tend to increase friction against surfaces resulting in decreased efficiency levels for the motors.
- Checking tyre pressure if applicable before each round of golf can also ensure optimal performance of the trolley’s motors throughout the game.
Bonus Tip: To Ensure Your Electric Golf Trolley Always Finishes The Golf Round
If you don’t mind pushing extra weight, with an extra charged battery ready for substitution mid-round, you can truly focus on your golf performance and not the performance of your golf trolley.
Conclusion
The electric golf trolley is a convenient and efficient way to transport golf clubs on the course. It can reduce fatigue, conserve energy and speed up play. However, a failed battery during a round of golf can be inconvenient. Having enough power supply in our electric golf trolleys ensures we won’t get stranded halfway through our round.
With these simple yet effective steps discussed above, now there’s no excuse not to enjoy every single hole!
Happy golfing – From the guys at Electric Golf, the electric golf trolley A to Z for consumers