When it comes to golf cart batteries, you’ll need ones with deep discharge cycles, low self-discharge rate, low-maintenance requirement. They don’t need to have high capacity or high ignition power but should have a long lifetime.
Here are the best golf cart batteries (Apr 2024 Update):
- Long Circle Life (Gel Batteries): Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL Deep Cycle Rechargeable Battery - Long circle life
- Best for Constant Performance (AGM Batteries): Optima Batteries RedTop Starting Battery
- Durable (AGM Batteries): Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery
- For Small Golf Carts (AGM Batteries): Weize YTX7A-BS Maintenance Free Motorcycle Battery
- Affordable (AGM Batteries): Mighty Max ML9-12 - 12V 9Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery
- Versatile (AGM Batteries): Universal Power Group (35Ah)
| 6 Best Golf Cart Batteries | ||
|---|---|---|
Long Circle Life | Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL Deep Cycle Rechargeable Battery - Long circle life
| |
Best for Constant Performance | Optima Batteries RedTop Starting Battery
| |
Durable | Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery
| |
For Small Golf Carts | Weize YTX7A-BS Maintenance Free Motorcycle Battery
| |
Affordable | Mighty Max ML9-12 - 12V 9Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery
| |
Versatile | Universal Power Group (35Ah)
| |
Gel Batteries
Gel batteries are great at deep discharge, enhancing the battery’s life and energy efficiency. Gel batteries are superior when it comes to energy efficiency; however, they don’t work well in cold weather.
Long Circle Life (Gel Batteries): Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL Deep Cycle Rechargeable Battery - Long circle life
For solar power system
Deep cycle performance
Heavy duty lead-calcium grids
Low self discharge
- Doesn’t work properly in extreme temperature
Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL is designed for every-day use. Since it is a gel battery, it has deep cycles, allowing the battery discharges and recharge more efficiently, thus, enhancing the battery’s life and energy efficiency. Thanks to the gel, there is no chance for the inside mixture to leak. The gel absorbs the heat and vibration, so you don't need to worry about maintenance.
Moreover, Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL features heavy-duty lead-calcium grids, which are corrosion-resistant. Plus, the battery has a low ratio of self-discharge of only about 3% per month, ensuring a service life of 15 years.
Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL is perfect for solar power systems, such as RVs, Golf Carts, Hunting, Lawn, and Garden Tools, Portable Tools, but not for Motorcycle ATV Engine Starts. This battery has a big drawback is that it won’t work properly in extreme temperature. The normal-operating temperature range is 25°C±5℃.
| Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL Deep Cycle Rechargeable Battery - Long circle life Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 12.8 x 6.8 x 8.5 inches |
Weight | 67 lbs |
Amperage | 100 AH |
Voltage | 12 V |
Highlight Features | Self-discharge Ratio about 3% per month; Corrosion-resistant; Deep cycle |
Weize 12V 100AH Pure GEL is a durable golf cart battery, with only 3% self-discharge per month.
Best for Constant Performance (AGM Batteries): Optima Batteries RedTop Starting Battery
Truck-graded battery
SpiralCell Technology
Powerful burst of ignition power
Reserve capacity of 90 minutes
Vibration resistance; Spillproof; Maintenance-free
Does not have great longevity
Optima Batteries RedTop is a truck-graded battery. It provides a powerful burst of ignition power (720 Amps) to start any kind of engine; it may over-powerful for golf cart though. The battery is not just a starting battery; it has a great reserve capacity of 90 minutes, so can you use your tools for a relatively long period. Moreover, the charging time is pretty fast.
Optima Batteries RedTop features SpiralCell technology, which makes the battery far better in terms of quality and performance than traditional flat plate AGM batteries. Thus, this battery is resistant to extreme temperatures and humidity. It is also vibration resistant, spillproof, and requires no maintenance. However, Optima Batteries RedTop is not so famous for its longevity, which is a thing you may want to consider.
| Optima Batteries RedTop Starting Battery Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 9.4 x 7.7 x 6.8 inches |
Weight | 31.7 pounds |
Amperage | |
Voltage | 12 V |
Highlight Features | SpiralCell Technology; Vibration resistance; Spillproof; Maintenance-free |
Optima Batteries RedTop is a powerful battery, for both starting and constant performance.
Durable (AGM Batteries): Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery
Thick (AGM) separators & Advanced valve regulated
Excellent discharge performance
Monthly self-discharge rate below 3%
Wide operation temperature range
Short battery life
Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery is a great AGM battery. It uses thick absorbent glass mat separators with an advanced valve regulated technology to prevent the acid inside from leaking. So, you don’t need to worry about maintenance.
Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery has a great discharge performance, which reduces low internal resistance and allows high discharge currents. It has a low self-discharge rate per month - lower than 3%, ensuring great longevity. A great advantage of AGM batteries over gel batteries is the operation temperature range, which of the Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery is from 5℉ to 122℉.
A drawback of Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery is that it has a short runtime than two battery above.
| Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 13.1 x 6.9 x 8.6 inches |
Weight | 66 pounds |
Amperage | 100 AH |
Voltage | 12 V |
Highlight Features | Advanced valve regulated; Monthly self-discharge rate below 3% |
Renogy Deep Cycle AGM Battery is durable and maintenance-free golf cart battery.
For Small Golf Carts (AGM Batteries): Weize YTX7A-BS Maintenance Free Motorcycle Battery
Compact and lightweight
105 Cold Cranking Amps
Maintenance-free
30 day refund policy
Low capacity
Weize YTX7A-BS is pretty compact and lightweight. It weighs only about 6 lbs, just about one-tenth of the weights of above batteries. This because the battery has a low capacity - only 6 Ah. Its peak amps for starting up engines are also not so high, only 105A. However, this is enough for 150cc scooters. So don’t need to worry about its power.
Weize YTX7A-BS is an AGM battery, so it has all the advantages of the type of battery - being maintenance-free, leak-proof, and pretty safe. Moreover, this battery is backed by a 30-day refund policy and a 1-year warranty program.
| Weize YTX7A-BS Maintenance Free Motorcycle Battery Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 5.9 x 3.4 x 3.7 inches |
Weight | 5.59 lbs |
Amperage | 6 AH |
Voltage | 12 V |
Highlight Features | 30 day refund policy; Compact and lightweight; 105 Cold Cranking Amps |
Weize YTX7A-BS is a small and lightweight battery, for small golf carts.
Affordable (AGM Batteries): Mighty Max ML9-12 - 12V 9Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery
Affordable
Compact and lighweight
Spill proof & exceptional safety
Deep discharge recover
Low capacity
Mighty Max ML9-12 is even more compact and lightweight than Weize YTX7A-BS, yet higher capacity (9Ah). In return, you won’t have that high amps (105A) for starting up. This is a great budget choice for small golf carts.
Mighty Max ML9-12 is an AGM battery, so you are assured of exceptional safety performance. The battery is also spill-proof and maintenance-free. Moreover, with deep discharge recovery performance, you can expect the battery remains its capacity for a long time.
| Mighty Max ML9-12 - 12V 9Ah Rechargeable SLA Battery Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 6 x 2.5 x 4 inches |
Weight | 5.4 lbs |
Amperage | 9 AH |
Voltage | 12 V |
Highlight Features | Compact and lighweight; Spill proof & exceptional safety; Deep discharge recover |
Mighty Max ML9-12 is affordable and reliable, great for small golf carts.
Versatile (AGM Batteries): Universal Power Group (35Ah)
Comes in pack of two
Compatible with a wide range of appliances
Good capacity
No leakage and maintenance
Not very durable
Universal Power Group comes in a pack of two. Each has a capacity of 35 Ah. So you’ll be ready for an all-day golfing. The batteries are compatible with a wide range of appliances, from golf carts, toy cars, wheelchairs, scooters, to alarm systems, emergency lighting, and so on.
Like all the AGM batteries, these two Universal Power Group batteries are maintenance-free and spill-proof. However, they do not seem to be so durable. They will last one or two years, I would say. This is still a decent period for such inexpensive batteries.
| Universal Power Group (35Ah) Specifications | |
|---|---|
Dimension | 12.3 x 9.3 x 9.6 inches |
Weight | 46 pounds |
Amperage | 35 AH |
Voltage | 12 V |
Highlight Features | Comes in pack of two; Compatible with a wide range of appliances |
Universal Power Group comes in a pack of two, with a lot of capacity.
How To Choose The Best Golf Cart Battery?
Both Gel Batteries and AGM Batteries are Sealed Lead Acid batteries. Basically, sealed lead-acid batteries are normal lead-acid batteries with something to seal up the mixture inside, preventing it from leaking. They have many advantages in common, such as deep-cycle capabilities, no-spillable design, can be used in different orientations, have a low self-discharge rate, require no maintenance, and also being vibration-resistant.
When choosing SLA batteries for golf cart, here are some things should be taken into account:
Capacity: When it comes to golf carts, you don’t need 100 Ah batteries (however, it’s great if you have ones). Small batteries of about 10 Ah would meet the need of the cart.
Cold-cranking amps: This is the ignition power to start the engine. Golf carts tend not to require much of ignition power. However, if you want to use the battery for other appliances, such as a 150cc scooters, you may need a battery that has cold-cranking amps of about 100A.
Which Brands Make The Best Golf Cart Battery?
Optima Batteries
Optima batteries is one of the biggest brand in the industry. They are the pure-power provider of streetcar champions, industrial uses, residential and recreational uses. They have three lines of batteries. The first is Redtop, which is for normal engine starting. The second is YellowTop, which is for heavy-duty electrical loads. And the last - the BlueTop is only for starting marine applications and RVs.
Renogy
Renogy started as a student's project, then it was funded by a venture capital fund. Its main product line is solar products. In 2016, Renogy becomes one of the top 500 fastest-growing private companies. Up to now, it has successfully built a world-wide brand on energy products. Batteries are among them. Renogy is famous for its innovative design and technology, as well as high-quality products.
Universal Power Group
UPG was founded in 1968. With more than 50 years of experience of designing and manufacturing energy storage solutions, now it is one of the leaders in the industry. Sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries and lithium iron phosphate batteries are their major lines. When it comes to UPG, you are assured of carefully tested products. This is a brand that you can trust.
FAQs
Does this battery work with solar power?
Yes, as long as your solar system produces electricity.
Can I use mains electricity to charge this battery?
Yes. Charge the battery with a charger.
How long do golf cart batteries last?
You can expect they will last from 3 to 6 years, some may last for more than 10 years. The self-discharge rate is a meaningful number to tell you the longevity of the battery. The lower this rate is, the longer the battery will last.
Can you replace just one golf cart battery?
I would recommend replacing all the batteries at once since all six golf cart batteries work as a whole. If one or two batteries are bad, they will affect other batteries.
How long should you charge a new golf cart battery?
It depends largely on the capacity and the quality status of the battery. However, I would say that it is likely to take about 1-3 hours to fully charge a new battery; It is likely to take about 10 hours to fully charge a 5-year-old battery.
Conclusion
Above is my full review of the best golf cart batteries. I hope this article will help you find suitable ones for your golf cart.
Bryan Listor
