Golf Cart Battery Chargers
Knowing how to safely use golf cart battery chargers can help you prevent damage to your power source as well as help you prevent damage to yourself! The vast majority of accidents that are associated with golf cart battery chargers are caused by improper use. This article looks at some of the ways that you can protect yourself from harm and protect your power source during recharging sessions.
If you were to line up all of the various types of golf cart battery chargers and the batteries that are in use today you might be amazed at how many different types you find. What this means to you, the owner of an electric powered vehicle, is that you simply have to read and understand your owner’s manual for your particular vehicle and power source. What may have worked just fine on your last model of vehicle may not work at all on your new one. The only way to know for certain if you are properly using your devices correctly is to read the instructions.
You should keep in mind that during the mishaps that do occur each year, most of them do not involve the golf cart battery chargers exploding, but rather the golf cart batteries. When you are working on these items, it is the power source itself that deserves the bulk of your attention. This is especially true if you are working on lead-acid batteries.
One of the most important cautions to understand when you own a lead-acid power source is to never try to recharge when the battery is hot. After you have finished using your vehicle for the day, let it sit for at least an hour to allow the battery to cool down before you begin recharging. This applies to both gas and electric carts.
The second most important caution when working with lead-acid devices is to never allow an open flame into the area around the battery. The fumes that are released from these devices are not only toxic but explosive. Even lighting up a cigarette can cause the device to blow up. Because they are filled with an acid mix, these explosions often result in severe injury to those in the immediate area. The best policy to use whenever you are working with golf cart battery chargers and batteries is to not allow any type of flame in the area. Should an explosion occur, use copious amounts of water to rinse the affected area of your body and call for medical help.
If at all possible, you place some safety gear close to your golf cart battery chargers so that you will see the gear whenever you get ready to do maintenance to your vehicle. This should include acid proof gloves and approved safety goggles. You should never work on a battery until you have removed metal objects from your fingers, wrists, and neck. Hanging necklaces have been known to make contact with live posts and have caused injury to many people over the years.