Can You Mix Batteries in a Golf Cart?

From my personal experience, golf cart batteries might be expensive, so I will try to get them to last as long as possible. However, while I may be focused on considering the costs of mixing new and older batteries, I also wonder if doing so could compromise performance or safety. Or can I mix different sizes and brands of batteries in series or parallel?

Can I Mix Old and New Batteries?

There is a huge gulf between Can you mix batteries in a golf cart and Should you mix batteries in a golf cart, so should you?

No matter which battery you choose, all batteries eventually lose their electrical charge and get ever weaker until they can’t even power a kid's plaything.

May I Replace Just One Battery One A Golf Cart?

The problem is that batteries would lose power at different rates. If you happen to test them, you may find that the power loss is caused by an errant in only one battery in a pack.

The evil little miser hiding in your mind will surely suddenly appear and suggest that you don't need to spend so much money; you can do a sensible thing by replacing a broken battery with a single one. Although you can do so, it is not a good idea!

It will probably result in an unrecoverable gap in the maximum electrical capacity of your battery pack if you wire old and new batteries together, and significantly reducing the available power of your golf cart and turning it into a tiresome and sluggish golf-link jalopy.

Why It Is Problematic to Combine Old and New Batteries

As time goes by, the imbalance between the old and new batteries will grow more and more pronounced. If you are careless, the electrical output may be compromised to the point that you might end up damaging your electrical motor.

This is because the newer and more powerful deep cycle batteries will begin to supply current through the older, decrepit ones, leading to increased resistance from the older batteries and significantly heating up the battery pack. This is typical, especially when charging lead-acid batteries. No amount of water in the battery or fancy battery charger will level this off.

It doesn’t stop there. Heated batteries that exceed their rating can lead to random discharges and leaks, which, of course, is not the manufacturer’s fault. If this battery acid is spontaneous spontaneously makes it through to the electric motor, this will cause permanent damage to your motor.

Mixing Batteries from Different Brands

Just as I don’t recommend mixing old and new batteries in your golf cart, I also don't recommend mixing different brands of batteries. These reasons are pretty straightforward and obvious when you think about it. Because chemistries and voltages are varied across both battery types and brands, that's why we don't recommend you mix batteries. Generally, different battery brands can not connect together, even batteries constructed of the same materials, however, they may consist of different qualities and quantities of their anodic and cathodic material. This creates a terminal voltage different from other brands even when the batteries themselves seem to be the same size (both AA or AAA, for instance).

Batteries of Different Sizes

For example, batteries of different physical sizes might cause you issues with securing the battery pack to the battery terminals. Yes, this is depending on the type of battery storage provided in the golf cart, but it is a completely unnecessary hassle that is easily avoided by purchasing batteries from the same manufacturer.

Differences in Voltage

Different types of batteries have subtle differences in voltage and power, and over time, like old and new batteries, imbalances that you won’t notice will gradually grow in significance until you have got yourself much bigger problems. At the very least, you will have problems with your batteries in that some, or all of them will be damaged and the remaining battery life is next to nothing. Note that I wrote, will be, not that could be. This damage what I am talking is sure to happen if you are done this for a long period of time.

Safety

Another problem you could run into with mixing batteries from different manufacturers that is a damaged battery will pose the same safety and performance dangers as combined new and old batteries, meaning you could end up damaging your golf cart’s electric motor or other electrical systems.

Expiration Dates

Additionally, always check out the expiry date before you are throwing them in the battery compartment. And ensure that your battery cells in a battery pack will all expire around the same time.

Knowing When to Replace Batteries

Knowing when it is time to replace a soon-dying battery in your golf cart will help keep your golf cart running efficiently and safely.

Batteries with physical problems, such as bulging or leakage, must be replaced as soon as possible without asking any questions. In this case, the battery may cause leakage or arbitrary discharge, and it may endanger your safety if you continue to use them. Besides, please be aware that an unexplained decrease in battery capacity or your golf cart noticeably underperforming after getting a full charge.

If the battery isn't working properly, these electric devices, such as air conditioners or radios won't get enough power. Should you replace all batteries at the same time? Yes, you should replace all batteries at the same time.

Sure, it is a bummer and expensive thing, but you will have to suck it up in the long term because it is the best choice for your pocket and your golf cart. For example, if you don't want to spend too much money on golf cart batteries, then you need to know everything about batteries and their performance, specification matching, proper installation and setups.

Conclusion

No matter which type or brand of battery you choose, mixing batteries is an incorrect option, different manufacturers will have different voltages. Therefore, even when you replace an old 8V battery with a new 8V battery of a different brand, the voltages may not be identical. Even a slight voltage difference is enough to consume the remaining batteries and lead to power issues with your load. In addition, it is probable that different battery brands have subtle differences in the chemicals and formulas they use when they are making batteries. Mixing these batteries is dangerous because some chemicals and battery acids are not compatible with others. As a result, mixing chemicals could damage all the batteries in the battery pack. Just as you can not connect different battery brands together, you also can not connect old and new batteries together in a load.