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How to care for your Motocaddy Lithium battery

Lithium Battery Care Guide

We often get asked by customers for advice on how to look after their Motocaddy Lithium battery. Thankfully Lithium batteries are not only a lot lighter, smaller and quicker to charge than traditional Lead-acid options, but also much more reliable with a significantly longer lifespan.

Why do Lithium batteries last longer than Lead-acid?

The nature of Lithium and the integrated Battery Management System (BMS), allow Lithium batteries to last five times longer than Lead-acid.

If you opened the casing (which we definitely don't recommend!), you would see that a Lithium battery consists of a number of individual power cells which are joined together to offer the required capacity (number of holes you can play). The Battery Management system is a really clever piece of kit (think of it as a mini computer), which performs a vital role in keeping the battery components safe, while allowing each power cell to discharge at an even rate. This system spreads the 'load' on the cells and reduces cell damage to maintain capacity for as long as possible. You can read more about the BMS in the section titled "Battery Management System" below.

Can I top-up my battery between rounds?

Another benefit of Lithium batteries is that they can take a 'top-up' charge. What does this mean? In practical terms, it means that it does not need a full charging cycle to 'top-up' the capacity (number of holes you can play). A common scenario would be a golfer who is playing 36 holes in a single day and decides to put their battery on charge between rounds. The capacity will be topped up for as long as the battery is on charge, which might come in VERY handy after a long and tiring day out on the links! This is very different from a traditional Lead-acid battery, which is only worth charging for a full cycle - that's a minimum of eight hours! In addition to this, a Motocaddy Lithium battery takes a speedy 4-5 hours to fully charge from empty - that's got to be good for your electricity bill!

Should I leave my battery on charge all the time?

No is the simple answer, because you really don't need to and it is always safer (plus greener) to leave appliances unplugged if possible!

Don't worry though - your Motocaddy Lithium battery and its dedicated charger are designed to 'switch off' once fully-charged to reduce the risk of continual charging and the potential for overheating. We therefore recommend waiting for the charger light to change from red to green, before switching off at the wall and unplugging the battery from the charger. This doesn't damage the battery and the battery will hold its charge until you next play.

As with any electrical device, it is strongly advised not to leave Lithium batteries charging overnight or for prolonged periods without supervision.

How should I store my battery if I am not playing for a while?

If you are not planning on playing golf for a number of weeks, it is advised to store the battery fully-charged. Before the battery is used again, recharge it (top it up) prior to use. The battery must not be left for longer than 2-months without charging as this could invalidate your warranty. It is not recommended to leave an uncharged battery for extended periods as this may reduce the potential maximum capacity. For further information, please read the "Recommendations for hibernation of Lithium Batteries" section below.

Read on for other hints, tips and guidelines to help you to look after your battery....

Instruction Manuals

Motocaddy Lithium Battery Instructions
Simple Charging Instructions, Safety Advice, Battery Hibernation steps and information about the integrated BMS for all models of Motocaddy Lithium battery.
Download
382 KB
Motocaddy Lead-Acid Instructions
Simple charging instructions, plus safety and care advice for the Motocaddy Lead-Acid battery.
Download
225 KB

 


Important Battery Safety & Care Information

  • Always recharge as soon as possible after finishing your round, regardless of the number of holes played - ideally within 12-hours. Leaving batteries uncharged for extended periods may reduce capacity and could void your warranty;
  • Never leave batteries charging for longer than necessary - disconnect once the green LED light indicates the battery is fully charged;
  • Ensure that only Motocaddy 28V Lithium batteries are charged with Motocaddy 28V Lithium battery chargers (Model LC-2323) and the charger is always connected to an earthed socket outlet;
  • Batteries must be stored and charged on a dry, non-carpeted surface at a temperature ranging between 10°C and 30°C - charging outside these temperatures may reduce capacity;
  • The battery and charger must only be opened and maintained by authorised personnel. Unauthorised opening increases the risk of safety issues and will invalidate your warranty;
  • Take care not to drop the battery as this may cause damage to the internal cells which could affect battery performance and safety;
  • Regularly check the battery for visible signs of damage. Do not charge or use the battery if any damage is suspected - contact our Technical Support team immediately for advice;
  • Use a damp cloth to clean off any dirt, but try to avoid getting the battery too wet (i.e. do not submerge, avoid deep puddles & do not clean your trolley with the battery in the tray);
  • Do not lift or carry the battery by the cable as this may cause damage to the battery and increase the risk of safety issues;

IMPORTANT - As with any electrical device, it is not recommended to leave batteries charging overnight or for prolonged periods without supervision. Our Lithium batteries can be fully-charged from empty in less than 5 hours, so wait for the charger light to turn green, switch off at the wall and unplug the battery ready for your next round.

If the charger LED light flashes RED and GREEN consecutively when connected to the battery, this indicates there is likely to be a fault with the battery or charger. It is important that you disconnect the charger immediately and contact our Technical Support team for further assistance. Do not attempt to use the battery or charger as this could pose a significant safety risk which could result in fire.


Recommendations for hibernation of Lithium Batteries

If for any reason your Lithium battery is not going to be used for lengthy periods, e.g. 3 months over the winter, it is advised to store the battery fully-charged. Before the battery is used again, recharge it (top it up) prior to use. The battery must not be left for longer than 2-months without charging as this could invalidate your warranty.

We recognise that extended absences are not always planned in advance, however when it is likely that you will not be using your battery for a period of time it is good practice to follow these steps to extend the life of your Lithium battery. Please ensure that the charger is ALWAYS disconnected from the battery after charging.


Battery Management System (BMS)

Motocaddy Lithium batteries are fitted with a comprehensive battery management system (BMS) to protect the battery from excessive abuse, high currents, deep discharge and overcharge. When the battery is delivered there may be no output as the BMS is designed to maximize safety whilst shipping. Please ensure that the battery is fully charged prior to connecting it to your trolley as this will activate the BMS and effectively ‘switch-on’ the battery. From time to time, at deep discharge or long term storage the BMS may switch-off the battery. A full battery charge will rectify this problem.

Motocaddy golf trolleys are designed to work with the BMS system installed in the Lithium batteries and the voltage meter is also synchronised to work in conjunction with the battery. If for any reason the voltage on the battery falls below the low battery warning on the trolley, then the BMS may disable the battery to protect it. Again if this occurs please recharge fully. Please be aware that Lithium batteries tend to ‘drop off’ quickly at the end of the cycle so it is not advisable to attempt to play excessive holes as the BMS will activate for protection purposes.