ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – With several golf cart communities in St. Johns County, the fire department is alerting golf cart owners about an increased risk of fires.
Honestly, no matter where you live, the risk remains the same when it comes to charging the cart’s batteries.
Chris Naff, a public information officer with the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Department, said the county has seen some alarming close calls.
RELATED: Peak wildfire season prompts warning from St. Johns County firefighters: How to protect your home
He highlighted four common mistakes that golf cart owners make when charging their batteries.
“One of the big things is don’t mix and match,” Naff emphasized, identifying this as the No. 1 mistake.
He warned against buying aftermarket batteries that are not designed for specific golf carts.
“Sometimes people are just trying to save a little money, not a good idea, especially with this. You don’t know if it’s overcharging the batteries,” Naff said.
For example, if someone has an EZ GO golf cart, they need to use an EZ GO charger.
Another critical mistake is plugging the battery into an extension cord.
“These pull a lot of amperage and voltage, so sometimes your extension cord will not be rated for that particular amps,” Naff explained.
He advised owners to plug the charger directly into the wall instead.
Charging the battery for too long is another common error.
Naff suggested that owners should have a gauge indicating when the battery is fully charged and to unplug it once it is.
The last mistake involves inadequate ventilation.
“Ventilation is very important because they do have a tendency to put off gas, especially the older carts that have lead-acid batteries,” Naff explained. “You can overcharge them and also give off hydrogen gas. It’s toxic, so we always recommend you charge them in a well-ventilated area just in case.”
Jack Coghlan, a golf cart owner, shared that he learned a valuable lesson after listening to Naff: He’d been charging his batteries for days.
“It was in the back of my mind. I never thought truly it would be me that it happened to, but now that I’m more knowledgeable of it, it’s something I’ll definitely try to prevent,” he said.
Coghlan now plans to unplug his cart once it’s fully charged.
The same rules apply when charging other lithium batteries, whether for power tools, e-bikes, or electric cars.
Naff said that if they are charging in the garage, homeowners should keep the door leading from the garage into the home closed to prevent the spread of fire, as garage doors are designed to contain fires.