How to Install Battery Meter on Golf Cart: A Simple 7 Step Guide!

If you’re an avid golfer and frequently use the golf cart to travel around the course, a battery meter is something you must need! Often people can get confused about how to install battery meter on golf cart.

Although it’s not a highly challenging job in the first place, many can get a bit agitated as they have no previous experience in the field.

That’s why we will show you the entire process in our guide. So you get a clear understanding of the whole procedure and get it done yourself. Let’s move on!

How to Install Battery Meter on Golf Cart

After picking a golf cart battery meter of your choice, you will need to install it on your golf cart.

The process is very easy so you should only need a few tools and a little bit of time. How to install Battery Meter on golf cart and what are the tools and safety precautions you need, is discussed in details below:

Necessary Tools and Accessories

• Firstly, you will need a Dremel or a similar kind of tool to cut the slot for your golf cart battery meter. (In case of a Round Meter, get a drill and a holeslw)
• A voltage level meter (analog meters or Digital meter)
• Some Electrical Tape or Heat Shrink.
• Screwdriver and mounting screws (Mounting Screws usually come included)
• Both a wire cutter and a wire strippers.
• Crimper, Butt Connectors, and Vice grips.
• A lighter or a similar tool.
• Zip Ties. (Velcro Strips should work too)
• Thick Wire in accordance to your necessity (Should be around 13-18 GAs)
• Last but not least, F2 connectors (Should come Included) and a sharp razor knife just incase)

Step-1: Pick Your Mounting Position

Depending on your desired choice of battery meter, you have quite a few options in terms of picking a position for mounting your battery meter.

Arguably the easiest method for you would be Surface Mounting. Whatever position you pick, the golf cart battery meter should be easy to notice from the driver’s seat.

Incase of using Zip ties or Velcro Strips so step up your battery meter, make sure to make a hole and let the wires pass behind the consoles. The wires that come with LED and digital display battery meters usually range from 6 to 12 inches. So be sure to add some extra wire if necessary.

You can also do an in-dash installation. In this case, you need to make sure that you have enough space behind your desired location to allow the golf cart battery meter to go in properly and fully.

If a hole is cut, then covering up will be quite difficult. Which is why you have to be cautious regarding any important wires that might get cut and the spot has enough space to house your golf cart battery meter properly.

Step-2: Check Your Battery Meters Connection Options To The Power Source

Usually, a battery meter should come with 2-3 contacts on their backs. These contacts are usually a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a “C” signal terminal (aka a common terminal). Normally the “C” can supply power to the meter without measuring the input voltage.

A good choice is to set this terminal up as the power contact via the ignition switch. Through this ignition switch process, the meter can be turned on and off while using the cart.

In some cases, the golf carts come with built in harnesses for these wires. So be sure to keep a lookout for this feature as it will allow you to skip connecting the wire to the main power source completely.

Power reducers are also installed in some golf cart for headlights and other accessories. These power reducers can take on the role of power sources to your charge golf cart battery meters.

Since the power reducers are commonly switched with the key, the necessity of running a segregated cut-off is non-existent.

Step-3: Prepare For The Main Procedure

Before you do anything, make sure to disconnect the positive terminal of the main battery bank. This should save you from any unintended shorts during work.

Fiberglass and electrical fire do not go well together. Get your desired length and quantity of wires, collect the right tools, put on your safety goggles and you should be good to go.

Step-4: Create An Opening If You’re Mounting In The Dash

Start by drawing lines on the dashboard where you want to cut. Then use a cutting tool like the drill or Dremel to cut along these lines. Check if the space behind the dashboard is sufficient to hold your golf cart battery meter completely.

The positive and negative terminals should remain accessible if you are trying to attach a signal wire to the key switch so try pulling the key switch as far back as necessary.

Further, don’t forget to drill a hole for the toggle switch if you are planning to install a toggle switch for turning your battery change indicators on or off.

It needs to be noted that an on-off switch isn’t super necessary as the power draw to keep the golf cart battery meter on at all times is quite low. If you are still trying to save your batteries from getting drained unnecessarily then make sure to search for a different method to turn it off.

Step-5: Running Your Wires for Golf Cart Battery Meters

By this point, you should already have a hole that runs throughout the car and reaches the power source. Make sure to pass your wires through this hole.

A simple way to keep the wires together, is to use the butt connectors. Alternatively you can try twisting the wires together and use heat shrinking tubing or electrical tape to save yourself from shorts.

Keep an eye out to ensure that the positive wires go towards the positive terminals and the negative wires go either towards the ground or the negative terminal.

And lastly you can crimp a lug connector on the terminating end of the wire to make a professional connection on the connection terminal of the switch and battery.

Step-6: Start Making Your Connections for Golf Cart Battery Meter

Now use the manual to start attaching the connections. Be sure to hold off putting the components inside the dashboard until you have tasted your own work.

You may connect the positive lead to the battery pack again to make the battery charge indicator level visible. In case your key switch is connected to the charge meter, turn it on to check if the charge meter displays the battery charge indicator level.

Step-7: Mounting The Charge Meter

Now put all the components back inside the dashboard properly and mount the charge meter. This pretty much sums up the process of installing your golf cart battery digital meter. Now you have a proper indicator of your golf cart’s available mileage. 

Safety Measures

While you’re mounting a golf cart battery meter, there are some safety measures you’d have to abide by. Check them out and follow each one of them for a safer mounting:

Go Slow

The most important part of this entire process is ensuring your safety. We request you to take on the task slow. Slow and steady wins the race, remember?

So even if it takes you some extra time, don’t rush. The process isn’t too risky or anything but the tools you will be using can prove to be fatal.

Wear safety Goggles and Mask

Be sure to use a safety goggle or glass and a mask for safety. Since you will be using tools like drills and Dremel, make sure to tread carefully.

Appropriate Clothing

Be cautious if you have long hair or there is any wire or clothing that might get stuck in these tools. If you are using lighters or torches then make sure to remove flammable objects around you.

Power Safety and Manual

Another important thing you need to check is your golf cart power connection for golf cart battery meters installation.

Be sure to disconnect power before you start working on the more technical parts. Don’t stay in bare feet regardless if your surface is ground or water. And lastly, take the time to read the manual provided with the product.

Final Thoughts

After a detailed discussion on how to install battery meter on golf cart, we’re at the final parts of our guide. In this comprehensive guide, we brought to light the actual activities which need to be performed for a smooth installation of the battery meter on your golf cart.

Once you get it installed properly, you should now be able to check your battery limit and get the custom golf carts recharged beforehand. It would reduce the risk of your cart being powerless in the middle of the course and having to tow it back.

So, what are you waiting for?

Learn the simple tricks and get the battery meter installed right now!