Cart Tek logo
Cart Tek logo

All articles

Battery not lasting 18 holes (caddy stops early)Updated 3 hours ago

If your Cart Tek caddy is struggling to finish 18 holes, it usually comes down to one of these:

  • the battery wasn’t fully charged,

  • the battery is aging or was stored very low,

  • conditions increased power draw (hills, heavy bag, soft turf, wet turf, driving in rough),

  • something is causing extra drag (worn motors, worn tires, alignment).

This guide helps you narrow it down quickly.


Step 1 — Confirm you’re starting with a full charge

  1. Charge the battery until the charger indicates a full charge (typically green on most chargers).

  2. If your charger stays red for a long time, the battery may have been very low and can take 6–8+ hours to fully recover.

Quick check: If you unplug and reconnect the charger after a full night of charging and it immediately goes red again, the battery may not be reaching full charge.


Step 2 — Check connections (simple but important)

  • Make sure the wall-to-charger cord is fully seated at both ends.

  • Make sure the charger-to-battery connection is fully seated (loose connections can prevent a full charge).

If your charger behavior seems odd (no lights / flashing), use our charger troubleshooting guide.


Step 3 — Voltage test (best way to confirm battery health)

If you have a multimeter, check the battery voltage before the round (after a full charge) and after the round (when it stops early).

Typical 24V battery reference:

  • Around ~29V = fully charged

  • If it starts much lower than that after charging, it may not be fully charging

  • If it drops very quickly during use, the battery may be weak/aging

(If you don’t have a multimeter, skip this step.)


Step 4 — Consider conditions that reduce range (normal)

Battery range changes a lot depending on:

  • very hilly courses

  • thick/soft/wet grass

  • heavy bag + accessories (seat/cooler, etc.)

  • frequent stopping/starting, long distances, or using high speed most of the round

  • older battery age / cold temps

If your course is steep or the turf is thick, finishing 18 may require a fresher battery or more conservative use.


Step 5 — Check for extra drag (often overlooked)

Extra rolling resistance can cut runtime significantly:

  • wheels rubbing

  • worn motors

  • cart pulling/drifting and constantly correcting

  • debris in/around wheels or axle

If the caddy feels harder to push in freewheel mode than usual, that’s a sign something is creating drag.


Still not finishing 18? Contact support (fastest)

Contact Support / Report an Issue:
https://carttek.gorgias.help/en-US/contact

Please include:

  1. Your model (FORMULA / 1500 V3 / GRi-1500Li / Yellowstone / 975 / Titan)

  2. Approximate battery age (and if it’s ever been stored fully depleted)

  3. Course conditions (flat/hilly, wet/thick grass, approximate distance walked)

  4. Bag weight / accessories used (seat, cooler, etc.)

  5. If available: voltage after full charge and voltage when it stopped early

  6. A photo of your charger label and battery connection

Was this article helpful?
Yes
No