What Are Amp Hours (AH) and Why Do They Matter?

My name is Brett Clayton and I’m the Director of Sales for Allied Lithium Battery. In my 3+ years with the company and working with many customers throughout the country, one of the first questions I get is what are amp hours and why do they matter? It’s a good question, and one that any golf cart customer should have knowledge about. My experience in the golf cart industry has taught me more about voltage, amps, etc. and what those words mean to the everyday golf cart owner. This blog will explain AH in simpler terms to help you make a decision on the right AH for your golf cart.

For our purposes with golf carts, think of amp hours (AH) as the size of a fuel tank. The more AH you have in your batteries, the more run time and juice you will have to power your cart and any other accessories going off the batteries. The voltage of your golf cart also has something to do with this as well – V x AH = Watt hours. The more watt hours you have, the more powerful the battery will be. This is why you will see 36v, 48v, and 72v golf carts. The 72v golf carts will be able to create more run time and more power for carts that need more power for longer run times or to power a bunch of accessories. But, don’t be confused, this doesn’t mean your cart will suddenly go faster. Your golf cart’s controller limits the top speed. However, the wattage will determine how much run time and power your battery can maintain (hence the watt hours).

At Allied Lithium, you have the option of going from 60AH all the way up to 240AH with 48v, 36v options go from 72AH up to 216AH, and 72v options go from 72AH up to 144AH. Here’s what we suggest for each customer based off certain factors:

- 60/65AH – best for smaller, 2 passenger carts that top out around 20 mph. This user will be using their cart for everyday use such as neighborhood cruising or maybe a round of golf.

- 90/105/120AH – the most common options. Best suited for a 4 passenger cart that might go around 25 mph. These carts may have a slightly upgraded controller that pulls more amps (IE: 440 amp controller), or multiple accessories such as lights, soundbar, lift kits, etc.

- 150AH and up – for stretch and limo 6 passenger carts that carry a lot of weight. Also for any high performance controllers (IE: 600 amp controller) that can be turned up to 35+ mph.

Variables will always make it impossible to estimate an exact run time. Factors such as weight, terrain, amp draw from accessories and other electrical components should be considered when choosing the right AH for your golf cart. Beyond run time, it’s also important to understand that if you undersize the AH for your cart, you can drastically decrease the lifespan of the batteries and run into problems. Smaller AH are not designed for high powered carts and can malfunction over time.

For more information and help when it comes to lithium batteries, please visit our website www.alliedlithium.com.