During the winter season, it’s crucial not to overlook the maintenance of your buggies to ensure they remain reliable and ready for use in the spring. Here are some guidelines for keeping your buggies in top shape:

1. Battery Care: If possible, it’s highly recommended to keep your buggies on charge throughout the winter months. Using a smart charger is a wise choice, as it charges the batteries and then automatically shuts off, monitoring them until needed. This approach ensures that your batteries remain in good condition.

2. Protecting Outdoor Charging: When leaving your vehicles on charge outdoors, be cautious about protecting the IP44 plug at the end of the mains cable. Water ingress can lead to electrical tripping and the complete depletion of batteries. To avoid this, take measures to shield the plug from the elements.

3. Battery Recharging Frequency: For buggies not left on charge, it’s essential to recharge lead acid batteries at least once a month and lithium batteries every three months as a minimum frequency. Regular recharging helps maintain battery health and performance.

4. Distilled Water for Lead Acid Batteries: Even when not in use, lead acid-powered buggies require regular topping up of distilled water. This need arises from the charging process, not from the vehicle’s actual use. Aim to check and refill the distilled water no less than once a month, always when the batteries are fully charged.

5. Inspecting Battery Terminals: This is an opportune time to inspect the battery terminals for any corrosion. If left unchecked, corrosion can impede the charging and driving of the buggy. It’s much easier to deal with minor corrosion than extensive build-up. If you notice blue, green, or yellow corrosion forming around the battery terminals, use a wire brush to clean it off. Afterward, apply a thin coat of multi-purpose spray grease to prevent future corrosion.

6. Safety Precaution: When using a wire brush to clean battery terminals, ensure that you only contact one battery terminal at a time to prevent any safety hazards.

7. Maintaining Tyre Pressure: Don’t forget to keep the tyres properly inflated. Prolonged periods of flat tyres, especially during winter temperature fluctuations, can result in damage. Maintain a tyre pressure range between 18 to 22 PSI, with an average of 20 PSI (1.379 Bar) for optimal performance and safety.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your buggies stay in excellent condition during the winter months, guaranteeing a trouble-free and enjoyable experience when you’re ready to use them again in the spring.