I’m a little frustrated here. My Club Car golf cart’s ERIC charger keeps flashing this yellow triangle and it’s driving me nuts. I’ve tried a few things but nothing is working. I could totally use some advice!
Response
I had the same issue with my Club Car’s ERIC charger. What made the difference for me was thoroughly cleaning the battery posts and cable terminals.
Solutions that worked for users
| Solution | Users Who Found Success | Personal Experience | Estimated Cost (USD) | Time Needed (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Battery Posts and Terminals | 1 | Cleaned terminals, issue resolved | $0 | 5-10 |
| Check Voltage and Electrolyte Level | 1 | Checked voltage, found a bad battery | $0 | 5-10 |
| Reset the Charger | 1 | Unplugged and replugged, worked | $0 | 3-6 |
Symptoms
- Charger flashes a yellow triangle
- Charger doesn’t complete the charging cycle
- Charger stops and starts intermittently
Possible Causes
- Dirty or corroded battery terminals
- Low battery voltage or bad batteries
- Charger algorithm issues
- Faulty charger port
Solutions that Worked
1. Clean Battery Posts and Terminals
What I Did: Cleaned the battery posts and cable terminals using a wire brush and a homemade cleaning solution.
Outcome: The charger stopped flashing the yellow triangle.
Personal Experience: After giving the terminals a good scrub, the issue was resolved.
Estimated Cost: $0
Time Needed: 10-15 minutes
Steps:
- Disconnect the charger from the cart and wall outlet for safety.
- Remove all cables connected to the battery using a wrench.
- Use a wire brush to scrub off any corrosion or dirt from the battery posts and cable terminals.
- For stubborn corrosion, use a mixture of baking soda and water as a cleaning solution.
- Dry the terminals with a clean cloth.
- Reconnect everything securely and try charging again.
Expert Tip: Always wear gloves and eye protection when cleaning battery terminals to avoid contact with corrosive materials.
2. Check Voltage and Electrolyte Level
What I Did: Checked the voltage and electrolyte level of each battery using a multimeter and a hydrometer.
Outcome: Identified one bad battery that was causing the issue.
Personal Experience: Replacing the bad battery solved the problem.
Estimated Cost: $0
Time Needed: 10-15 minutes
Steps:
- Disconnect the charger and turn off the cart.
- Use a multimeter to check the voltage of each battery.
- Use a hydrometer to check the electrolyte level in each battery cell.
- Identify any batteries that show low voltage or poor electrolyte levels.
- Replace any bad batteries and reconnect the charger.
Expert Tip: Always check the voltage and electrolyte levels when the batteries are fully charged for the most accurate readings.
3. Reset the Charger
What I Did: Unplugged the charger from both the cart and the wall outlet, waited a few minutes, and then plugged it back in.
Outcome: The charger stopped flashing the yellow triangle.
Personal Experience: It seems like unplugging and replugging the charger reset it and cleared the issue.
Estimated Cost: $0
Time Needed: 5-10 minutes
Steps:
- Unplug the charger from the cart.
- Unplug the charger from the wall outlet.
- Wait for about 5 minutes to allow any residual power to dissipate.
- Plug the charger back into the wall outlet first.
- Finally, plug the charger back into the cart and try charging again.
Expert Tip: If the issue persists, try using another charger to rule out the possibility of a faulty charger.
Golf Cart Models Where This Worked
- 2015 Club Car Precedent with original batteries
- 2017 Club Car Precedent with 2016 batteries
- 2014 Club Car with ERIC charger
Unique Tip: If you’ve tried all these solutions and the problem persists, it might be worth checking the charger port on the cart for any damage or loose connections. Sometimes the issue might not be with the charger or the batteries but with the cart itself.