How to Hook Up Christmas Lights to a Golf Cart Battery

Decorating for the holidays is a treasured and time-honored tradition for many as they adorn their home with festive lights, but why should decorating stop at home? While some people decorate their cars, others decide to add some extra festive cheer with golf cart Christmas lights. With a few strands of lights and an inverter, you can easily deck out your golf cart in time for the holidays.

Are you wondering how to hook up Christmas lights? You will need string lights; something to attach them to the cart, such as strong tape or zip ties; and a power inverter, also known as an AC/DC power converter, if your golf cart doesn't have an AC outlet, which is the type of outlet you see in your home.

To determine the type of power inverter, check your golf cart for a cigarette lighter. If the cart has a cigarette lighter, purchase a power inverter with a cigarette lighter attachment. This way, you can simply plug the inverter into the cigarette lighter and power your lights that way.

However, if your golf cart doesn't have a cigarette lighter or the power inverter you have does not have an attachment, you will need to do some simple wiring before you can plug in your golf cart Christmas lights.

Once you have determined the inverter necessary for the job, begin the fun part and decorate your golf cart. When selecting the Christmas lights for the project, consider using 12v LED lights because of their vibrancy and energy efficiency. Unlike traditional string lights, LEDs don't heat as quickly.

Keep in mind that you should use lights with the appropriate voltage for your golf cart battery and inverter or else you may risk overpowering both. Safety is an integral part of knowing how to connect golf cart batteries to Christmas lights.

Test your lights before applying them to the golf cart to ensure the strands still work and that no bulbs are out. Once you are sure they are in working order, begin applying the lights and securing them in place with zip ties or strong tape. Make sure you leave the lights' plugs dangling in a location where they can easily reach the outlet. Once secured in place, you can begin installing the power inverter.

If your golf cart and power inverter have a cigarette lighter plug, then installing LED lights to the cigarette lighter is simple. Remove the cigarette lighter to gain access to the outlet and plug in the inverter. Secure the inverter in a safe spot so it won't fall and plug the golf cart Christmas lights into the inverter's AC outlet.

If your inverter doesn't have a cigarette lighter, you will have to perform some minor wiring. The power inverter should have a red lead wire and a black lead wire at the end of the clamp. To attach the inverter to the golf cart battery, connect the red cable to the battery's negative terminal on the 12-volt outlet. Be careful to keep the black wire away from the battery. Once the red wire is tightened down, connect the black wire to the positive terminal and tighten.

Once attached, position the inverter near the battery cover in a spot where it won't get damaged. Then, plug the lights into the inverter and turn on the golf cart to ensure everything is in working order.