Curtis 1205 Controller Problem

Muddog

Installed Curtis 1205 controller on a series DS with MCOR.
Get in cart step on pedal and it runs like it should.
Let up on pedal and press down again and cart will not move, wait 5 or 10 seconds and step on pedal it runs like it should.
When it won't run, programmer shows high pedal default. When it runs again, fault clears.
I found that if I run a constant 48v to J1 terminal, instead of it being activated with the solenoid, it will run like it should with no hpd problem.
Do these controllers need constant 48v to work properly?
Could controller be set wrong?
Does this setting have anything to do with it?
From Curtis manual:
"Main Drop Delay 0 – 60 s The Main Drop Delay defines the time delay before the main contactor drops out after there has been no active throttle signal.
Setting Main Drop Delay = 0 means the main contactor never drops
out; it does not mean there is no delay."
Could my mcor wiring to controller cause this?
I have yellow and purple going to J1 and J2. The green wire is not used.
I could not get it to work with 3 wires on throttle setting 9. That is not to say I know it was wired correctly on 3 wires.
Do I need to just run constant 48v to controller or is it set or wired wrong?

BGW

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Sergio

I hope you meant J2 and J3.

The micro-switch output from the MCOR (+48v) should go to both the Solenoid small post and to J1.

It sounds like the MCOR micro-switch is failing and dropping the +48v.

If You don't wan't to replace the MCOR, wire J1 and the positive solenoid activation small post straight to the Key Switch Cold side.

Set:

Rev Input / Main Driver parameter = 2
Contactor Protection = ON
Main Drop Delay = 5 (or whatever delay you want)

Wire the Solenoid negative activation small post to Controller J5.

Since You are using a 0-5kΩ throttle, You would need to wire a 5kΩ to 6kΩ resistor in parallel with the MCOR yellow and purple wires when the cart is on Reverse if You want reduced speed.

Muddog

Yes ,I meant yellow and purple are on J2 and J3.
I don't believe it's an MCOR fault. The same issue happened on previous 1205 install.
I ran constant 48v to J1 to solve problem last time.
Yes, I want reduced reverse, last install I think reverse was faster than forward.
Thanks, Muddog

Sergio

You can lower the MCOR pedal up resistance a little by connecting the Green and Yellow wires together, that would help with the HPD.

Muddog

I'll try that.
Had programmer connected.
When I let off pedal, the throttle % reading would stay at wherever it is.
If it's reading 50% when I let off pedal it will keep that reading 50% until the controller resets? itself. It will then go to 0% and the cart will run.

Sergio

With the MCOR powering up the Controller, once the pedal was up the Controller would not be able to send any more data.

If You power J1 from the key switch like you mentioned, You should be able to see the Pedal % at rest and when the MCOR micro-switch closes and the Solenoid engages.

As long as that throttle is low everything is fine.

If the throttle percent is more than zero with pedal up, the pre-charge resistor could overheat if the key switch is left ON.

if the throttle % is too high when the micro-switch closes, the Solenoid would close under load and the contacts would wear a little faster.

Edit:
As a second thought, with J1 to key switch, whatever the Throttle % is when you hear the Solenoid "click", set the parameter Throttle Deadband to that value.

Muddog

Is it correct to say, the only way the controller will work like it should, is to keep constant 48v to controller while cart is in use ? It has to be key switched ?
The controller will not work properly when throttle/solenoid activated ?

You say:"Wire the Solenoid negative activation small post to Controller J5."
What is the reason for that ?

Sergio

On a typical Curtis 1205 setup, the micro-switch in the throttle (MCOR or MultiStep Potentiometer) provides the +48v to both the Controller J1 and to the Solenoid coil positive activation.

The 1205M You are using apparently needs a few milliseconds to fully boot once the power signal is present on J1 before it is ready to work.

If by the time the Controller has "booted", since You are still pressing the pedal, the throttle signal is too high, it will trigger a High Pedal Detected fault in the Controller.

You can program that Controller to use J5 to activate the Solenoid coil low side since it is not safe to keep the Solenoid ON all of the time.

There is no reason to keep power on J1 all the time, that can only discharge your batteries or damage the Controller.

If You run J1 to the key switch so the Controller is only "active" when the key switch is ON, You could still have an issue if the Controller is already sending power to the motor but the Solenoid that is activated by the pedal has not closed yet.

I described both possible scenarios that can happen depending on the actual throttle signal (at rest and before solenoid closes).

Since You want to use the J5 for 1/2 speed reverse, programming the "Throttle Deadband" to the actual value of the MCOR resistance at the time the micro-switch closes will ensure the Controller will not try to send power to the Motor until the Solenoid is Closed.

Muddog

I cannot set throttle deadband to a set value.
If I'm going full speed and let off pedal it will show a high value-i.e. 70%.
If I am going slow and let off it will show lower value i.e. 30%.
I going to use J5 for solenoid activation.
How would I wire to J5 for solenoid activation ?

Sergio

I described the wiring jor J5 on post #2.

If You currently have J1 being powered by the MCOR then it will no longer update the Throttle percent since the Controller turns OFF when you lift your foot off the pedal.

Is this not the Controller You are using?

http://assets.curtisinstruments.com/..._RevB20161.pdf

Page 21 (Throttle Menu) has the deadband setting.