Club Car DS 1998 does not run

Carts4you

We have a Club Car DS 1998 with v-glide potentiometer that stopped running. The solenoid is not clicking unless jumped to the negative of 6th battery. However, when it clicks it still does not run. We verified the following and it all checked:

battery voltage at 48v
on/off switch
anti arc limit switch
solenoid
f/r limit switches

Is this pointing towards the controller? Could it be v-glide system?

BGW

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NoleFan4Ever

Your OBC has failed it appears and is not supplying the Negative for solenoid operation.

What is the throttle signal coming into the controller?

Carts4you

Which cable are you referring to? And what voltage / ohms we should expect? Please be aware that we do not get any solenoid activation unless we jump to the main battery negative. And even though we get solenoid click the car will not run.

NoleFan4Ever

If you are jumping the solenoid over to the Main Pack Negative (MPN) to get activation, then there would be an issue with your OBC. On a Series cart, the OBC supplied the Negative to the field coil of the solenoid to complete the 48v circuit.

NoleFan4Ever

With the FNR switch in forward, key switch off.... Un-plug the small green wire and small yellow wire from the controller. These are the throttle input wires. Insert the leads of your DVM into the terminal ends of these wires. Set your meter to 20k Ohms. Pedal up there should be ~5000 ohms and dropping as you go down. At full throttle you should see 0 ohms.

Carts4you

Thanks. This means OBC has failed? And if the car still does not run when we get solenoid activation by jumping, what would be the next probable cause?

The only other part that seemed off was the v-glide which when disconnecting 2 & 3 on the controller unit gave a 5.88 kohm reading and went all the way to 0 as we depressed the pedal all the way down. The reading would gradually go to 0 with pedal being depressed. Does this make sense?

Carts4you

Thank you. That is what we saw in the readings. as pedal was depressed all the way it went to 0 ohms. Is it safe to say bad OBC or Controller has failed? Is there a test that would confirm one or the other?

NoleFan4Ever

First, you need to verify the solenoid is truly passing current, and just not clicking. Then once you verify that and you have already verified throttle signal, you can measure what the controller is putting out to the motor between the M- on the controller and the B-. The voltage should be about 48vdc (or pack voltage) when the pedal is pushed just enough to engage the solenoid and then decreasing to 0vdc when the pedal is pushed all the way to the floor.

Carts4you

So the solenoid passes voltage when jumped only as it clicks and we get BPV on two large posts. The throttle signal is correct. To test the M- and B- for the 48 volts, we would need to jump the solenoid correct? If the M- and B- reading is correct, then it would be the OBC correct.

Thank you for you help.

NoleFan4Ever

Lets double check that solenoid. Take your DVM and place it on the 2 large posts. You should read around ~.5vdc to ~1.5vdc with no solenoid actuation. Now, with the jumper between the MPN post and the small post with the Yellow wire on it, and key On, in Forward and Go Pedal depressed, you should hear the solenoid click loudly and the voltage on your meter should go to 0vdc. If it does not, we have a problem with the solenoid internal bridge and your controller will not run the cart as it has no power.

If you are getting current through the solenoid and there is nothing coming out the controller, then you have 2 problems. A bad (or failing) OBC and a bad controller.