Bad solenoid????

pjshane

The cart has been running great the past few days, but today as I was tooling along about 25 mpg on a level road to the golf course, the cart lurched and would not slow down until I turned the key switch off, then it will not start up again. A horrible electrical odor came from somewhere. A neighbor helped get the cart back to my garage.

Now, with the cart up on blocks, nothing smells or looks burnt. Pressing the pedal does not give the usual solenoid click and I nearly burned my finger when touching the resister across the Alltrax 400 amp contactor (as they call it) although the cart had not run for hours. Could the solenoid be the problem and can anyone say how to test it? It does not smell and shows no external signs of damage.

FYI: Gears were recently upgraded from 12:1 to 8:1 and the MCOR was replaced about a week ago, but everything has been running great until today. The motor is Plum Quick and the 500 amp controller is by Alltrax.

Anybody have any ideas?

tnx/pjs

BGW

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum

Speedchaser

What does the controller do with key on? The green light should go on with key on and if it does not you could have a controller problem. In fact the light should blink when the key is turned on, I think 7 times that would show it is set up for club car. If light does not go on I would thake my voltmeter and check the key on wire at the contrroller just to make sure it is getting power. If controller is getting power and will not come on I believe the controller is toast.

It is possible that the solenoid contacter locked up in an open position which is why the voltage took the next path across the resistor, which is why it got so hot, that resistor was not meant to carry that kind of power.

shadowman

sounds like your controller mighta crapped itself............................

camaroluvz28

sounds to me like your solenoid might have gotten welded open...you said you have a 500 amp controller and upgraded motor, but you never mentioned upgraded solenoid which is required for those kinda upgrades. To test solenoid remove wires from it...place a jumper from your main battery negative to one small post and another jumper from main positive to other small post...should here click and then test for cont. across the two large post on solenoid.

scottyb

Note you must remove the resistor to test solenoid continuity or you will simply be reading the voltage through the resistor.

Speedchaser

He said he had the 400 amp "contactor" which is what Altrax recommends for that controller.

camaroluvz28

caught speed-reading again lol...ok same test applies to test his "contactor" then

pjshane

As suggested, thanks, I ran jumpers from each side of the battery pack and fastened an ohm meter between the big bolt contacts on the solenoid. When the jumpers were applied to the small bolt (coil) contacts, I got a solid click and the meter jumped to 0. The 400 amp Alltrax solenoid (contactor) is good.

The next step will be to remount the solenoid and then check under the dash to see if something shorted there before hooking the the battery pack. I had done some "custom" wiring under the dash a few months ago that might have come loose. That electrical smell had to come from somewhere.

It sure is hot in a South Carolina garage this time of year. It's a little early in the day for beer.

Later/pjs

pjshane

I'm in denial regarding the controller, but will look for green light when I get the solenoid back on. Thanks.

pjs

shadowman

most cases not all but lots when you get that distinct oder its controller....if you can get your nose close enough or get it out just smell it if it was controller the smell will still be there..........................................