Cart will not start after a few hours of use

Jon Farmer

I have a 1998 EZ-GO Electric, Freedom TXT, Series Model with a 1204 Curtis Controller. Cart drives fine, however, after several hours of stop and go driving the cart will not restart. The solenoids will click but the motor will not engage. After letting the cart sit for no specific time, anywhere from 5 minutes to one hour, it will start up and run just fine. This has been going on now for several months. I have replaced the Wiring Harness from the Pedal Box Assemble to the Direction Selector and Speed Controller, the Reed Switch, the Direction Selector Assemble, the Solenoid, Diode and Resister twice, the Electronic Speed Controller - HD, and Motor. Checked all the wiring from the Ignition Switch to the Motor and everything checked good. The only thing I have not yet replaced is the Inductive Throttle Sensor. I don’t see how this could be my problem but what do I know. The Batteries read 38.3 volts. What is the solution to this problem? Running out of money…

BGW

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mgray70

It sounds like your cart is going into thermal shut down. After the controller cools it will start and run again. Usually this means that one day it will stop and not go again. Controller fried! The Alltrax spm48400 or 48500 would make a great upgrade.

Jon Farmer

That's what I thought so I replaced the original controller with a new one and I'm still have the same issues.

mgray70

Check all the cables real good. I had a neighbor that had the same issue for about a year then we finally found one of the cable ends was corroded up under the heat shrink where you couldn't see it. That's the only thing I can figure. You've replaced everything but the motor.

JohnnieB

When the cart is misbehaving, there is a voltage measurements to make that will narrow the problem down quite a bit.

First, connect a DVM between the B- and M- terminals on the controller. The actual terminals, not the cables lugs or bolts.

When pedal is pushed just far enough for solenoid to click, you should read FULL battery pack voltage. (38.3V?)

If you don't get full pack voltage, there is a problem in the high current cables, connections or contacts and maybe the motor.

If you do get full pack voltage, slowly press the pedal to the floor and the voltage should smoothly decrease to Zero.

If it doesn't decrease, check the ITS input voltages to the controller. Be sure to use the correct voltage specs for the controller.

Jon Farmer

JohnnieB, I followed your instruction and everything checked out good. The problem seems to only occur when the batteries are at about half their capacity/voltage. I'm going to hook up a load tester to them and see if any are bad. Do you think that might me the problem?

JohnnieB

What is the pack voltage when the problem occurs?

Put the controller in diagnostic mode and listen for the error codes.
Text at bottom of attached label tell you how to get it into diagnostic mode.

Attached Images

PDS Label on Controller Cover.JPG (142.9 KB, 0 views)

Jon Farmer

JohnnieB, it’s been a while since the problem reoccurred and when it did I was able to check the voltage between the B+ and M- terminals as you recommended. I got a reading of zero volts. About ten minutes later the cart was able to run and I once again checked the voltage. This time it read 36.8 volts which was the same as the batteries. I’m going to replace the ITS and see if that is the problem.

gornoman

JohnnieB, cart is a Series cart, diagnostic mode not available.

JohnnieB

Ooooooops!
Thanks for the catch.

My brain must have been in PDS mode.