please confirm PDS controller diagnosis

acmerocket

Hello all, new here, very glad to find all this good, practical information. Fixing a not running 2000-01 EZGO for a lady with mobility needs. Was towed 2+ miles at 30-35 mph and had cables detached and reattached with R/T switch set R. I've done a lot of tracing and troubleshooting learned here - thank you for the excellent help. I believe it's down to a bad controller but want to confirm before asking her to spend the money.

36v, PDS with round FNR switch, Curtis controller, new batteries & cables, all connections clean-look new. Tag is gone, IDed it from forum information. Had solenoid click but stuck open, resistor wire melted, one pair from R/T swich stuck open -corrected those.

Following the excellent JohnnieB activation advice and others, all the switches and connecting wires have pack voltage at specified points, Pedal switch to J4 0v or 38v with pedal movement, ITS to J4 0.8v-2.6v w. pedal, no solenoid diode present, motor passes continuity tests.

Anomalies ?;
BIG arc when making last connection to bat pack, no spark if A2 is disconnected at motor - left it that way.

Solenoid no click on cart power, will click if touched with loose Y wire to terminal and blue wire jumped to B-, blue wire has weak connection to B-, 1400 ohms, through cart circuit.

J1 pin 1 yellow solenoid wire - 38v pedal down and 38v pedal up.

ITS high voltage?

Reverse beeper makes steady tone, not beep beep

I'm sure I could miss something here, first cart, so I'll really appreciate all your guidance.

Thanks

BGW

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blekenbleu

30mph could have damaged the motor. Consider standalone motor test:

Block front tires, raise rear tires so they can spin freely.
Diisconnect motor from controller,
connect A1 to F1,
connect A2 to F2.
Connect A1 and A1 across 12V (two 2V batteries in series).
Search YouTube for "Testing an electric golf cart motor".

BobBoyce

Not to mention the effects of residual magnetism within a rotor and/or stator. This is the same effect that can be observed when spinning a series motor and it can become a generator. Residual magnetism will induce a small voltage in the windings, then if current can flow through devices the motor is connected to, a stronger magnetic field is generated from that current flow. It then becomes a quite strong full-blown generator. At 30-35 MPH, overspeed could not only lead to mechanical/electrical motor damage, but it could generate enough overvoltage to destroy electronics within the controller. If I remember correctly, PDS stator windings are connected to an H-Bridge (electronic polarity switch) within the controller. This H-Bridge would provide the needed current path to support self-generation.

As mentioned by the OP, disconnecting and reconnecting battery connections with a run/tow switch in run position could lead to controller failure.

Bob

scottyb

If I read this right the solenoid will click and the cart runs if ...... you provide 36v B- to the small solenoid wire with the blue wire attached?

acmerocket

No. The click only happens with Yellow disconnected - make and break contact by hand = and an external jumper Blue to B-.

No click with Blue connected in circuit (no jumper) and Yellow connected in circuit - pedal switch signal from controller to solenoid doesn't change, is always high regardless of pedal position. But, pedal switch signal to J4 is low with pedal up, high with pedal down. These are telling me that both solenoid activation and solenoid ground functions inside the controller aren't working.

Can't test run right now, the used replacement solenoid was operating when swapped in but now is stuck closed. I'll do that motor test. today.

acmerocket

Found test procedure for series motors. Is it the same for sepex?

BTW, when I started this I was told it had been towed about 100yds at a walking pace. After 2 weeks of frustration I got the real story of the 2 mile ride.

Cart condition would rate 9+ out of 10 if it would run. Is there a reasonable path to convert this beautiful bodied cart to gas? Have several motors from lawn tractors, mowers, etc.

JohnnieB

No, to test a series motor you connect the armature and field(stator) windings in series and to test a sepex(shunt wound) motor you connect them in parallel. Drawings of both test setups attached.

If the motor wasn't destroyed by the towing while R/T was in Run, it would be far less complicated and possibly less expensive to replace the blown controller with an Alltrax XCT48400PDS controller and dial it back to the customer's needs/desires.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/alltra...-controls.html

Attached Images

	Motor Test - Series.jpg (32.5 KB, 0 views)
	Motor Test - Sepex.jpg (91.7 KB, 0 views)

acmerocket

Motor turns on the test circuit. It seems that eliminates everything outside controller and solenoid.

Just a thought, is there a safe way to hard wire a single slow speed and use a high current F/R shift switch to get by?

scottyb

No, there is not.

acmerocket

OK then, is there anything else to try or is the new controller and solenoid the only way through? I've already suggested the alltrax upgrade.