No Go / New Batteries

accinsp

2003 EZGO 36v / Freedom SE / Series
OEM Curtis controller (I believe its a 1204).

I am chasing down a no run condition. I just acquired the cart that had been sitting for a long time. Batteries were so old and swollen, they actually reversed polarity. Installed 6 brand new US2200 batteries. Fully charged the batteries to 41 volts there about. Went to drive the cart, it jerked / peeled out of the garage like I had smashed the throttle, but was barely pressing the pedal. It jerked and bucked as it was driving and went about 10 feet and quit. No more movement at all, forward or reverse. I can hear the Solenoid click on and confirmed 40v on both sides of the solenoid. Double checked the solenoid by removing both supply leads and energizing the solenoid with the pedal and confirming continuity through both supply posts. One thing I noticed was that the 250w Resister was flaming hot. Burnt the crap out of me. The resistor is always hot no matter what Key on key off on. I have to disconnect the battery to cool it down. (is that normal, I wouldn't think so). Following some of the threads I decided to check the ITS per Scottyb posts. Voltage at white wire, the moment that the contact switch breaks and the solenoid clicks on is .6v, but then the voltage immediately jumps to 1.04. Voltage remains 1.04 v to full throttle engagement. No fluctuation at all. No gradual increase, it is a hair measurement from .6 to 1.04 v with the throttle. Ohm resistance in the ITS is about 80000 ohms and it does lessen as the throttle is depressed. Do I have a bad ITS? Is that also causing the issue with the resistor? Would appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.

BGW

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LabRat

IMHO...check that black wire on the ITS, to verify that the controller is sending the correct signal. Also due to the hot solenoid, bad-no running condition and a bad ITS signal you may be looking at a controller in your future. Wait for other to chime in on this.

accinsp

Checked voltage at black wire on ITS, 4.9 volts with the pedal to the floor. The voltage at the controller is 7.10v at #2 spot with spade connector removed. There is little to no resistance in the black wire when checked with a ohmmeter. Does it look like I need a controller and ITS? Also confirmed that the motor does work, using the troubleshooting aid on Scottyb website.

LabRat

I thought {And I could be wrong here} but the black wire should be around 14 to 15 vdc. Have you open the floor board box to verify that the ITS is clean, and check the wire or spade ends. Also check the 4 pin connector by the controller that goes to the ITS.
As silly as it sounds put your nose as close to the controller as you can...do you smell burnt electronic? I have seen the top blown off of these before.

accinsp

Yes. The 4.9v reading is at the ITS under the floor mat. It looked really clean, in comparison to the rest of the unit. I do not have a four pin connector on the controller, just individual spade connectors. Johnnie B posted back on an old thread that it should be "The voltage on the black wire at the controller should be between 9.0V and 11.5V, so 14.4V is out of specs, unless the black wire from the controller to the ITS sensor is disconnected from the sensor, then the voltage ought to be between 13.0V and 15.5V."

Attached Images

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nickdalzell1

Is that your controller? looks like it belongs in a Marathon not a TXT. a TXT uses a much different type of controller on a 36V series.

accinsp

Yes, that is the controller that is in the cart. To be honest, I have been watching videos and looking at wiring schematics and they dont exactly match up with what I have. There is no vin plate in the right side cubby hole. So its entirely possible that this thing is a mash up. The body says Freedom SE. TXT It is definitely a series cart. Would that make a difference in the diagnosis?

nickdalzell1

Freedom SE is just a stock factory sped up car capable of 18-19.5 MPH. It often has a faster wound motor to accomplish the speed, as a series doesn't have programming/chips like a PDS does.

SE is just a label for 'sport edition' or a base model. there's also LX, Valor, etc

Your controller is the wrong type, working or not. The stock has three large lugs, and a five-pin molex connector. It can work like this but when I see 'turducken' cars (not long ago we had a EZGO TXT with parts from a TXT, club car, and Marathon in one car) I exercise caution.

kernal

My 2000 txt (series) came with that controller in it from the factory. I bought it new so I know it’s factory. Though not common as we have learned on this forum it’s not exactly rare either.
It’s 400 amp btw.

nickdalzell1

The TXT we got in was funny really. It was an easy fix (thank goodness) but it had a Marathon controller like the picture above, a 'Create-a-harness' (my nickname for a harness someone made themselves out of automotive primary wire from Wal-Mart and a ton of butt connectors) and a DS F/R assembly. I still have no idea how it ran. but it did. It also had 48V batteries and a DS Charger with a timer kit mounted on the side (PowerDrive 2)

I called it the Turducken car, as it was an EZGO stuffed inside a Club Car stuffed inside a Marathon.