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Old 07-15-2012, 09:40 PM   #1
bobbyg75
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Default Powerwise shuts off early

2000 PDS with Powerwise charger. Just put in new Trojans and wondering if I needed to. My charger shuts off at 30-45 minutes. I opened the plug and found one of the connectors loose - the screw was stripped. So installed a screw and nut. Also opened the cart receptacle and tightened those connections - got maybe a 1/4 turn. The connectors in both ends look a bit "burned" and discolored. Both have some minor melting. Thought I found the problem. Plugged in charger and shutdown down again after 45 minutes. Borrowed a friends charger and it ran most of the night! Charger got to about 2 amps and shut off. Batteries are all at 3.53v or 3.54v showing a good even charge. Took cart out for 18 holes and plugged my charger in and sure enough - off again after 45 minutes.

I can get a full charge by unplugging/plugging it in each time it shuts down - but what do I need to do to get this to go back to automatic? Circuit board?

How does the charger work? After the full charge, when I plug the charger back in it seems to run a long time (45 min) at <5a when you'd think it would just shut off??

JohnnieB - need your expertise!
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Old 07-16-2012, 08:20 AM   #2
JohnnieB
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

Hopefully the "3.53v or 3.54v " was a typo.

Since your friends charger worked normally, it's pretty safe to presume that your charger is sick.
Fortunately, it is 100% repairable. (However, in the unlikely event that the transformer is bad, replacing it isn't cost effective.)

Here is how it should work:
Plug into AC Power.
Plug into cart.
Relay in charger should click and transformer will hum after a 3 to 5 second delay.
Ammeter will jump to about 20A.
With a handheld DVM, monitor pack voltage.
Should slowly climb, about 0.1V per second, from wherever it was discharged to, up to about 42.5V.
Then the ammeter will taper off down to less than 10A (5-8 typically) and may decrease to about 5A or so while the batteries are gassing.
How long the charger runs depends on how deep the batteries were discharged.
Less than an hour if they were close to being fully charged, 4 to 6 hours if down to about 70%.
(Very general terms, too many variables to give definite numbers.)
When pack voltage climbs into 44-46 volt range, charger should shut off automatically.

If the ammeter isn't jumping up to about 20A (anything more than 15A is probably good), I'd check the capacitor.
Here is how to do it. And the manual for a Powerwise and Powerwise +

While you've got the case open, I'd check the diodes and check every wire and connection.
Any resistance found, needs to be corrected.

Let me know what the pack voltage is when charger shuts off and we'll go from there.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Transformer-opencircuit-voltage-test.pdf (38.1 KB, 0 views)
File Type: pdf PW Charger manual.pdf (3.02 MB, 0 views)
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Old 07-16-2012, 11:58 AM   #3
bobbyg75
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

Thanks Johnnie! The 3.5 is typo - 6.54. Tough to tell when charge is done as it runs at <5a anytime I plug it in after shutdown when I thinks it full. But it shuts down numerous times during a cycle. Checked diodes - current one way only. All connections tight. No sign under cover of any burning or overheating. Did notice transformer hot after 4th restart. But this was before I tightened connections in handle and receptacle. What next?
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Old 07-16-2012, 12:40 PM   #4
camaroluvz28
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

did you check capacitor?
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Old 07-16-2012, 12:48 PM   #5
JohnnieB
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

It's a ferroresonant transformer running in core saturation mode, so it does get pretty hot.

When you plug charger into cart, does it turn on instantly or is there a several second delay?

If there is no delay, the relay in charger has shorted contacts or has been by-passed.
(However, the symptoms of shorted/bypassed contacts is that the charger doesn't turn off, rather than turning off too soon.)

If there is a delay, what is the pack voltage when charger is putting out 5A?
(The control board has to sense about 45V before it de-energizes relay.)

Try discharging battery down to about 80% (37.5V) and then observe how charger reacts. Any deviation from the sequence I posted above, indicates a problem, so tell us exactly what it does.

The typical symptoms for a bad control broad are:
1. Charger won't turn on.
2. Charger won't turn off. (Or stays on for 16 hours and the back-up timer shuts it down)

Shutting off too soon usually indicates a problem within the battery pack, but your friend's charge appears to work normally, which more or less eliminates the problem being in the cart.
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Old 07-16-2012, 06:29 PM   #6
bobbyg75
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

Heading out to hot garage to test transformer. I'm im MN and its hot out! I'm charging cart before I teardown the charger. I'll check the transformer first. As I understand the test - I disconnect the diodes and check the voltage at the disconnected leads. Is there any polarity concerns here?

JohnnieB - thanks so much for the guidance! I hope the tranformer checks good as I understand it is the costliest of the component changes within the charger.
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Old 07-16-2012, 06:31 PM   #7
bobbyg75
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

Heading out to hot garage to test transformer. I'm im MN and its hot out! I'm charging cart before I teardown the charger. I'll check the transformer first. As I understand the test - I disconnect the diodes and check the voltage at the disconnected leads. Are there any polarity concerns here?

How do I test the capacitor?

JohnnieB - thanks so much for the guidance!
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Old 07-16-2012, 07:53 PM   #8
bobbyg75
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

Running at 5a - pack at 45.5v
shutoff - pack at 40.3v

On to transformer ck. I do not have a capacitor checker so I'll take it to work and get it checked. What is best way to discharge?

Diodes - ohm meter shows current one way only with no grounding between body and post. Correct?
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Old 07-16-2012, 08:32 PM   #9
bobbyg75
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

ok - removed leads from diodes and hooked up voltmeter. Set meter to 200 ACV as per the instructions downloaded from JohnnieB. Plugged in charger to 110v and meter reads zero. Capacitor is hooked up - what now?

JohnnieB - charger does turn on after 3 second delay. Usually starts at 20a. Today, since batteries were charged it settled down around 5a. I sent those measures earlier.
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Old 07-16-2012, 08:35 PM   #10
bobbyg75
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Default Re: Powerwise shuts off early

Also, meter reads zero with capacitor disconnected.
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