please help w/solenoid question

djbanaszak · 07-28-2011, 06:51 PM

what is the best way to tell if a solenoid is bad?

djbanaszak · 07-28-2011, 07:27 PM

testing 1-2-3 testing, im new to this site and dont know if im following the correct way to ask a question about something?

stuff4mason · 07-28-2011, 07:33 PM

Your testing is fine dj. Your question formulation is also fine. I don't know how to test them, other than to put a screwdriver across them and see if starter fires. I usually just go buy another solenoid and replace. They seem to be failing at high rates lately, especially the ones from china.

djbanaszak · 07-28-2011, 07:43 PM

hmmmm, ok-good, glad im set up right on this site. I'm a faily new 1x golfcart owner. My yamaha resently quit working and im trying to figure out what is wrong with it before i take it in and spend more money on it. it was running fine around the yard and all the sudden it stopped working. i have tested the volts with tester and have 12+v going to the solenoid and nothing coming out of it. i did jump across the posts and the cart fires right up. there is a small reset type switch on the back of solenoid that is popped but does not rest. I i depress that reset the cart also take right off whether the key is off or on!

rivertime · 07-28-2011, 07:53 PM

A guy (caddylac camper) just posted this up. Great stuff.

Quote:

The solenoids switch the negative side of the battery to either A1 (forward) or A2 (reverse) on the starter. The positive side of the battery goes to F2 on the starter, through the field winding and out F1, then through the solenoid that did not get energized and on to either A2 (forward) or A1 (reverse). So with the forward solenoid energized place the negative lead of your tester on A1 and positive lead on A2 to check for voltage. Reverse the leads to test with the reverse solenoid energized. With both solenoids off you must have positive voltage at F2 and F1 on the starter. Place the negative test lead directly on the negative battery post for this test. Positive voltage at F2 but not at F1 would indicate an open field winding. Follow the lead from F1 to the solenoids. Check for positive voltage on both sides of the solenoids. If this is ok you should be getting proper voltage to the starter. As crash has already stated a bad ground anywhere along the circuit will prevent operation. You may bypass the solenoids to test the starter by simply hooking up booster cables to the battery and to A1 and A2, it doesn't matter which way they go on but which ever terminal will be negative the lead must be removed from the starter or a dead short will be created through one of the solenoids. If you do this tape up the lead that is taken off as it will have positive voltage on it and could also short to ground if it contacts metal. The contacts within the solenoids can become pitted and prevent the proper amount of currant to flow to allow operation. You can read voltages ok as the tester only needs a small amount of currant to flow. Read the resistance across the contacts of the solenoids to check for this, you will want to read very low resistance, any high reading indicates a problem. You could also still have a problem with the starter commutator, if it is badly worn it may turn with no load on it but not work when a load is on it. Hope you find the problem.

technoid · 07-28-2011, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djbanaszak

what is the best way to tell if a solenoid is bad?

I worked in the electrical field for many years. The easy way to check for a bad soloenoid coil is using an ohmmeter and basic Ohms law. Depending on the size, coil current draw on small soloenoids can range from miliamps to several amps. Measure the resistance of the coil. Divide that into 12 volts. Your answer (in amps) should be below the fuse size in the circuit. An open winding would be infinity ohms. A shorted winding will draw to much current, and be hot to the touch or blow the fuse. To check the switch side of the soloenoid just put your volt meter across the contacts. A fully closed switch will read "0" volts. Soloenoid good. Any resistance in the closed contacts and you will see voltage. Replace the soloenoid. As a final note there are two types of Soloenoids. Continous duty and momentary. The ones used to start your car are momentary. Momentary are designed to pull in high current heavy contacts for short periods. If left on the coil would over heat and burn out. Your cart uses continuos duty solonoids.

djbanaszak · 07-28-2011, 09:35 PM

wow, thanks Gang, I like this site. i will try this first thing in the AM.

07-28-2011, 06:51 PM	#1
djbanaszak Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 57	please help w/solenoid question what is the best way to tell if a solenoid is bad? Last edited by djbanaszak; 07-28-2011 at 07:18 PM.. Reason: misspelling

07-28-2011, 07:27 PM	#2
djbanaszak Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 57	Re: please help w/solenoid question testing 1-2-3 testing, im new to this site and dont know if im following the correct way to ask a question about something?

07-28-2011, 07:33 PM	#3
stuff4mason G8 Club Founding Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Middle of Virginia, USA Posts: 4,265	Re: please help w/solenoid question Your testing is fine dj. Your question formulation is also fine. I don't know how to test them, other than to put a screwdriver across them and see if starter fires. I usually just go buy another solenoid and replace. They seem to be failing at high rates lately, especially the ones from china.

07-28-2011, 07:43 PM	#4
djbanaszak Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 57	Re: please help w/solenoid question hmmmm, ok-good, glad im set up right on this site. I'm a faily new 1x golfcart owner. My yamaha resently quit working and im trying to figure out what is wrong with it before i take it in and spend more money on it. it was running fine around the yard and all the sudden it stopped working. i have tested the volts with tester and have 12+v going to the solenoid and nothing coming out of it. i did jump across the posts and the cart fires right up. there is a small reset type switch on the back of solenoid that is popped but does not rest. I i depress that reset the cart also take right off whether the key is off or on!

07-28-2011, 09:35 PM	#7
djbanaszak Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 57	Re: please help w/solenoid question wow, thanks Gang, I like this site. i will try this first thing in the AM.

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