something shorted out

[devybob]

Not so lucky!It still won't work. I thought it was the melted wire I found and opened up my big mouth before I checked it.I traced the wires and have power all the way to and thru the solenoid./ (44.9 volts). Also when i step on the accelerator pedal I can hear a click. Now what do I do for the next step

[JohnnieB]

Jack the rear wheels off ground and place on jack stands so the half ton cart doesn't take off unexpectedly and run over someone or something.

Connect a DVM between the B- and M- terminals on the controller. (Negative test lead on B- terminal) (Also, M- might be labeled A1)

Press pedal until solenoid clicks and you should read full battery pack voltage.
If not, there are only three cables and the motor, so it should be easy to find.

If so, slowly press pedal to floor and the voltage should smoothly decrease to zero.
If it doesn't, either the Throttle input to the controller is bad or the controller is bad.

Let us know what you find so far and we'll go from there.

[devybob]

I always have 44.3 volts there, before and after the solenoid is depressed. It does not change.

[JohnnieB]

That is because there is a resistor across the solenoid contacts, and why I said FULL battery pack voltage.

If you get 44.9V on the battery side and 44.3V on the controller side of the solenoid before it clicks, you should get 44.9V on both side after it clicks.

If not, either the solenoid contacts are bad or the click you are hearing isn't the solenoid energizing.

BTW - Be sure to put the Run/Tow switch in the Tow position before connecting or disconnecting ant electrical wiring.
Otherwise you might take out the controller, if it isn't already gone.

[devybob]

When I connect the B- and the A1 terminals with the tow switch ON I get a constant 44.1 volt reading on the DVM, pressing the pedal solenoid makes no difference in the reading, but when I turn the tow switch OFF the reading continues to drop from 44.1 down to 1.2 volts in about 3 minutes..

[devybob]

Maybe I'm doing this wrong! If I connect directly from the battery to the b-1 terminal I get a reading of 44.6, and if I connect from the battery directly to the A1 terminal I get a reading of 44.0, but pressing the pedal until the solenoid clicks still does not change anything.

[JohnnieB]

1. Place Run/Tow switch in Tow.
2. Remove the resistor from between the two big terminals on the solenoid and reattach cables.
3. Connect the DVM's negative test lead (Black) to the B- terminal on top of the controller.
4. Connect the DVM's positive test lead (Red) to the A1 terminal on top of controller.
5. Place Run/Tow switch in Run.
6. There should be no voltage between B- and A1 at this time because resistor has been removed.
7. If there is voltage, halt. Find out where it is coming from. Fix that problem and then proceed to Step-8
8. Press pedal just until solenoid first clicks and no further.
9. Full battery pack voltage should now be present between B- and A1 terminals on top of controller.
10. If Full battery pack voltage is not present between B- and A1 an open circuit exists in one or more of the following and needs to be fixed:
a. The solenoid contacts.
b. The cable and/or its connections, between main negative post on battery pack and the B- terminal on controller.
c. The cable and/or its connections, between main positive post on battery pack and the battery side big terminal on the solenoid.
d. The cable and/or its connections, between A1 terminal on controller and the A1 stud on the motor.
e. The cable and/or its connections, between A2 stud on motor to the controller side big terminal on the solenoid.
Note: Sometimes the cable from the A2 stud on motor is connected to the B+ terminal on the controller, in which case, the cable/connections between B+ terminal on the controller an the controller side big terminal on solenoid is also suspect.
f.The motor.

[devybob]

I will do a check like you said, but I just wanted to say that the resistor between the two solenoid posts was NEVER hooked up. It was just connected on one side.

[devybob]

When I check the power between b- and a1 I get 42volts,constantly decreasing down to less than one volt in about 3 minutes.

[devybob]

Steps 8 and 9.When I press the pedal down until I hear the solenoid click,and check the DVM,there is no change whatsoever.It still remain at less than 1 volt.