92 Marathon wont go after new pot install

[Brownwood]

My 92 Marathon solid state cart had a bad pot. I replaced it and everything was great. Cart ran well, full speed at full pedal. The next day I went to back it out of the garage and it wont go. The solenoid clicks but no go. I jiggled the wires from the pot to the controller and the cart took off at full speed even though the accel pedal wasnt pushed. Cleaned them up and reconnected, still no go. Jiggled the red wire that runs from the solenoid to the pot and the cart took off full speed again. I dont even know here to start... HELP.

[buckmanmike]

Use your voltmeter to check the ohms coming out of your potbox. as u press the petal it should register smoothly from 0 ohms to 5000 ohms(at WOT). It sounds like you have a short somewhere if you can jiggle a wire and cart takes off. Follow those wires to find problem. Good luck.

[Brownwood]

Originally Posted by buckmanmike

Use your voltmeter to check the ohms coming out of your potbox. as u press the petal it should register smoothly from 0 ohms to 5000 ohms(at WOT). It sounds like you have a short somewhere if you can jiggle a wire and cart takes off. Follow those wires to find problem. Good luck.

On the two wires that go from the pot to the controller. Does it matter wichk connection on the controller they are coneected to? I know they connect to the 1st 2 but I could have gotten them backwards. Not that it seems to make any difference getting the cart to run.

[scottyb]

There should be 3 small connectors on the controller one for power and the 2 from the pot. the one on the top is for power. if the connectors are horizontal the one on the left is power ... The two from the pot can be switched = no problem? Is your solenoid clicking / working as it should?

[Brownwood]

Originally Posted by scottyb

There should be 3 small connectors on the controller one for power and the 2 from the pot. the one on the top is for power. if the connectors are horizontal the one on the left is power ... The two from the pot can be switched = no problem? Is your solenoid clicking / working as it should?

What exactly do you mean by the one on the top? All of my connectors are on the top sticking up vertically so I have the two from the pot on the front connectors, towards the front of the cart and the the other one on the third connector toward the back of the cart. Solenoid clicks loudly but I may lump it just to check to see if that is the problem.

[scottyb]

TOP FROM THE BASE PLATE




Have you tested the pot output yet?

[Brownwood]

Originally Posted by scottyb

TOP FROM THE BASE PLATE




Have you tested the pot output yet?

Ok got it. I tested a littl last night but I was POd so I need to test again. I didint like what I saw. 0 ohms with no pedal, 4200 at 1/4 pedal then 200 at full pedal. I would hate to think my new pot went bad overnight, but it might have. With 4200 at 1/4 throttle I am surpirsed the cart wont go at all though. Then again, Im a rookie and have no idea what Im doing.....

[Brownwood]

OK, here is the results of my next round of tests. I realize I have no idea what Im doing when it comes to electricity.

Pot test. Using the 20K scale on my meter I get 0 to 4.52 in both forward and reverse with the reverse wires removed from the micro switch.

When I jump the two large wires ft the solenoid, the motor does not run. Key is on and switch is in forward or reverse. Shouldnt the motor run when I jump that? I was also surpirsed that I didint get a bigger spark when I jumped those two.

Batteries are new Trojans 04/09. They measure 6.15 to 6.38 at full charge.

Originally Posted by Brownwood

My 92 Marathon solid state cart had a bad pot. I replaced it and everything was great. Cart ran well, full speed at full pedal. The next day I went to back it out of the garage and it wont go. The solenoid clicks but no go. I jiggled the wires from the pot to the controller and the cart took off at full speed even though the accel pedal wasnt pushed. Cleaned them up and reconnected, still no go. Jiggled the red wire that runs from the solenoid to the pot and the cart took off full speed again. I dont even know here to start... HELP.

[Brownwood]

I have tracked the issue down to the power that goes from the Pot to the controller. The connection seems good but it doesnt always energize the controller. It seems like I can turn the key on and put the switch in forward or reverse. sometimes the controller enerigizes and the cart runs sometimes it doesnt. if I let it sit with the key on for a minute or two it seems to come on and the cart operates normally.