EZ GO Electric Cart Clicks but NO movement Forward or Reverse!!

[Town777]

Good Day!
I have a late 90s electric EZ GO cart and it normally operates fine. I have charged the batteries and went to take it out. It clicks but NO movement forward or reverse. I have a switch under the flap, above the batteries that is used for ON and OFF. Not sure if that was a problem so, I disconnected it from the switch and twisted the wires together. Still nothing!!

I have not LOAD tested the batteries yet but just cannot believe that it wont even make an effort to move. I cannot believe that the batteries would be that dead. They are probably about 6 years old, TROJANS. I would love to hear somebody with experience, take me thru a list of steps to determine this problem. Thanks for your help and I look forward to hearing back from somebody. Take care!

Town

[JohnnieB]

We need to identify what kind of EZGO cart you have to get into detailed troubleshooting, but there are a couple things that apply to all types.

What is the battery pack voltage? (For a 36V system, 38.22V is fully charged.)
What are the individual battery voltages? (6.37 is a fully charge for a 6V battery)

There should be a letter and number stamped into the Negative terminal of the Trojan batteries. Letter is the month and number is the last digit of the year.

If the solenoid is clicking when it should, the problem is in the high current circuit or throttle circuit, but need to which type drive to go further.
Here's a drawing to help you ID what type drive you have. If it is pre-2000, it either be a DCS or Series type.

Also, plug your cart's serial number in here and it will tell you what it is. http://www.shopezgo.com/customer-ser...ialNumber.html

[Town777]

Hello,
Thanks for your time and interest with me. I looked up my cart and the serial # is 2220319. This is a 2004 TXT Standard. I looked at the chart you sent and it seems to have a direction selector switch that is connected to a bar that goes to a small plastic compartment under the passengers seat. This bar moves the controller in the box. There are NO wires behind the handle that you move for reverse or forward, it is all mechanical. So, with that being said, I would say that it is a Sepex DCS? I can take a pic if you wish. Other than that it is a 36VDC unit and was bought from a golf course. Unit is really in great shape. I just need to start with the basics, batteries and such. Let me know your thoughts on where to start or what you could share with me. Thanks Johnnnie B.

Town

[JohnnieB]

You've got a 2004 TXT cart with a series wound motor, or a 04-TXT-Series written in shorthand.
You can download the Owner, Service and Parts manuals from the stickies at the top of the Electric EZGO forum.
They are the three .pdf files in this sticky. http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...g-manuals.html

Get a DMM (Digital Multi Meter), if you don't have one. An inexpensive one in a blister package at your local auto parts or discount store will suffice.


It was working, but now it isn't.

You said the solenoid clicks when you push the throttle pedal, so the problem is in the High Current circuit.

You mentioned something about a switch under a flap that turns it on and off. That doesn't sound anything that I know of, so it might be something added to confuse thieves. A picture would help figure that one out.

What is the battery pack voltage? (Should be 38.2 for fully charged batteries)
What are the individual battery voltages? (Should be 6.37V at full charge and spread between highest and lowest should be 0.1V or less)

Take the environmental cover off the controller and attach your DVM to the terminals on the controller marked B- and M-.
You should measure full battery pack voltage when solenoid first clicks.
If not, you've got a bad cable, or connection, or contact someplace between M- and the Positive terminal on the Right-Front battery.
Here's a schematic with the High Current circuit traced.

Note: With a series wound motor, there is a single current path through everything, including the battery pack.

[Town777]

Johnnie,
thanks for all of the help. I actually got it to move, but it seems to be intermittent. Not sure about some of the connections. Anyway, it looks like the switch I was talking about is indeed a theft device. When it is in the OFF position, the solenoid will NOT click. When it is in the ON position the solenoid clicks. It looks like somebody has cut into the control power to the solenoid. Kind of crafty, but I do not think that is the problem.

I cleaned all battery posts and connections. I load tested batteries individually after they were disconnected from series in cart. I read mostly a bit above 6VDC and when I put 100 A load for about fifteen seconds, pretty much all dropped to about 5 VDC and stayed there. I do not think that is the problem either. Although, they are getting old and should be looked at in the near future.

After a full charge, and checking the wiring under both covers, I attempted the movement again and yes it did move. So, it seems like there is a bad connection or something that is not right under those covers. All look clean and free of corrosion. The wiring that go to the control box look like brand new. It must be what delivers the power in stages to the motor, because the solenoid clicks EVERYTIME. Maybe the speed control is going? I will do what you say in the previous reply from you. But, if you can think of anything else from what I am sending you now, please let me know. Thanks and have a wonderful weekend and holiday!

Respectfully,
Town

[rib33024]

This is not an answer to the question that was asked,, a bit over?? what does that mean,, and dropped to about 5v, these are not answers,, batteries only last about 5 years, and yours are over due, when a battery drops to ABOUT 5 volts under a 100 amp load, that means your batteries are no good, when you step on the go pedal the motor is asking for 200 - 250 amps, so if your batteries are dropping to 5 v with a 100 amp load what are they dropping to with a 250 amp load??

here is a state of charge chart so you will better understand what the batteries volts should be, because 6v on a full charge, this is time to be charged, not time to drive the cart, You need new batteries, this is half your problem


A full charge is 6.37, and at 6.05 is time to recharge, hope this helps

Originally Posted by Town777

I cleaned all battery posts and connections. I load tested batteries individually after they were disconnected from series in cart. I read mostly a bit above 6VDC and when I put 100 A load for about fifteen seconds, pretty much all dropped to about 5 VDC and stayed there. I do not think that is the problem either. Although, they are getting old and should be looked at in the near future.
Respectfully,
Town

Originally Posted by tcascario

Like Johnnie B was asking we need to know your pack voltage and individual battery voltages. If they are any under 6 volts it is probably your batteries. Fully charged is about 6.4v each. We cant move on or give you a direction to go until we know voltages.

[JohnnieB]

Town, it sounds like you have at least two problems.
1. A bad connection in the throttle circuit.
2. Very sick batteries.

The throttle box does two things:
A microswitch in it closes the solenoid. That part is working if the solenoid is clicking.
The ITS coil and plunger tells the controller how much current to pass. That is the part that doesn't seem to be working all the time.

Like Bowslayer said, jack it up and wiggle the wires. (Hint: the Black and White wires are the ones that connect the ITS to the controller)


Like rib33024 said, approximate voltages don't tell us much when mere fractions of a volt have significant meaning.

On the other hand, the approximations you gave, do paint a very dismal picture of your batteries.

A fully charged 225AH 6V battery (6.37V) in useable condition, will produce 100A for well over an hour before it drops to 5.25V.
You state your batteries went from "a bit above 6VDC" down to "about 5 VDC and stayed there" in 15 seconds.
If that information is anywhere near factual, your batteries are well beyond their usable life.

[Town777]

Maybe the pedal box malfunctioning? Can the solenoid click and the pedal box be faulty at the same time? HMMM?

[tcascario]

Like Johnnie B was asking we need to know your pack voltage and individual battery voltages. If they are any under 6 volts it is probably your batteries. Fully charged is about 6.4v each. We cant move on or give you a direction to go until we know voltages.

[simple man]

Just because the solenoid clicks, does not mean it's working! When your cart won't run, try jumping the two large terminals on the solenoid and see if it will run then. If it does, replace your solenoid. Mine had intermittent running once. It turned out to be the solenoid. Mine would click with each push of the pedal too!