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Old 01-02-2020, 11:05 AM   #1
mitchntx
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Default Power Drive 3 ... DC lead gets really hot

By hot, I mean I can still grab it and pull it out, but it's a LOT hotter than I think it should be.

Scenario -

New to me 2008 Precedent
On-board battery meter says charge is full.
Battery pack voltage is in excess of 50V DC
Driven around the park a couple miles

I leave a PD3 charger plugged in and the meter ramps full scale. Never have I heard or seen it quickly ramp down or shut-off. Over a couple hours or less, it will fall to 9-10 amps charge rate. That's when I note the DC cord and plug are hot.

Neighbor has a PD charger that states it's "computer controlled for intelligent charge". I plug it in and it ramps to 12 amps, clicks off after a very short while and then back on and is charging at about 5 amps, cycles again to 2 amps and then starts the whole cycle of 12A - 5A - 2A once again. after about 3 or so hours, the charger stays at ~2A. The cord/plug never get above ambient temp to the touch.


My first thought was a bad charger. But after reading this thread - http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...bypassing.html - I'm not so sure.

When TahoeDawg explained the purpose of the OBC (post#80) and how it's supposed to be used, it clicked.

I think I have a buggy that has the OBC by-passed.

The heat from the plug is the amp draw feeding the bubbling and gurgling batteries.

My neighbor's charger has an on-board sensor to prevent over-charging.

What say you?


So I need to:

1 - track down the wiring and re-connect the OBC and use the PD3. Raises questions about why it was bypassed ...

2 - somehow track the time the PD3 is plugged in to prevent over-charging. Sounds kind of risky ...

3 - Buy a new charger with auto sensing, like a MODZ Max48. Sure wished it had longer leads ...

What do you think?
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Old 01-02-2020, 02:06 PM   #2
Fairtax4me
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Default Re: Power Drive 3 ... DC lead gets really hot

When you plug in your PD3 charger, does it turn on immediately? It should have a delay of about 5 to 15 seconds before the charger turns on.
If it turns on and starts charging as soon as the plug makes contact there is a problem.

It sounds like there may be a problem with the OBC. The OBC tells the charger to turn on and off. There is a check sequence the OBC does after charging for a minute or two, it will turn the charger off for a few seconds, then back on. The charge current should stay the same before and after turning off, and should stay at a high rate for several hours before slowly coming down. This is dependent on charge level of the pack.

The charger should not ever get down as low as 2amps. 5 amps is about as low as it should ever get, and then it should shut off after staying at 5 amps for some time. How long this takes is dependent on the condition of the batteries, and if they are all closely balanced in charge level.

The OBC controls the charge current, so typically if the current is erratic or is too low, or the charger is not turning off that can be a problem with the OBC.
It can also indicate a problem with one ore more of the batteries in the pack not being able to achieve full charge due to deterioration of the plates, or incorrect water level or specific gravity of the electrolyte.

Regardless of that, the charge plug should not be getting hot, and a 10 amp charge rate is not causing that. The problem there is there is a poor connection in the charge lead. Wire damage or corrosion in the plug is causing high resistance which is causing the heat in the plug. That plug should be replaced.

The answer to how soon the PD3 turns on when plugged in will tell us if there is a potential problem with the relay in the charger.
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Old 01-02-2020, 02:14 PM   #3
mitchntx
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Default Re: Power Drive 3 ... DC lead gets really hot

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fairtax4me View Post
answer to how soon the PD3 turns on when plugged in will tell us if there is a potential problem with the relay in the charger.
There is a delay of about 10 seconds.

The wire leading from the receptacle to the "+" on the battery had a couple splices and both were as corroded as the battery terminals.
All of that has been fixed.

I did NOT open the plug from the charger and inspect, though.
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Old 01-02-2020, 07:18 PM   #4
Fairtax4me
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Default Re: Power Drive 3 ... DC lead gets really hot

Then it sounds like the charger is probably working as it should, but the OBC is at least partially working, but there could certainly be an issue there.

The plug on the charger should be a moulded grey rubber that is not able to be "opened". If it's a screw together type black plastic plug then it has been replaced before and I would certainly open that up and check the condition of the connections inside.
Check the pins in the plug for signs of corrosion or dirt, and check the pins in the receptacle for the same. If the receptacle pins are corroded or damaged, it may be best to replace the receptacle rather than trying to clean them.

The Pack Main Negative Cable should go through the opening in the OBC, and there should only be One cable connected to the pack negative. If the cable does not go through the OBC it can not accurately determine how much energy has been used, and it will not properly re-charge the pack. Make sure the main negative goes through the opening of the OBC. Also make sure the 10awg Black wire from the OBC has a clean connection to the B- terminal at the controller where the Pack Negative cable connects.


Whenever the Pack negative is disconnected the OBC loses all stored data which it uses for re-charging. It then has to evaluate the pack on the first charge after a disconnect. This initial charge after a disconnect is typically longer then a normal charge, and can take many hours depending on the condition of the pack. A pack that is more than 50% discharged can take up to 16 hours to fully recharge, and may still not be done if the OBC times out after 16 hours.

Battery condition has to be good for the OBC to determine that the pack is fully charged. If the batteries are old or their voltages are not balanced, the OBC may not be able to determine that the pack is fully charged, or they may be too far out of shape to accept a full charge. In these cases charge times will be very long, and several batteries in the pack will boil.

Before you do anything else, let the cart sit for at least 12 hours then check each battery individually. Check rest voltage, and check the water levels in each cell. Make sure the battery plates are not exposed.

Record the voltages down to the hundredth of a volt if possible, and post them here.

Typically an 8V battery that is in good shape should show around 8.49V at rest. You should have an overall pack voltage around 50.9V.
If any battery is more than 1 tenth of a volt lower than the others that indicates a problem and means the pack is out of balance. The next step will be to drive the cart for about 30 minutes, then check voltage one each battery while the cart is driving. Checking voltage while the pack is under load will tell us which, if any batteries are failing.
Bad batteries will cause problems during charging and can cause strange behavior from the OBC even if it's working properly.

Is there any indication of the age of the batteries? A date code sticker or date stamp on the terminals?
Are they all the same brand and model of battery?
You mentioned they were all badly corroded, and that draws up a big red flag that they're potentially at the end of their life-span, even if they're "not that old".
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