PDS controller selection help

[FreshFromFL]

New to the group here, thanks for the help thus far. I bought a used 2006 TXT PDSlast month, pretty much stock other than the street legal package, rear seat and 19" tires/wheel combo. I've replaced the batteries, and went with 2ga cables. Replaced all the bushings, and will rebuild the brakes here soon. I'm getting 19mph, and gets to top speed pretty slow now. I want to get up to 25-30mph for cruising the streets at the beach.

I'm looking at the DCX400PDS controller in package #808. If I start out running the controller in 36v, what parts and changes would be needed if I wanted to switch to a 42v or48v system down the road? Would I need to re program and swap out the solenoid? What kind of performance could I expect with the given changes?

Thanks for any help!

[JohnnieB]

Replacing the stock PDS controller with a DCX400PDS controller (20 year old technology) is a good upgrade, but replacing it with a XCT400PDS (current technology) is a far better one.

The XCT is a much more versatile controller and maintains all the PDS features while the DCX eliminates the "Walkaway" safety feature and has user adjustable RPM limiting so you won't over-rev your motor if you go to 48V on 19" tall tires, or if you want to limit the top speed.

However, with either you will get about 25 MPH on 19" tall tires at 36V. (Motor = 5600RPM)

At 42V, the motor will rev to about 6500RPM, which is about 29.5 MPH on 19" tires.

At 48V. the motor will rev to about 7500RPM, which is about 34 MPH, but but exceeds the max recommended RPM for most motors.

Because the 19" tires costs you about 5% of the available torque, the motor won't rev as high as it would with stock height (18") tires, so your cart will be a little bit slower than the mathematically calculated speeds.

Both the DCX and XCT run at 36V, 42V and 48V. You'll have to reprogram the over voltage and the under voltage sliders for the different pack voltages, but that's it. Of course you will probably want to tweak the other parameters also.

The solenoid in the 808 package is voltage specific, but for a few dollars more, you can substitute the 200A HD solenoid with the Super-Duty (400A) solenoid that does work at 36V, 42V and 48V.


I ran a DCX400PDS and a Super-Duty solenoid (it was kit 808B at the time) at 36V and then at 42V. I did something stupid (going downhill with my foot on the floor to see how fast the cart would go) and exploded the stock PDS motor, which took the DCX400PDS with it. I installed an aftermarket motor better suited for WV hills and feed it with a DCX500PDS.

I have tiny (17") tires, so my motor can exceed the max recommended RPM (6500) at 42V and going to 48V was out of the question with a DCX controller. Then Alltrax came out with the XCT400PDS, which allows RPM limiting, and I replaced a perfectly good DCX controller with an XCT controller and I'll be going to 48V the next time I replace batteries.

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A little history about the DCX family of controllers. EZGO introduced the DCS drive system in 1995 and the DCS controller (Curtis 1206SX) was a failed design. Alltrax introduced the DCX controller as a plug-n-play replacement for the DCS controller.

In 2000 EZGO replaced the DCS drive system with the PDS drive system (Curtis 1206MX) and Alltrax built a DCX to PDS adapter, so it could be used in PDS drives. The adapter essentially converts a PDS cart into a DCS cart, so the DCX controller will work in it.

As previously mentioned, a DCX controller is a good combination, but an XCT controller in a PDS is better.

[FreshFromFL]

Thanks Johnnie.

Sounds like I'm going to go with a 42v setup and probably just stick with the dcx for the easier price point. We don't have any hills around here at all, and that 7th battery will fit nicely under the seat, and leave the bag well open for more beach gear. Could you explain the walkaway feature that the dcx would be eliminating? How difficult is re programming?

[JohnnieB]

If a PDS cart starts to move unintentionally, the walkaway feature automatically applies regen braking and beeps the beeper rapidly to warn people in the vicinity. The regen braking of a PDS cart isn't powerful enough to keep the cart from rolling on an incline, but gets stronger as the motor spins faster and limits the cart to about 2 MPH, which is typically slow enough for someone to catch up with the runaway cart and take control of it.

The walkaway safety is active whenever the Run/Tow switch is in run, so if you want to tow the cart with another vehicle, flip the switch to Tow, or you'll burn out the motor, or the controller, or both.

Programming a DCX is fairly simple. Download the Controller Pro software from the Alltrax site (free) and get one of the UAB to Serial adapters they recommend (Not all USB to Serial adapters are compatible). Then connect a computer to the controller.

[FreshFromFL]

I just ordered the xct400 with the fan kit. Looking forward to hooking it up in 42v and seeing the gains. Thanks for the help

[JohnnieB]

Good choice.

You'll need a USB-A to USB-B cable to program it. That is the same cable used to connect a printer to a computer via USB, so you can pick up one just about anyplace.

You'll also need the Alltrax Toolkit (Downloadable on Alltrax website along with manuals) to program it.

With 19" tire height and 42V, you'll get 29.5 MPH at 6500 RPM.

[scottyb]

Lucky for him, he bought this set up from Carts Unlimited so it will come with Scotty's custom program installed - no further program changes needed unless he changes the motor

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Lucky for him, he bought this set up from Carts Unlimited so it will come with Scotty's custom program installed - no further program changes needed unless he changes the motor

It is still nice to connect a laptop and log the data files.

[FreshFromFL]

Picked up my 7th battery and made the last cable to put the battery in series. Re routed some of the accessory wires just to clean things up and make room for the additional battery.

I've already had to cut out the bottom opening of the controller cover to accommodate the 2ga cables. Will I have to alter this cover further after I install the new controller, or should I ditch it alltogether and just relocate the run/tow switch?

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by FreshFromFL

Picked up my 7th battery and made the last cable to put the battery in series. Re routed some of the accessory wires just to clean things up and make room for the additional battery.

I've already had to cut out the bottom opening of the controller cover to accommodate the 2ga cables. Will I have to alter this cover further after I install the new controller, or should I ditch it alltogether and just relocate the run/tow switch?

The cover is not used for the XCT it is water proof and has a fan installed. There is a thread here about the install with pictures. a few advancements have been made since these first installs like the the custom solenoid bracket included but, basically this is it ....
http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...xct400pds.html