1988 Electric EzGo - What To Look For If Im Buying?

[LowanSlow]

Im a newbie.

Just picked up a 92 Club Car that is a project. May set it aside for now.

Also Im planning on looking at an 88 EzGo that runs. Anything typical of these that are problem areas that I should be aware of or look for?

Not sure If I would do a lowered build or do a lift kit on the EzGo. One of my carts will be a lifted build and the other a lowered.


Any help is much appreciated - thanks!

[scottyb]

It is a resistor coil cart.


Resistor cart operation
Early carts ( pre 89-90ish) use a series of graduated sizes of speed resistor coils to regulate speed. Each coil in the group offered less resistance than the previous one. When you stepped on the gas 100% of the available battery power (amperage) was drawn and speed was regulated by how much of this amperage was burned off (wasted) by the resistor coils. So even if you push the peddle a little it drains the batteries same as wide open throttle. The gas peddle operated a wiper which swept a contact across stationary lugs which connected to the resistors. The solenoid merely switched power on /off to the speed wiper.
This is why it does you no good to just upgrade the solenoid....
Solid State operation
Modern carts use solid state speed control. These controllers only draw as many amps as you ask for with the peddle.... If you push the peddle down 10% they deliver 10% of their capacity. I say their capacity because a controller is like a gate valve (or a hose bib) to the amperage stored in the batteries... We have different size controllers(valves) available so 10% of a 400 amp is less than 10% of a 650 amp controller. Amperage = Torque.
The solid state controller does not waste any amps and this increases the run time. Hope this helps?

[LowanSlow]

Thanks Scottyb. I know that is a big negative.