PDS Not Running Right

[bherpin]

I have a 2005 EZGO PDS that I recently put bigger tires and wheels on (22" tires and 12" wheels). It works just fine in the neighborhood and yard. I took it out to the farm and drove it through tall grass with my wife and 2 kids on it and it seemed to over heat? It would run for a minute or so then would start slowing down and just stop moving. No alarms or anything. When I press the pedal it would engage but its like it didn't have enough battery juice to move forward or backward although the batteries are brand new and fully charged. If I wait for a minute it would then start moving again. I put it on the trailer and when I got home I drove it through my neighborhood for 10 minutes or so with no problem? Could it just be the bigger rims and tires coupled with the tall grass and 4 people? I do have the freedom (speed) chip installed on it. Please advise. Thanks

[woodrow256]

Im no expert, but big wheels on a stock pds cart can overheat the motor and controller. Sounds like the controller is overheating then going into thermal shutdown. Then when it cools off it works fine, again. Maybe try the torque mode, i forget what its called, but its like the freedom chip. Instead of speed it gives you torque. Also im assuming everything on your cart is stock. My txt is series drive so my knowledge is limited on pds. An upgrade to a better controller will most likely be called for. The experts should chime in shortly.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by bherpin

I have a 2005 EZGO PDS that I recently put bigger tires and wheels on (22" tires and 12" wheels). It works just fine in the neighborhood and yard. I took it out to the farm and drove it through tall grass with my wife and 2 kids on it and it seemed to over heat? It would run for a minute or so then would start slowing down and just stop moving. No alarms or anything. When I press the pedal it would engage but its like it didn't have enough battery juice to move forward or backward although the batteries are brand new and fully charged. If I wait for a minute it would then start moving again. I put it on the trailer and when I got home I drove it through my neighborhood for 10 minutes or so with no problem? Could it just be the bigger rims and tires coupled with the tall grass and 4 people? I do have the freedom (speed) chip installed on it. Please advise. Thanks

Yes, tall tires, more than 2 people and probable driving fairly slow on uneven ground will cause the controller to overheat.

The 22" tires reduces the torque when rubber meets road by nearly 20%, so the motor has to work harder, especially at low speeds, drawing more amps.

With stock height tires (18"), PDS carts don't like creeping along at low speeds. Taller tires increases the inherent issue.

The only differences between the four PDS modes are top speed and amount of regen braking. The torque is the same in all of them.

Going into thermal cutback is a harbinger of controller failure, so when it fails, replace it with an Alltrax DCX400 (or larger) controller.

[cgtech]

Yep, controller overheating. Time for a new one. You can continue using the stock one, but the overheating will get worse, not better. Dont get another stock one, get a alltrax. This is a pretty much guaranteed result of big tires on a stock PDS.

Oops, Johnny beat me

[bherpin]

Thanks guys. That's exactly the advice I was looking for. JohnnieB, you are right, we were just creeping along in somewhat rough terrain for a golf cart. Guess I'll be looking into an upgraded controller soon. Thanks

[tonyton]

You can throw away your speed chip and install a "Steep Hill" chip. P/N 73272-G02. It changes the configuration of the system. It will have a strong self braking down hills also. They cost about ten dollars. The electrlights in batteries will remain active and some "recharge" to a point. A cart that goes dead on the course may drive in 2 hours later.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by tonyton

You can throw away your speed chip and install a "Steep Hill" chip. P/N 73272-G02. It changes the configuration of the system. It will have a strong self braking down hills also. They cost about ten dollars. The electrlights in batteries will remain active and some "recharge" to a point. A cart that goes dead on the course may drive in 2 hours later.

FWIW: He has a "Freedom" chip, so he can just clip the jumper wires to get the other PDS modes.

When I was running a stock PDS cart, I put a switch in the jumper between pins 2&3 and ran in either Freedom or Mild Hill modes.

Here are charts showing the various jumper configurations and Speed/Regen Braking associated with each.

[bherpin]

Ok,
I installed the Alltrax 400 PDS controller. Looks like I don't need the speed sensor anymore as there is no place to plug it in. My question is when I turn on the key and put the cart in either F or R it makes a loud click coming from the Controller/Solenoid? The controller comes on and gives the correct 4 green light blinking sequence then goes to solid green. Everything seems to be working its just making that click that I never heard before with the old Curtis controller.

[cgtech]

Its just the solenoid (a upgraded one right?), its normal.

[mgray70]

Yep, it's normal. Clicks on then off when the Key is switched on. I think your stock controller should have done it also. You may not have noticed it before.