Upgraded XCT400PDS and cart are lifeless

[lsudevildog]

Concluding that the controller is faulty would be my last choice. MUCH more likely that something else is screwed up or that I have screwed something up, like not pushing the connections in far enough. So I checked those again, and yes, they are all well seated with clips engaged.
It occurred to me to plug the computer up via the USB since it can be powered by the computer and bench tested. As soon as I plugged the computer in, the LED status light came on and started blinking 4 greens. That looks right, as 4 green LED flashes at startup = ITS Inductive EZGO. So the controller started up with connection to my computer, but not by the cart battery power.
I noticed that it shows a 48v Voltage Rating despite this being a 42v system. I didn't see any options for a 42v XCT controller so I assume this is normal?
Once plugged in, I turned the Run/Tow switch to Run, and it showed the Battery Voltage as 42.8v, so I know it's seeing the correct voltage. Pressing the foot pedal down, cycling the key on and off, and cycling the F/R switch didn't do anything.
All my diagnostics have been from the controller forward. I haven't checked anything from the controller back to the motor. Is there something I can check back there that might be the gotcha that is keeping the controller from powering up?
"Which pins have + power with R/T switch in run?" I want to make sure I'm clear on how this is checked; with the connector fully seated in the controller, is there a way to check the voltages at each pin? If not, then with the connection unplugged from the controller, are you checking the pin at the controller side or at the wire bundle side?
For the solenoid small connectors, on the SW180 they are male spade type posts; two positive and two negative. I have the 3a diode connected between one of the positives and one of the negatives. I have the yellow wire connected to the remaining positive spade and the blue wire connected to the remaining negative spade. Does this sound correct? The spade posts on the solenoid are very "loose" relative to the rest of the solenoid. They have a lot of play or wiggle. Could this be an issue?
Once again, thanks for the help.

[cgtech]

Post a pic of the monitor tab with key off and with key on and throttle pressed (farthest right tab in software).

[scottyb]

Call Alltrax in the AM. It may be a controller fault. Probe the top of the plug (where wire go in) to reach the metal connection on each wire in the C4 plug.
(+) power to 1 and 4 all the time.
(+) power to 1,2,3,4,9,10 with run/tow in run
(+) power to all the above and 8 with key on
(+) power to all the above and 7 with the above conditions and pedal depressed.... solenoid should click and control LED light now.

[lsudevildog]

Originally Posted by cgtech

Post a pic of the monitor tab with key off and with key on and throttle pressed (farthest right tab in software).

I hooked the computer up again to confirm, and there is no difference at all whether key on or off, pedal pressed or not, F/R in either of the 3 positions. The only thing that makes a difference is the R/T switch. In Run, I see the battery voltage on the monitor page. in Tow I see the voltage slowly bleeding down to 0.

[lsudevildog]

I noticed that when the C4 10 pin connection is not connected, the controller side of the solenoid large post shows 0.0v, even with the R/T in Run. So with the connection open, the controller isn't getting any power. Once you connect the 10 pin to C4, the controller side of the solenoid shows 42.8v.
So how do you check the voltages at C4 with the 10 pin connected?

[kgsc]

C1 is the 10 pin.. Here is the Alltrac diagram

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by lsudevildog

...................
All my diagnostics have been from the controller forward. I haven't checked anything from the controller back to the motor. Is there something I can check back there that might be the gotcha that is keeping the controller from powering up?
"Which pins have + power with R/T switch in run?" I want to make sure I'm clear on how this is checked; with the connector fully seated in the controller, is there a way to check the voltages at each pin? If not, then with the connection unplugged from the controller, are you checking the pin at the controller side or at the wire bundle side?
...............

Lets start at the beginning.

Disconnect Laptop from XCT controller.

J1 Pins 4 & 5 ought to have full pack voltage on them 100% of the time. (Pin-4 is from the reed switch, which has been bypassed on your cart and Pin-5 connects the the battery side high current terminal on the solenoid and the other end of that cable connects to the main positive terminal on the battery pack.)

Depending on your voltmeter, you might also have voltage on J1 Pin-10, but it is feed through from the beeper which is also feed by the battery side high current cable, and won't be listed again.

With Key=OFF, F/R in neutral and R/T in RUN, you should have pack voltage on J1 Pins 1, 4, 5 & 9

With R/T in Run, Key=ON and F/R in F, you should have pack voltage on J1 Pins 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9.
At this point the LED on the XCT should have flashed green four times and then gone to a steady green.

When the pedal switch closes (pedal pushed), the voltage on J1 Pin-6 drops to zero and solenoid clicks. (The voltage previously measured on J1 Pin-6 was feeding through the solenoid's coil and the controller connects J1 Pin-6 to B- to energize solenoid.)

--------------------
Also, at 42.8V your new batteries are only about 60% charged. (see attached chart)
They need to be fully charged (44.6V) before driving the cart.


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FWIW: Troubleshooting an XCTxxxPDS is essentially the same as troubleshooting a stock PDS controller.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by lsudevildog

I noticed that when the C4 10 pin connection is not connected, the controller side of the solenoid large post shows 0.0v, even with the R/T in Run. So with the connection open, the controller isn't getting any power. Once you connect the 10 pin to C4, the controller side of the solenoid shows 42.8v.
So how do you check the voltages at C4 with the 10 pin connected?

You have to push the tip of test probe into the backside of the molex connector.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by lsudevildog

I hooked the computer up again to confirm, and there is no difference at all whether key on or off, pedal pressed or not, F/R in either of the 3 positions. The only thing that makes a difference is the R/T switch. In Run, I see the battery voltage on the monitor page. in Tow I see the voltage slowly bleeding down to 0.

When J1 Pins 4 and 5 are disconnected, the filter capacitors in the XCT start discharging, so the monitored voltage will decrease to zero in a few minutes.

Unlike other controllers, the XCT keeps the filter capacitors charged via J1, probably Pin-5, but might be Pin-4, or maybe both.

There should not be a Pre-Charge resistor across the solenoid's high current terminals.
There should be a 6A diode between them instead.

There should also be a 3A diode across the solenoid's coil.

Latest schematic attached to next post.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by kgsc

C1 is the 10 pin.. Here is the Alltrac diagram

The one you posted isn't the latest version.

Here is the updated one showing the regen diode installed.