Question about Albright SW200 Solenoid installation issue

[Alex D]

I installed the 2G cable kit and 400 amp solenoid from Scotty today. Pretty straightforward but there is one concern I have:

The top cable post on the solenoid that goes to the B+ terminal on the Navitas controller gets pretty warm/hottish when driving. I never checked the old solenoid if this is normal. So I don't know.

Also, it seems the solenoid does not disengage when I get off the pedal. So when I turn the cart on and push the pedal it engages. Then when I get off the pedal it does not disengage. If I let the cart sit for a minute it will disengage and it also disengages when I turn the run/tow switch to tow. That is different than the OEM solenoid which clicked on and off immediately upon pedal movement.

[cgtech]

If the cart is an rxv, the solenoid is on whenever the key is on, not just when pedal pressed. (with the exception of if the car has sat "on" for about 20 minutes unused, will turn off)

[Alex D]

No. It's my TXT as in my signature. Here are pictures from my hookup. Everything checks out ... I think:

Positive from the battery goes to large + connector terminal
Other large connector terminal goes from solenoid to B+ terminal on the controller
Yellow harness wire (+) on + tab of the solenoid coil
Blue harness wire (-) on - tab of the solenoid coil

The large top solenoid connector terminal on the cable to the controller gets quite warm/hottish .. none of the others do.

The original Trombetta always clicked on and off when getting on and off the go pedal.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Alex D

No. It's my TXT as in my signature. Here are pictures from my hookup. Everything checks out ... I think:

Positive from the battery goes to large + connector terminal
Other large connector terminal goes from solenoid to B+ terminal on the controller
Yellow harness wire (+) on + tab of the solenoid coil
Blue harness wire (-) on - tab of the solenoid coil

The large top solenoid connector terminal on the cable to the controller gets quite warm/hottish .. none of the others do.

The original Trombetta always clicked on and off when getting on and off the go pedal.

First of all, you absolutely must correctly identify your cart's drive system to get correct answers to your questions.

A TXT is a body style.
A TXT-48 is a drive system (48V sepex DC drive.)
A Navitas TAC 2 is an AC controller. (Listing it as a DC conversion is confusing. Should be DC to AC conversion, or AC conversion.)

A statement something like 'TXT-48 with Navitas AC drive" would get most people on the same page.

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The TAC 2 controller energizes and de-energizes the solenoid, so there is a computer between the pedal switch and solenoid coil.

[Alex D]

Sorry for being a newbie. I apologize. Just learning as I go trying to figure things out and I am certainly no electrical engineer ... corrected my sig as well ... Anywho.

So I got the stock resistor re-installed with larger 3/8 terminals to fit the new solenoid posts. Clued myself in why they are important. A diode is per Navitas not needed on this kit.

I checked the engagement function of the solenoid again a little more methodically:

After turning the car on the solenoid engages on the first pedal input as it should. When changing the F&R directional switch the solenoid disengages as soon as you switch to or across neutral. I also timed how long the connector stays engaged after the last pedal input just sitting still with the brake on and no change to the F&R directional switch and it is always exactly 1 minute. At exactly 1 minute the solenoid disengages... every time. So that is the setting in the controller that avoids too many off and on switching of the solenoid for just short stops

Still wondering if it is normal for the solenoid main post to the controller to get really warm when driving? The + main post on the solenoid and the B+ post on the controller or any other post for that matter do not.

[JohnnieB]

I'd take a close look at the cable whose ends getting hotter than expected. Might be poorly installed lugs.

The same number of amps flow through all five on the cables that connect the six 8V batteries together and the three cables that connecting the battery pack, to the controller via the solenoid, so all eight of those cables have the same amp flow and fourteen of the sixteen ends should be very close to the same temperature after use. The two ends on the solenoid studs might be a little warmer because the solenoid coil does heat up some while energized and some of that heat might bed conducted to those cable ends.

In general terms, none of the cables or their ends ought to get more than about 10°F (5.6°C) above ambient during use.

[Alex D]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

I'd take a close look at the cable whose ends getting hotter than expected. Might be poorly installed lugs.

The same number of amps flow through all five on the cables that connect the six 8V batteries together and the three cables that connecting the battery pack, to the controller via the solenoid, so all eight of those cables have the same amp flow and fourteen of the sixteen ends should be very close to the same temperature after use. The two ends on the solenoid studs might be a little warmer because the solenoid coil does heat up some while energized and some of that heat might bed conducted to those cable ends.

In general terms, none of the cables or their ends ought to get more than about 10°F (5.6°C) above ambient during use.

They definitely are hotter than that. It doesn't seem it's the cables from Scotty .. maybe the solenoid ... and it's just that one terminal .... I bought the whole kit from him. I'm gonna record the temps with my infrared thermometer and talk to Scotty tomorrow ...

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Alex D

They definitely are hotter than that. It doesn't seem it's the cables from Scotty .. maybe the solenoid ... and it's just that one terminal .... I bought the whole kit from him. I'm gonna record the temps with my infrared thermometer and talk to Scotty tomorrow ...

The solenoid's battery side large terminal has a small red wire on it. That will sometimes cause a poor connection. (The smaller ring terminal on the red wire won't pass as many amps as the heavier lug on the cable and may be blocking the path some.)

Looks like the solenoid stud is long enough to move the red wire ring terminal on top of the existing top nut and then add another nut to secure it.

Another thing I did with my high amp cables was to smooth off any and all bumps on the cable lugs by rubbing them across a flat file until the entire contact surface (top and bottom) was bright metal. Also filed down the bumps on the surfaces they mate with, but had to be careful to stay flat and true. Finally, I smear some NO-OX-ID A-SPECIAL on the contact surfaces before bolting them together. (It is a conductive grease --- Attached pdf file give more info))

[Alex D]

Good advice! The terminal getting hot is however the other one ... the one between solenoid output and B+ on controller. The small ring terminal (which is the power supply to the tow/run switch) is on the battery side of the solenoid for permanent power and its not getting hot. Go figure. I fear some issue with the solenoid on the output end of the contactor. Let's see what Scotty says.

I was going to move the t/r wire and the resistor above the main connection as you said, but I need a couple of nuts. Don't have that size at home.Then I will move those three ring terminals above.

Ordered the NO-OX-ID grease. Good advice!