98 TXT Motor pulses but won't run

[JGD1998EZGOTXT]

I was being lazy when I said it was 36V. It was really 37.6V and they weren't fully charged. I had driven to the course (about 2 miles) and made it thru 9 holes before it went belly up. I'm recharging the batteries now. Also the failed condition was that I was unable to drive it. It would sort of feel like it wanted to go but I could feel a pulsing action and no real movement.

[yamahaguy97]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

Rebuilding controllers is not a very good idea. Buy an aftermarket one like Alltrax.

Yeah I would agree with that, although if you have a very experienced source that can repair them for you, that is typically fine. We have a friend at work that repairs them on a regular basis for us, and they've never had issues (thank God)..

[yamahaguy97]

Originally Posted by JGD1998EZGOTXT

I was being lazy when I said it was 36V. It was really 37.6V and they weren't fully charged. I had driven to the course (about 2 miles) and made it thru 9 holes before it went belly up. I'm recharging the batteries now. Also the failed condition was that I was unable to drive it. It would sort of feel like it wanted to go but I could feel a pulsing action and no real movement.

that voltage sounds better

[JGD1998EZGOTXT]

Glad you brought up the issue of voltage. Put the charger on and it seemed to run long considering they were only partially depleted from usual. Getting the DVM out and setting it on the batteries to start measuring, my hand hit one of the cables between 2 batteries and it was warm and one battery connected to it was actually warm! The total for 6 in series was 38.1v but that one warm battery was 5.4V and now 45 minutes later it's 4.14v. I think I have the culprit. However, when the cart failed and I got it home the other day they were all around 6.1 or 6.2. I guess it went downhill in a hurry. Thanks again for questioning the voltage I mentioned.

[JGD1998EZGOTXT]

This morning 5 of the 6 batteries were at 6.3v and the problem battery was 5.3v (last night was 4.14). Will have to re-do tests after installing a new battery. I know, I should replace them all, but right now not real excited about those $s.

[yamahaguy97]

there you go glad you solved it

[JGD1998EZGOTXT]

Thanks to everyone for their input and advice. So far so good with the one new battery. What I didn't mention before was that I have a 'battery saver/desulfination' device on the batteries since they were new. I haven't found the receipt yet so I don't know how old they are. It's a fairly expensive experiment. The explanation when I bought it made sense but I have no way to know if it's working or not. I suppose it's conceivable that it explains the strange battery readings I got on the one I replaced. The device is constantly connected and sends a few different frequency RF signals thru the batteries continuously unless the batteries drop below a certain threshold voltage. It does not explain why that one battery failed to begin with. Just another piece of interesting data as part of the saga.

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by JGD1998EZGOTXT

Thanks to everyone for their input and advice. So far so good with the one new battery. What I didn't mention before was that I have a 'battery saver/desulfination' device on the batteries since they were new. I haven't found the receipt yet so I don't know how old they are. It's a fairly expensive experiment. The explanation when I bought it made sense but I have no way to know if it's working or not. I suppose it's conceivable that it explains the strange battery readings I got on the one I replaced. The device is constantly connected and sends a few different frequency RF signals thru the batteries continuously unless the batteries drop below a certain threshold voltage. It does not explain why that one battery failed to begin with. Just another piece of interesting data as part of the saga.

The majority of alledged desulphators just do not work well, and those that create and sell them have a vested financial interest in pushing forth the idea that they are effective. In order to reverse sulphation, one MUST understand the chemistry of sulphation, and know what it takes to reverse it. Most of the desulphators send inductive spikes or RF pulses, and toggle "charge" voltages between 2 or more settings. While this can help to a small degree with softer deposits, once hard lead sulphate crystals have formed, they are unaffected, and they will continue to grow. You cannot properly address lead sulphate crystals within a battery while that battery is connected to a load. To do so would subject that load to stresses that would probably damage it. On top of that, lead sulphate crystals begin to displace the plates as they grow, and eventually the batteries are so physically damaged internally that they cannot be repaired just by removing the lead sulphate crystals.

I had developed a real desulphation technology many decades ago, and I licensed that technology to a manufacturer. But I do not actively promote products that I invented and/or licensed for market. I feel that could be considered a conflict of interest. Too bad others don't feel the same way.

Bob