2005 EZGO 36 TXT PDS - Upgrade to 48 Volts or 400 Amp?

[johnb24]

Hello Guys, I am new to the site and golf carts in general.

I just bought a 2005 EZGO 36 TXT PDS that needs new batteries. Since I have to buy new batteries, I am wondering if I should go to 48 or not and or if I should instead spend the money on upgrading my stock controller to a 400 amp Alltrax Controller? Any thoughts and or experience would be great to have. I dont have the deep pockets to do it all.

I am trying to see where would be the most wise money spent to increase performance some (nothing crazy)? I know I have to get new batteries - but would it be better to get a New motor, or a new controller (will new controller make the old motor better?), or go to 48 volts (how much is that worth really?)...

Also, with the below same 36 motor could I get 48 volt batteries and 400 amp controller - would it work?

- Use of cart - Farting around neighborhood with 4 seater - me and the family - we have some hills but not too bad - could be about 15-18 miles in a day on weekends

Cart current setup

Stock all the way currently - dont really plan on lifting etc at this point

- Controller - CURTIS P/N 73326G05
- Motor - Advanced DC Motors - 36 volt -73445G02, DE2-4007 - Au2500 FLT SPD

Thanks!

[Timinator]

Trying to delete this post....

[Timinator]

I had the 36v EZ-GO below. I put in an Altrax controller and a two speed motor from some company that builds and sells them. It was about 7 years ago I don't remember the name. But it was the ticket! The cart would go 24mph in speed mode and about 18 in torque (measured with GPS). Honestly, it would go about as fast as you'd want to go with the type of front end geometry they have. The torque setting was for towing and the speed for everyday driving. I would do that again in a second. I used the cart everyday on our property and only charged it about once every two weeks.

[CCFanatic]

Originally Posted by Timinator

a two speed motor from some company that builds and sells them. It was about 7 years ago I don't remember the name

Electrical Motor Products
http://www.empinc.biz/motors.php

[johnb24]

Thanks Timinator. Did you stay with 36 volts?

[scottyb]

Speed controllers are composed of ever improving technology like cel phones and computers. Alltrax has recently released the new XCT line of controls. There is an application for your cart.
In my personal PDS cart I installed the XCT400 with a 7th 6v battery for a total of 42v. The cart exceeds 25 mph and gives great torque from the stock motor. This is the best combination in my experience. Read more here > http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...xct400pds.html

And for Club Car owners go here > http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...ntrols-iq.html

[Timinator]

Yes, I stayed with 36 volts; great range too. I had big wires, the Alltrac and the 2 speed motor from Electrical Motor Products.

FWIW, I have a 48V HuntVe 4x4 cart now. Even in 2 wheel drive, it's nowhere near as fast as that 36V cart was in the slower torque mode and I honestly don't think my range is as good either. That was a really rocking combination that I wouldn't hesitate in doing again.

Probably tire size and aggression has something to do with the range loss in the HuntVe

[JohnnieB]

Looks like we have a similar name as well as a similar cart.

I don't know what voltage Timinator is running, but he has a Series drive system, which is a different breed of animal than the SepEx drive systems we have. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I pretty sure nobody makes a two-speed SepEx motor for golf carts.

The reason nobody does is probably because the speed/torque of a Series motor is cast in stone when the motor is manufactured while the speed/torque curve of a SepEx motor can be varied in real time by varying the amount of field excitation. Basically, with a series cart, you can build a torque-monster or a speed-demon (or something between the two extremes), while with a SepEx cart you can have quite a bit of both speed and torque, or build it to lean more towards one of the two extremes.

No matter what you do, upgrade the high current cables (all 10 of them) to at least 4Ga. If going to 48V is a possibility, get cables for 8V batteries, they have both terminal on same side, so cables for use with 6V batteries will be too short.

My first upgrade was 2Ga cables, but I'm an efficiency nut.

The stock PDS controller limits the motor to about 4,400 RPM, which is about 19 MPH on stock (18" tall) tires. The stock PDS motor will spin at about 5,600 RPM at 36V, which is about 24 MPH. The Alltrax XCT controller I use allows the max RPM to be user programmed up to 8,000 RPM, which is over 34 MPH, but is above the max recommended RPM for most motors.

Going to 42V will up the motor to about 6,500 RPM, which is about 28 MPH and is also the max recommended RPM for many, if not most, motors. At 42V, you get a 16.7% increase in torque throughout the speed/torque curve.

Going to 48V can take the stock PDS motor above the max recommended RPM, but the max RPM the motor is allowed to spin can be limited by a XCT controller, and it does it without giving up any of the other performance gains obtained by going to 48V. (At 48V, there is a 33.3% increase in the speed and torque over 36V)

Since you plan on having a rear seat and carrying four people, you'll probably want to go to 42V or 48V eventually since 36V will be a bit sluggish starting from a standstill with a heavy load and will slow down quite a bit going uphill.

If you decided to install tires taller than 18" at some time in the future, remember increasing tire height reduces the available torque.

[johnb24]

Thanks for the info John. What charger would you use for 42 volts? any other changes I would need to make to the setup for 42? Thanks

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by johnb24

Thanks for the info John. What charger would you use for 42 volts? any other changes I would need to make to the setup for 42? Thanks

I use a 42V DPI Accusense charger: http://www.cartsunlimited.net/48v_Battery_Charger.html

In addition to having user selectable charge profiles for different battery brands and float charging after the regular cycle finishes, the 42V version can be upped to 48V by changing the output board, which is less than half the price of a new charger.


In addition to a 42V battery pack and charger, you have to have a controller and solenoid that works at 42V. The cables and stock PDS motor will work at at 42V.

I'd go with the Alltrax XCT for the controller since it allows you to limit motor RPM to a safe level (about 6,500 RPM or so, which is about all you'll get at 42V, unless going downhill ).

I exploded my stock PDS motor trying to find out how fast the cart would go downhill at full throttle. It was spinning over 8k when it the armature grew and became one with the field windings, but RPM alone didn't take it out, it was a combination of overheating and over-revving coupled with the additional stresses caused my regenerative braking. It went when I lifted my foot to make the curve at the bottom of the hill and took out the DCX400 controller when it went.

If the XCT had been available back then, I'd probably still be running a stock PDS motor. It had all the speed, torque and range I needed or wanted, and then some.