Dead in the water...

[mybuggy]

Hi, I need some diagnostic help. I use my cart for feeding my critters. Yesterday I stopped to water some pigs and when I got back on the cart it wouldn't budge AND the electric gauge pegged straight down to the left.

I can hear the solenoid clicking, but it doesn't move. Hauled it up to tool shed and looked for problems. So far I'm finding nothing.

It was running fine, holding a charge, etc. I did experience a few times the week prior that when I "stepped on thegas" nothing happened, but when I moved the selector to reverse and back, and turned the key on and off, then it took right off like everything was fine.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry forgot to say, it's a 1992 ezgo

[HiTechRedNeck]

More cart info needed

[mybuggy]

Originally Posted by HiTechRedNeck

More cart info needed

1992 marathon, stock

[mybuggy]

So far we have tested solenoid, cables, fuse, motor. Motor has continuity...

Could a controller be the cause of a dead short when accelerator is pushed?

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by mybuggy

So far we have tested solenoid, cables, fuse, motor. Motor has continuity...

Could a controller be the cause of a dead short when accelerator is pushed?

Sorry, but proper terminology helps folks offer advise. Why do you say "dead short"? A real "dead short" would result in melting cables, lugs, terminals, and maybe even explosion.

Assuming it is a series, did you check the FNR? Also check the 4 wire connector between the throttle box and the wiring harness. Unplug, spray with contact cleaner, then plug/unplug/plug several times. Also check the reed switch. The solenoid can click, without actually closing. You can check this with a handheld digital multimeter (DMM).

[mybuggy]

Ok, by dead short I mean when you press the accelerator, the solenoid clicks but at the same time the battery soc meter (analog) pins to 0.
It doesn't gradually go down. It - bang- hits zero.

No sparks, no melted wires.

[mybuggy]

I don't know what an FNR is. Forward neutral reverse?

It's a series cart.

I have to go look up what a reed switch is.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by mybuggy

I don't know what an FNR is. Forward neutral reverse?

It's a series cart.

I have to go look up what a reed switch is.

Yep. Lotsa folks also call it a F/R. The reed switch is a magnetic switch, located inside the charger port, which prevents you from driving it when the charger is plugged in. These often fail, and are eliminated by bypassing them.

[ThreeCW]

It is often best to evaluate the batteries and work your way from there ... for what you are describing, it could be a failed battery.

Record your resting battery pack voltage using a digital volt meter and the voltage of each individual battery (not sure if you have a 36 or 48 volt system - record voltage to 2 decimal places i.e. 6.37 volts for example). Compare your findings to the attached State of Charge chart.

If your batteries check out in the resting state, then check the voltage of the battery pack and of each battery when attempting to move the cart (loaded case) ... you mention that your analog gauge "pins to 0" ... you could have one cell shorting out under load (and it could appear normal when "resting").

Let us know how you make out with this battery check and if required you can move on from there. Good luck!

[mybuggy]

When all else fails, use a hammer.

Hubby spent 4 days taking the batteries out, checking everything, cleaning cables, testing continuity, put it back together, still nothing...but it no longer had just a dead short, it had no click at the solenoid either, and now no headlights.

I said we'd have to haul it to a golf cart repair place. That frustrated him, and he banged on the solenoid with a hammer. Guess it's a guy thing.

Anyway, he tried it again, and now it works. So something in the solenoid had locked up. The headlights still don't work, and we need to buy a new solenoid, but...
It's no longer dead in the water!



Also, just for future reference, I wanted to add that calling it a dead short was correct. I looked it up to see if I had my terminology wrong...

Quora.com: What is the difference between a short circuit and a dead short?

"Let the standard voltage difference between any two points A and B is 150V.

If this value falls below 150V it is called short circuit (it could be any value below 150V like 110V,50V etc.), and if it becomes flat 0V it is dead short circuit."