ez-go start issue

[bigwheel]

Hello everyone, Im working on a 90's pds freedom se with f/r on dash. I thought working on this cart would be simple and fun to trouble shoot, however I seem to be running out of ideas. with a new solenoid,37volts,good ground at the blue wire, theres no click. I think the reed sw ok, cause the red wire has power returning from it. I have not taken it apart. the pedal micro sw has continuity.What seems strange is there is voltage at the red and green wire when the sw is open or closed. there is no beeps from the dash and thought to check the key switch.From what i understand its a two circuit isolated for the light and run mode.Does that mean one or two power wires feed the run+lights? I cant find info on trouble shooting it to feel confident in repacing it. So I pulled out the key switch panel,found the incoming voltage(one red wire),turned the key to run,no voltage at other terminals, turned the key to lights and found power at the light terminal and of corse the lights are on. So is this a simple switch and needs replaced as tested or is the switch good because there should be two lsolated power wires instead of one when the switch is off ?

[Spawn]

Basically you have 4 posts 2 are for the cart to run the other 2 run the lights.
With a DVA one pole should have 36 volts+ and the other 12.
Like you did switch it to run and test and if you dont get 36 out of the pole but you turn to lights and the lights come on then I would say the cart side of the switch is bad.

The PDS carts came it late 90's early 2000 so are newer designs and replaced the DCS carts made prior.

[scottyb]

PDS drive system first appeared in 2000 so check your manufacture code for the correct year.
The cart 36v ignition comes in at terminal B and out at terminal I this is separate from the 12v light circuit which comes in a terminal B+ and out at L

[bigwheel]

Hello Spawn and Scottyb, Thank you. your info tells me the switch must be ok because the 12v is there but the 36v is not. I didnt chk thr f/r sw for voltage just continuity. whats our next best bet.

[bigwheel]

I traced the dead 36v key switch wire(white yellow trace) to the controller. The fnr swtch has no power but does have continuity. On the other end the reed switch wire has power and the micro switch has continuity and power. The on thing i can think of is the tow switch, and what are odds on that? I tested with a digital vom and had to crank it to 200m before I got some numbers on it.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

.........The on thing i can think of is the tow switch, and what are odds on that? I tested with a digital vom and had to crank it to 200m before I got some numbers on it.

The Run/Tow switch is a DPST switch.
With switch in the "Run" position and wires to it unplugged from J3 on the controller, you should read Zero Ohms between Pins 1 & 2 and between Pins 3 & 4.

[bigwheel]

Hello JohnnieB, I have a dvom with a continuity buzzer that reads 0 as you stated however, when i adjust the sensitivity up to 200m I get some numbers across all the terminals. Theoretically would the cart run if the tow switch was disconnected since the switch is in the off posistion anyway? Going back to the J1 connector pin 4 which is the 36v wire from the reed switch, If that conductor to the controller(curtis 73326 G05) pin is 36v live, wouldn't pins 1 and 9 at least be active (fnr switch and key switch circuit)? Aren't those primary circuits to be ready first for use?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

..........
1. I have a dvom with a continuity buzzer that reads 0 as you stated however, when i adjust the sensitivity up to 200m I get some numbers across all the terminals.
2. Theoretically would the cart run if the tow switch was disconnected since the switch is in the off posistion anyway?
3. Going back to the J1 connector pin 4 which is the 36v wire from the reed switch, If that conductor to the controller(curtis 73326 G05) pin is 36v live, wouldn't pins 1 and 9 at least be active (fnr switch and key switch circuit)? Aren't those primary circuits to be ready first for use?

1. The statement "when i adjust the sensitivity up to 200m" doesn't define what you are measuring or the unit of measurement, so I'm guessing.
If it is the 200 millivolt scale, than it could be random electrical noise across a low resistance.
If it is 200 Megohm scale, you might be reading the resistance of the switch's insulation.
On the OHMs X 1 scale, you should get something close to zero across pins 1 & 2 and across 3 & 4 when the switch is in the "RUN" and "OL" across same pins when it is in the "TOW" position.

2. No. The cart will not run when the Run/Tow switch is disconnected. Neither will it run in the "TOW" position.

3. No. Unless J3 Pin-1 is shorted to J3 Pin2 and J3 Pin-3 is shorted to J3 Pin-4 (IE: Run/Tow switch is connected and in "RUN" position) the controller's logic power and auxiliary power are shut off.
I'm not 100% certain of this, but I suspect the the F/R switch and Key switch are logic functions (Sink and Source) I'm not sure at all about the Pedal Switch since it is on a separate jack.

Explanation of Reed Switch function:
There is a magnet in the plug attached to the charger cable. When it is inserted into the Cart's charger receptacle, the magnet causes the Reed Switch to open, removing B+ from J1 Pin-4, disabling the controller so the cart cannot be driven away while the charger cable is plugged in. The Reed Switch was a high failure component and people got stranded in the middle of nowhere, so it was eliminated in later carts by E-Z-GO and often bypassed by cart owners.

Explanation of Run/Tow Switch:
a. The PDS system has regenerative braking (Motor becomes a generator and current flows into the battery) in some PDS modes and in all modes the regen braking comes on at maximum when the cart begins rolling with the pedal up. (Full explaination is in Operator's manual which is available in the STICKY:'s at the top of Electric EZGO forum. Service and Parts manuals are also available there.)
If a cart is towed while Run/Tow switch is in "RUN" position, the regen braking will be on at maximum and the motor and/or controller and/or Batteries will be destroyed by the heat generated.

b. The controller does not like spikes in voltage and often reacts badly to them. (IE: Stops working)
The Run/Tow Switch is actually labeled "Run/Tow-Maintenance"
The switch should be in "TOW" anytime the battery is disconnected or reconnected, anytime the cart is pushed or pulled, anytime any wiring of any type is disconnected, reconnected. added or removed and left in the "TOW" position for at least 30 Seconds after action is completed.