Help with 2006 Ezgo PDS, but it's not

[AllElectric]

Hi,

I have a 2006 Ezgo Freedom Se, which has been modified by someone prior to me getting the cart. It should be a PDS cart (electronic Fwd/rev switch), but the controller has been replaced along with a couple of things looped into the circuit I cannot identify. I need some help in figuring out what I have and what's happening with it, please.

Cart goes 30mph+, but I noticed the wires coming off the controller were getting really hot -- meaning cannot touch them for long hot. So, I replaced the old wires with new, 2AWG wiring. Old wires were 4AWG and oxidized well into the insulation. Photo attached --blue wires are the current replacements.

On initial test drive, the cart topped at 20mph. So, I put in new 4AWG wires (yes, I stepped down to what was there) on the loop extending from the controller. Figured I had a bad crimp for something. Cart now goes 30 mph, but it still gets hot. Take it for another drive later and 20mph again (and hot).

I wait a bit and it's back to 30mph, but now not only is it hot, but the controller is cutting out for a second when starting after a full stop. Signs of thermal shut down is my guess. Batteries were about 70% SOC at this time, however. The do charge to 100% all within 0.01V of one another.

Cart was running fine, but hot, before I swapped cables. Did I fry the controller or other drive parts, or is this just long-term heat damage surfacing. Anyone know what those cylinders looped off the controller are? Potential source of the issue?

Thanks for the assistance, even if it's just telling me what had been modified.

[handtools]

Those cylinders sure look like a reversing contactor setup to me. So I believe that would make your cart a series drive as that is the only drive type that I am aware of that would use a reversing contactor. It's possible that someone replaced the body on the cart with a newer one and the model/serial number tag doesn't match the actual cart. Just throwing around some ideas.

[AllElectric]

Thank you.

It's for sure a 2006, by the serial number and QC tag on the main negative charge cable.

I think someone completely ripped out the drive system and replaced it with this...whatever it is. Agree, it's likely series w/ a reversing contactor - no plug brake as A2 is enpty.

Wonder if I'm looking at a new controller? Thinking this is a GE, but I have no idea how many amps, has to be huge to get it to 30, unless it has gears, too.

Any idea how to troubleshoot a reversing contactor setup?

[Sir Nuke]

another thing you could look at and see the posts of the motor....how are they labeled, and are they all the same size or are 2 smaller than the others? and can you see the serial/model number of the motor.

[Andy4639]

The controller is a older model series controller. That is contactors in the bottom making it a reversing contactor for sure. It has the red small hot wire and the Black & white throttle wires. Where does the the small red wire on the controller go to? What kind of throttle does it have? Is it under the floor board? Have a picture of it by chance.

The controller is series for sure though.
I have never seen a late model throttle hooked to a old series controller though.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

The controller is a older model series controller. That is contactors in the bottom making it a reversing contactor for sure. It has the red small hot wire and the Black & white throttle wires. Where does the the small red wire on the controller go to? What kind of throttle does it have? Is it under the floor board? Have a picture of it by chance.

The controller is series for sure though.
I have never seen a late model throttle hooked to a old series controller though.

Some shuttles, industrial and HO (high Output) series drive carts with ITS throttle system used Curtis 1204 and 1205 series controllers.

Attached are schematics for 36V and 48V versions.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Some shuttles, industrial and HO (high Output) series drive carts with ITS throttle system used Curtis 1204 and 1205 series controllers.

Attached are schematics for 36V and 48V versions.

I never worked on any of those before. Learned something new.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

I never worked on any of those before. Learned something new.

The teacher in me still pops up occasionally.

[AllElectric]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

The controller is a older model series controller. That is contactors in the bottom making it a reversing contactor for sure. It has the red small hot wire and the Black & white throttle wires. Where does the the small red wire on the controller go to? What kind of throttle does it have? Is it under the floor board? Have a picture of it by chance.

The controller is series for sure though.
I have never seen a late model throttle hooked to a old series controller though.

I've never seen one like this either. It is an ITS throttle, or at least it was. Fwd/Rev switch is in dash, per every other 2006 one runs across. Based on what I'm reading, it's a PDS cart that has been modified to series, or did Freedom SE come in HO version? Guessing the ITS has been replaced by the reverse contactors?

There are no markings on the controller (I haven't removed to check the bottom).

Can anyone guess the model (Curtis or GE) or amperage that would push a TXT to 30 mph?

Assuming all this is correct, why is the thing getting so darn hot (thermal shutdown, topping at 20mph, etc.)? Controller about to fail?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by AllElectric

I've never seen one like this either. It is an ITS throttle, or at least it was. Fwd/Rev switch is in dash, per every other 2006 one runs across. Based on what I'm reading, it's a PDS cart that has been modified to series, or did Freedom SE come in HO version?

There are no markings on the controller (I haven't removed to check the bottom).

Can anyone guess the model (Curtis or GE) or amperage that would push a TXT to 30 mph?

The rocker switch that EZGO used for a PDS F/R selector is a SPST/Center-Off switch, which is also the type switch used for aftermarket reversing contactor setups, so someone could have just replaced the keyswitch panel of a series cart with the keyswitch panel from a PDS cart.

The speed controller does not effect the cart's top speed. All it does is limit the number of amps the motor is allowed to draw and when wide open the motor is effectively connected directly to the battery pack. In other words, the only time the speed controller controls the cart's speed is when the throttle is less than 100%. Also, it doesn't push amps to the motor, it passes amps to the motor. Basically, it is functionally akin to a water valve or faucet.

The cart's speed is determined by the battery pack voltage, the height of the rear tires, the gear ratio in the transaxle (aka differential), the ratio of the magnetic field strengths produced by the motor's armature and stator windings and the cart's mechanical drag.

My guess is your cart has a 48V battery pack, 23" (or so) tall tires and a high speed motor, such as an AMD 7126.

What is your cart's pack voltage?
What is the Make/Model of motor?
What is the tire Height?