Question about Alltrax installation

[Turbo_Pumpkin]

Last weekend I installed a DCX500 in my 2002 ezgo PDS. At the same time I was making new 2ga cables. When doing the installation I made a diagram of the stock wires and followed that to put everything back together. During the process, I found the image below on the Alltrax support site.



I reassembled everything how it was stock but it is different from the picture. A2 from my motor is going to the main contractor instead of B+ like the image. There is also a cable from B+ to the same side of the contactor. Everything works fine but I was wondering if this will cause any ill effects. My contactor required larger holes in the lugs so if I move my motor wire to B+ I may need to put a new end on the cable.

Any advice is welcome!

[scottyb]

That won't cause any problem.

[Turbo_Pumpkin]

Originally Posted by scottyb

That won't cause any problem.

Great thanks. It is working fine but I wanted to make sure I'm not causing undue strain or stress. Appreciate the help!

[scottyb]

No Problem - Better safe than sorry

[JohnnieB]

Actually, having the two cables on the solenoid's controller side terminal, is ever so slightly more efficient.

There are two current paths through a SepEx controller and motor. Armature current and Field current. Armature current is via the A2 cable and field current is via the B+ terminal on the controller.

If the two cables are both on the solenoid's controller side terminal, the short cable to the controller's B+ terminal only carries field current and the A2 cable only carries armature current.

If the two cables are both on the controller's B+ terminal, the short cable carries both the armature and field currents. Since the max field current with a DCX controller is 30A, the additional voltage drop across the short cable is barely measurable, but it does exist.

I suspect Alltrax (and others) drew both cables connected to the controller's B+ terminal because not all make/models of solenoid's have long enough terminal studs to stack two of the thick cable lugs found on heavier gauge cables.

Either way, works just fine.

[scottyb]

That's right. There is a tin foil hat difference between the 2

[Turbo_Pumpkin]

So now that I'm off and running, what differences will I see when I up my pack to 48v from 36v? I'm going to wait til this pack dies but that where I'm headed.

[Turbo_Pumpkin]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Actually, having the two cables on the solenoid's controller side terminal, is ever so slightly more efficient.

There are two current paths through a SepEx controller and motor. Armature current and Field current. Armature current is via the A2 cable and field current is via the B+ terminal on the controller.

If the two cables are both on the solenoid's controller side terminal, the short cable to the controller's B+ terminal only carries field current and the A2 cable only carries armature current.

If the two cables are both on the controller's B+ terminal, the short cable carries both the armature and field currents. Since the max field current with a DCX controller is 30A, the additional voltage drop across the short cable is barely measurable, but it does exist.

I suspect Alltrax (and others) drew both cables connected to the controller's B+ terminal because not all make/models of solenoid's have long enough terminal studs to stack two of the thick cable lugs found on heavier gauge cables.

Either way, works just fine.

Im glad to hear that I hooked it up the best way even if it was sort of by accident. And I'm glad I don't need to resolder the cable end. Lol

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Turbo_Pumpkin

So now that I'm off and running, what differences will I see when I up my pack to 48v from 36v? I'm going to wait til this pack dies but that where I'm headed.

Going from 36V to 48V increases both torque and speed by about 33%.

With stock height tires (18") and differential gears (12.44:1), at 36V a PDS cart does about 24 MPH when you switch to a DCX controller. The gain in speed is due to the stock PDS controller limiting the motor to about 4,400 RPM and the DCX has no RPM limiting. Going to 42V ups the speed to about 28 MPH and going to 48V ups it to about 32 MPH, theoretically.

If you have taller tires, the top speed may be greater, but if they are low pressure type tires, the speeds may be less.

There are a lot of variables, but in general terms your top speed at 48V will be your top speed at 36V, plus 33%, minus any increases in wind and rolling resistance.

Regardless of the speed increase, the torque will increase by 33% across the RPM spectrum.

[scottyb]

If you have the stock motor I prefer to recommend the 42v upgrade. Bottom line is 42v just puts less strain on the stock motor and produces 17% more speed and torque - that is a noticeable difference from the driver's seat. JohnnieB and myself are both running 42v PDS carts. The performance is noticeably better than 36v