need help TXT/PDS diagnosis, EZ nogo

[Motodad85]

Is there not a circuit breaker of main fuse that protects the whole system? I did not see one on the EWD, kind of strange that there is no protection.
When I tried to ground the solenoid, I lost power from the reed switch!! I just jumpered that wire with power. that had to be just a coincidence, right?
Man I hate to pay someone to do this, it just seems like when it shut down by backing it off the trailer that it was something easy, like a circuit breaker or fuse.

[JohnnieB]

Nope. No fuse or breakers, other than maybe a 60A in the white wire from charge receptacle (which is not part of motor drive) and possibly some accessories fuses.

Loosing B+ from Reed switch when you jumped solenoid was probably just a coincidence. They aren't directly connected electrically, nor are they physically located in same area.
However, you said you had B+ on J1 Pin-4, so the Reed switch was doing its job earlier.

A PDS controller supplies both B+ (J1-Pin-6) and B- (J1 Pin-7) to the solenoid coil and both must be present for solenoid to activate (Click).

Under certain circumstances, the controller will, in and of itself, activate the solenoid to create regenerative braking. (IE: Walkaway safety feature and when max speed for PDS mode is exceeded.)

However, for a human to tell the controller to activate the solenoid, the following five conditions must exist:
1. Battery charger = Unplugged from cart (Reed switch is open when charger plug is in charger receptacle)
2. Run/Tow = Run
3. Keyswitch = ON
4. F/R switch = Either F or R (I use F when troubleshooting a No-Go situation)
(At this point, controller connects B+ to J1 Pin-6.)
5. Throttle Pedal is depress far enough for Pedal microswitch contacts to close.
(At this point, controller connects B- to J1 Pin-7)

Those five conditions are TRUE if there is B+ on the Pins I've listed in previous posts.

If the B+ exist on all the pins I listed, the problem is:
A. The controller is bad.
B. The solenoid is bad.
C. The Blue wire between J1 Pin-6 and solenoid coil is bad.
D. The Yellow wire between J1 Pin-7 and solenoid coil is bad.

[Motodad85]

Johnnie B
The repair guy said that he has tried everything and thinks it's the motor? are the TXT PDS motors rebuildable? where would I get the parts? I have been in the car service buisness for 30 years and I have never told a customer "I THINK ITS BAD"

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by Motodad85

Johnnie B
The repair guy said that he has tried everything and thinks it's the motor? are the TXT PDS motors rebuildable? where would I get the parts? I have been in the car service buisness for 30 years and I have never told a customer "I THINK ITS BAD"

PDS motors are repairable. Talk to these guys if you need a motor. http://www.plumquick.com/

However, I don't think you need a motor, or at least I cannot prove it one way or the other from what has been discussed in this thread.

From what I can determine, you had a bad controller and installed another bad one.

The bottom line is that until the controller activates the solenoid when it it told to, it simply doesn't matter if the cart has a motor or not.

Try this:
Put Run/Tow switch in RUN. (It doesn't matter how any of the other controls are set)
Release parking brake and try to push cart at a brisk walk.
The controller will turn on the Regen Braking and keep the cart from exceeding 2MPH, and the controller will beep the beeper repeated until cart stops moving.

If it doesn't do that the controller is bad.
Yes, a bad solenoid could prevent the Regen Braking from happening, but I believe we've already gotten the solenoid to click by connecting B+ and B- directly to it.

Again, until the solenoid is clicking when the throttle pedal is pushed, like it is supposed to, it doesn't matter if the motor is good or bad, the cart won't move.

Personally, at this point I would be seriously considering upgrading to an Alltrax DCX400PDS controller with a heavy duty solenoid, like the 808 package from Carts Unlimited.

[Motodad85]

Johnnie B
Overriding solenoid to check motor.
Jack rear wheels up and put on jackstands so cart doesn't take off unexpectedly and run over someone or something
Put Run/Tow switch in Tow position
Remove the Yellow wire from solenoid coil terminal.
Connect a jumper wire from main negative post on battery pack, or B- terminal on controller.
Return Run/Tow switch to Run.
The solenoid should now click when Keyswitch is ON and F/R is in either F or R.
NO CLICK

If solenoid still isn't clicking, put Run/Tow into Tow and remove both red wires from other coil terminal.
Connect one end of a jumper wire to main positive of battery pack.
Momentarily touch other end of jumper to the coil terminal that the red wires were attached to.
The solenoid should click every time the jumper wire touches
"[COLOR="red"]Only 1 red wire and it is on the big terminal B+ there is a small blue wire on the other terminal, next to the yellow one, but only 1 red wire

[JohnnieB]

Oops, that last part is for a series drive instead of a PDS.
Must have gotten side tracked, sorry about the mix-up.

This ought to work better.

If solenoid still isn't clicking, put Run/Tow into Tow and remove Blue wire from other coil terminal.
Connect one end of a jumper wire to main positive of battery pack.
Momentarily touch other end of jumper to the coil terminal that the Blue wire was attached to.
The solenoid should click every time the jumper wire touches.

Just to make sure, at this point, both the Yellow and Blue wires (and diode if one was installed) should be removed from the small solenoid terminals. A jumper from the battery pack's main negative terminal is now connected to one of the small solenoid terminal and a jumper from the battery pack's main positive terminal is being touched to the other small solenoid terminal. (Except for the jumpers, there should be nothing else attached to ether of the small solenoid terminals.)

If the solenoid doesn't click when it is connected directly to battery pack, it is definitely bad.

[Motodad85]

OK, thanks, he let us borrow a cart for the weekend and it is the same system, newer model, I am going to do all the pin checks with that one. then compare with mine. I am just going to go pick it up. I just do not think the guy knows what he is doing.
I would have done just that, check agaist a good known cart, I will let you know what happens.

Thanks again for all your help
Mike S