'06 TXT PDS No Go...

[JigginJim77]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Putting them in another cart is about the only way to test them.

I tried to create a standalone bench test for an ITS Sensor a while back, but wasn't able to come up with anything practical.

Attached are a schematic and block diagram for what is inside the black plastic wrapper.

Wow thats more intricate than I would have guessed. I did a little test with each ITS I have. Hooked a 9v battery in line with my DVM and the ITS. Both gave me less than 7.5v. Battery tested to 9.45v. Appears neither is allowing full current through.

How do you feel about aftermarket ITS as opposed to OEM. Huge price difference.

[scottyb]

I used a couple of eBay ITS units without a problem

[JigginJim77]

Okay, now that Irma is long gone (we suffered no damage or power loss!) I'm back at it. Ordered and installed a new ITS (2nd new one) and still no go.

My continuity tester died so I rigged an AAA battery in line with my DVM. Checked F1, F2 and both motor cables and they test fine at 1.55v. On to the motor. F1 to F2 gives me 1.55v. A1 to A2 gives me .752v. A1 to F1 gives .915v, A2 to F2 gives me .921v. I bridged F1 to A1 and F2 to A2, then applied 12v- Negative to A1, Positive to A2- motor does not turn.

Is it the motor?

[mutant]

dont know about the wiring-but 12v should move the motor...glad to hear irma didnt bite you....good luck...

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by scottyb

JB, I'm just thinking out loud but, what about a 12v battery and a steel rod?

You can get a no-go indication that way, but nothing that comes close to saying the ITS sensor is working properly unless the "steel rod" duplicates the magnetic properties of the iron slug the accelerator pedal pushes into the sensor. In other words, you can put together a bench test that will find a completely dead sensor, but not one that isn't working right and not working right is the most common failure mode.

I used 8 AA cells connected in series for 12V in series with an ammeter and I can get an increase in current flow by inserting various objects into the sensor, but none of the screwdrivers, nails, bolts, socket extensions and other objects typically found in a golf cart owner's tools could replicate the current increase caused by the iron slug moved by the pedal.

Basically, to bench test an ITS sensor, you have to create a pedal box on the bench and it is easier just to test the sensor in the pedal box already in the cart.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by JigginJim77

Wow thats more intricate than I would have guessed. I did a little test with each ITS I have. Hooked a 9v battery in line with my DVM and the ITS. Both gave me less than 7.5v. Battery tested to 9.45v. Appears neither is allowing full current through.

How do you feel about aftermarket ITS as opposed to OEM. Huge price difference.

The ITS sensor is a current modifying device. Place a fixed resistor (something like 1KΩ or so) in series with the battery and measure voltage drop across the resistor with a DVM.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by JigginJim77

Okay, now that Irma is long gone (we suffered no damage or power loss!) I'm back at it. Ordered and installed a new ITS (2nd new one) and still no go.

My continuity tester died so I rigged an AAA battery in line with my DVM. Checked F1, F2 and both motor cables and they test fine at 1.55v. On to the motor. F1 to F2 gives me 1.55v. A1 to A2 gives me .752v. A1 to F1 gives .915v, A2 to F2 gives me .921v. I bridged F1 to A1 and F2 to A2, then applied 12v- Negative to A1, Positive to A2- motor does not turn.

Is it the motor?

Were the rear tire in the air? 12V might not move the cart.

[JigginJim77]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

Were the rear tire in the air? 12V might not move the cart.

Yes, the cart is on jack stands. The continuity between the field coils and the armatures isn't a good sign.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by JigginJim77

Okay, now that Irma is long gone (we suffered no damage or power loss!) I'm back at it. Ordered and installed a new ITS (2nd new one) and still no go.

My continuity tester died so I rigged an AAA battery in line with my DVM. Checked F1, F2 and both motor cables and they test fine at 1.55v. On to the motor. F1 to F2 gives me 1.55v. A1 to A2 gives me .752v. A1 to F1 gives .915v, A2 to F2 gives me .921v. I bridged F1 to A1 and F2 to A2, then applied 12v- Negative to A1, Positive to A2- motor does not turn.

Is it the motor?

I'm not quite sure how you rigged the AAA cell and DVM, but from stud F1 to stud F2 at the motor ought to give you a reading similar to the reading you get from stud A1 to stud A2.

IIRC, I measured about 3Ω between A1 & A2 and about 7Ω between F1 & F2 on a stock PDS motor.

Originally Posted by JigginJim77

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The continuity between the field coils and the armatures isn't a good sign.

With a 10+ year old motor, there is going to be quite a bit of conductive carbon dust from the brushes coating everything inside the motor, so some continuity is very likely to exist between the Field and Armature windings and from either winding to the motor housing.

The carbon dust provides an alternate current path that bypasses the windings, so the motor's net efficiency goes down, but it'll still run.

I'm more concerned that the Field and Armature windings reacted differently to your AAA cell/DVM test.

[JigginJim77]

I wired the AAA battery in line with one probe as a voltage source. When the probes are then connected to the posts I get voltage. I assumed full voltage would indicate good continuity. A1 to A2 gets half the voltage as F1 to F2. I'll try the Ohm setting on my meter now that you've given me an idea as to what it might read.

I'm calling Ron at Alltrax on Monday. We're going to do a little troubleshooting and check the settings when hooked up to the laptop also.

By chance could the motor issue cause the controller to go into Current Limit when the pedal is depressed?

By the way, appreciate all your input JohnnieB ! I'm a definate noob to carts.