94 txt is it the batteries or motor???

[jeremykent]

I have a 94 txt 36 volt series cart. The customer brought it in with a bad fwd/rev switch. Said it had been in for about 4 years. The cable going to the S1 had melted the switch. I installed a new HD switch and all was good. Well he brought it back with the same problem. I have replaced the switch again.

Now the cart is working fine. However this cable is getting hot after driving a couple hundred yards. The cart is lifted with 22 inch tires. The batteries are 5 years old and stock motor.

When driving the pack voltage starts at 37 volts, when you accelerate voltage drops to 32ish and once up to speed volts remain 34-35 volts steady. I know this is low but considering the age of the batteries it is expected. My question for the pros is this heat generated from low amperage in the batteries or could it be the motor drawing too many amps. The cart seems to run fine. No shorts in the motor.

[handtools]

I'm not an expert but possibly there is high resistance in the high current cables. Maybe internal corrosion or a bad crimp that you can't readily see.

[orangeman6]

Very far from an expert myself, but isn’t the fact that the pack is only starting out at 37.0 and the cart has 22” tires kind of a perfect storm of bad? I thought I’ve read something about amp draw increasing as voltage drops??

Sorry to gum up your thread without any real answers, but I look at these things as learning opportunities for all of us.

[jeremykent]

Yes weak batteries and big tires is a bad combo. I know this I have lots of people running carts lifted with rear seats and all stock electronics that have issues. They seem to run for a long time that way but once the problems start they just keep coming. They want to ride and not spend money.

Any how on this cart I did change the cable ends and it helped. Still after 15 minutes of steady riding you can feel heat in the cables, too much in my opinion. But they will take it that way and ride it till something else burns up. At this point I tell them there is no guarantee on the repair and see ya next time as nicely as possible....

[scottyb]

Frustrating for sure.

[BobBoyce]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Frustrating for sure.

It sure is. It comes up so often, and people love oversized tires so much that they just don't seem to want to listen. EV owners don't seem to have this same fixation with oversized tires that golf cart and UTV owners seem to have.

I'm about to give up trying to explain why it's a bad idea in most cases. As soon as someone begins to understand, someone else comes along to say their cart works fine with oversized tires. Not all carts are created equal. What works for one cart does not apply to ALL carts. I don't know how you handle all of this scottyb!