Solenoids clicking

[hudson1951@aol.com]

I have a 1987 Club Car. It usually runs fine. Starts out ok, slow in pick up until I push the accelorator to the floor, then jumps to fast.

Occasionally, it will stop altogether. I push in the accelorator, hear clicks but no power, then all of a sudden it goes. Could it be the master solenoid is bad?

[scottyb]

If the master is bad only high speed will work ( no speed solenoids used for WOT) If you have speed solenoids not working remember to check they are getting proper activation signals before you assume they are bad.

[adoutfitters]

I am having a solenoid problem myself in my 1999 clubcar carryall1. The solenoid is new this summer (model SOL400 from EVdrives, 400 amp) and yesterday it started clicking rapidly. It does this in forward or reverse. I checked voltage and it shows over 36 volts getting to the Solenoid. I jumpered power directly to the solenoid and it still clicks. I also tried jumpering the groud to make sure it was not a ground issue. If the diode or precharge resister went bad, would this cause this problem?

[scottyb]

What you are hearing is the solenoid engaging and disengaging very rapidly. It is almost always caused by a bad battery and sometimes by a bad supply line connection. In either case the voltage drops below the coil's limits under load . It's bad for the solenoid contacts. find the problem and fix it fast.

[adoutfitters]

I will check the connections. I checked voltage while it is clicking and it reads over 36 volts, unless its to fast for my multi meter to catch the voltage drop. Also the cart will try to move when its clicking.

[scottyb]

Put the meter test leads on the pack and try to go. Note the drop in voltage and post it here.

[adoutfitters]

Update. Racharged Batteries and pack shows over 39 volts. I put the meter at the controller and try to go and it reads over 37 volts at controller and cart tried to move, but solenoid shuts off and on so fast it sounds like a machine gun. I cleaned all the contacts on battery wires. I removed the solenoid and cleaned the main contacts plus the little contactor on the opposite side of the solenoid (which all looked fine). I repalaced the batteries and wires and get the same results. I ran a + and - wire direct to solenoid (hotwired) and get same results. Diode checks OK and resister reads correctly.

[scottyb]

Are U ever going to check the battery pack under load !?????????????????

[Speedchaser]

He is just nit the way you wsnt him to, lol.

[adoutfitters]

I guess I figured the 37 volts under load at the controller would be more accurate than the load test at battery, that way it takes account of all the loss of the system and would show if I was loosing voltage some where. I will recheck load voltage at battery, but it will be higher than 37 volts. Carl at EVDrives thinks its the solenoid. He said there is 2 coils inside and thinks one burnt out. I need t sent it to hit to find out.