Series cart is making me hate this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by TGJR

I checked it earlier and was getting 48+ volts on the reed switch wire.

Failure in the solenoid activation circuit? Have you checked to see which polarity is missing at the solenoid activation terminals when the gas peddle is pressed?

[TGJR]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Failure in the solenoid activation circuit? Have you checked to see which polarity is missing at the solenoid activation terminals when the gas peddle is pressed?

Both terminals read 50v and nothing happens when the key is turned or the gas pedal pressed.

[ezgokid]

Originally Posted by TGJR

How watertight are these controllers? It hasn't been submerged but it has definitely seen some mud.

If I recall correctly, they are water-sealed, but that's not an invitation to drown them. I doubt that's the issue though.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by TGJR

Both terminals read 50v and nothing happens when the key is turned or the gas pedal pressed.

It's reading 50v both sides because you are reading voltage across the resistor. You can remove the the resistor from one side to verify the solenoid is not actually working or welded shut.

I meant the solenoid activation circuit .... they are the small terminals..... here is an overview of how it works ....

A quick overview of the solenoid is :
The solenoid is a HD on/off switch or Contactor
the connection is made /broken between the 2 large terminals. The 2 small terminals are the activation circuit. typically one terminal will have a constant negative connection to the pack. When Positive power is applied to the second small terminal the contact is drawn up against the spring to make contact. When power from either side of the activation circuit is removed then contact is released and the spring pushes it away interrupting the circuit ...It doesn't matter which small terminal is neg or pos on the activation circuit so long as you have one of each....


And:
TXT solenoid activation
Power starts on the White wire on the 36+ of the battery pack.
Power travels to the charger receptacle, goes through a reed switch inside the receptacle and comes out on the red 12 gauge red wire.
The red wire travels back through the loom to the Forward and reverse switch where it attaches to a micro.
The other side of that micro has a blue wire attached that runs under the cart to the front and arrives at the keyswitch.
The keyswitch then transfers power to a green wire which returns to the area of the Forward and Reverse switch.
the power then goes through a 4 pin Molex connector and travels to the "pedal Box" (located under the floorboard of the car) where it goes through a micro and comes out on another red wire.
That red wire comes back up to the Controller/F&R area where it once again goes through the 4 pin molex connector and continues on to the small post of the solenoid.

[TGJR]

Originally Posted by scottyb

It's reading 50v both sides because you are reading voltage across the resistor. You can remove the the resistor from one side to verify the solenoid is not actually working or welded shut.

I meant the solenoid activation circuit .... they are the small terminals..... here is an overview of how it works ....

A quick overview of the solenoid is :
The solenoid is a HD on/off switch or Contactor
the connection is made /broken between the 2 large terminals. The 2 small terminals are the activation circuit. typically one terminal will have a constant negative connection to the pack. When Positive power is applied to the second small terminal the contact is drawn up against the spring to make contact. When power from either side of the activation circuit is removed then contact is released and the spring pushes it away interrupting the circuit ...It doesn't matter which small terminal is neg or pos on the activation circuit so long as you have one of each....

Here is what I'm working with...




I don't see a resistor or diode on this solenoid.

Originally Posted by scottyb

And:
TXT solenoid activation
Power starts on the White wire on the 36+ of the battery pack.
Power travels to the charger receptacle, goes through a reed switch inside the receptacle and comes out on the red 12 gauge red wire.
The red wire travels back through the loom to the Forward and reverse switch where it attaches to a micro.
The other side of that micro has a blue wire attached that runs under the cart to the front and arrives at the keyswitch.
The keyswitch then transfers power to a green wire which returns to the area of the Forward and Reverse switch.
the power then goes through a 4 pin Molex connector and travels to the "pedal Box" (located under the floorboard of the car) where it goes through a micro and comes out on another red wire.
That red wire comes back up to the Controller/F&R area where it once again goes through the 4 pin molex connector and continues on to the small post of the solenoid.

Thank you. I'll follow the voltage and see where it ends.

[JohnnieB]

This might help.
The controller is different and the throttle might also be, but the solenoid activation circuit is visually what Scotty said in words.

[TGJR]

I tracked down the problem. For some reason the blue wire from the F/R switch to the key switch isn't carrying the load. I put in a temporary wire and the cart works fine. Not sure if there's a fuse in the wire or what but it looks like I'll have to hit the car wash with this cart before digging into why this wire wants to be problematic.


Thanks everyone for all the help.

[madoc1]

that's great. after you wash it, double check on the resistor and diode. you really should have these to protect your controller. by the way that controller is potted so that water will not hurt the innards, but it is good idea to blow it dry after washing and before using. leaf blower works.

[TGJR]

The problem was a pinched wire underneath the cart. This cart was built by an E-Z-GO dealership. They didn't include a resistor or diode on the solenoid. But if it needs it, I'll track them down and install them for him. And to be honest, with the level of craftsmanship I've seen with this thing, I wouldn't be surprised if it did need the resistor or diode but they just didn't put them in.

I could have swore all the voltage readings checked out on the key switch yesterday. I know I ohmed it out and found the key switch to be functional. I guess I was correct in apologizing ahead of time in case it was something simple.

Thanks again.

[madoc1]

go to alltrax's web site. they have a good write up on the diodes and resistors.