Yep another charger problem

[PuttPutt]

I know, how many times do we have to go through charging problems.

Cart in question is Club Car ser# AA0115 008240 wires look stock, the cart is lifted and has tall tires.
Didn't look at the size. Checked the battery cables all looks well, Batteries are two weeks old however
sticker on batteries show they are a little over a year old. Purchased from Les Schawb. Pack voltage 49.XX each battery is very close in voltage, no smoking gun there.

Wall outlet is hot. Plug the charger (powerdrive not power drive 2) into the cart, amp gauge stayes on zero then jumps up to around 18, slight hickup down 1 amp then back up where it was. I was expecting the amp gauge to go to zero then back up to 18. Charger runs for about 20 minutes and shuts off. Tried a different "power drive " charger with the same results. OK so I'm thinking OBC.

Used a jumper inside the charger to bypass the relay. plugged the charger in came on and ran for about
8 hours and shut off.

So now I'm on the phone with my neighbor (his cart). I'm sipping a homebrew Barbecuing pork chops trying to walk him through things to check. Unplugged from wall, unplugged from cart. Pack voltage is only up to 51.xx. Wall outlet has power. Charger is hot to the touch. Circuit breaker on charger , I asked him if it was tripped he said it doesn't seem to move. plugged the charger back into the wall outlet plugged back into the cart amp gauge came up to 10 amps but was jumping around, I wasn't there so can't elaborate on that.

I told him to unplug it from the wall and cart and I would call him tomorrow.

I'm at a loss here, I thought it was the OBC, but now not sure what the problem is.

Ok time for another HomeBrew

Cheers

[NoleFan4Ever]

Is it a PD1, PD2 or PD3?

A bad diode/heatsink can cause breaker tripping and/or erratic ammeter. That is as long as it is not the OBC failing and causing it to be erratic...

I would plug another charger into it and if it acts the same, the OBC has failed. If it works correctly, then you need to replace the heatsink or rectifier, whichever is correct for your charger...

[lockman1]

Ummm... Nole? Your speed reading again!

PD1, and he tried another charger with the same results!

[NoleFan4Ever]

Yes and No..... I read it twice (granted I was on Rib's Crown XR at the time (Dang Rib!! )) and thought he was telling us about his charger, and then his neighbors charger messed up and he was trying to help him, too.... (Oh well.... Diagnosis still works as follows)

So then PD1 (17930) and it does it with both chargers, so definitely the OBC and just because the relay is jumped will not change how the OBC runs the charge algorithm - it has failed internally and needs to be replaced.
https://www.revolutiongolfcars.com/obc

If you want to test my theory you can bypass the OBC by running a jumper from the back side of the charge receptacle (where the black 10g wire is that goes into the harness) and run it directly to the Main Pack Negative. Also take the grey sense wire coming off the same receptacle and land it to the same place. This will allow the charger to turn on and run manually "if" the OBC has failed. Note- This is only to test and not to make normal operation.

[lockman1]

Just thought I'd razz ya' a little!

[NoleFan4Ever]

Originally Posted by lockman1

Just thought I'd razz ya' a little!

You were dead on my friend... I swear after reading it twice I was sure we were speaking of two different instances, but then after your reply (and a B/A level of <.08%), I seen it clearly now....

[PuttPutt]

Love the banter

Yes both chargers PD1 17930 Tried his charger on another cart and it worked fine. So yes OBC must go.

Educate me, even though I put the jumper wire in to bypass the relay in the charger the OBC is still in control? So in a pinch better to run the gray sense wire from obc and the black wire from back of charger receptacle to pack negative and unplug the charger at 60 volts.

[NoleFan4Ever]

Originally Posted by PuttPutt

Love the banter

Yes both chargers PD1 17930 Tried his charger on another cart and it worked fine. So yes OBC must go.

Educate me, even though I put the jumper wire in to bypass the relay in the charger the OBC is still in control? So in a pinch better to run the gray sense wire from obc and the black wire from back of charger receptacle to pack negative and unplug the charger at 60 volts.

Yes, the OBC controls how the charge is sequenced, and unplug anywhere between 60/62 volts. Just should not exceed 63vdc

[Sergio]

Originally Posted by PuttPutt

Love the banter

Yes both chargers PD1 17930 Tried his charger on another cart and it worked fine. So yes OBC must go.

Educate me, even though I put the jumper wire in to bypass the relay in the charger the OBC is still in control? So in a pinch better to run the gray sense wire from obc and the black wire from back of charger receptacle to pack negative and unplug the charger at 60 volts.

The negative wire from the cart charger receptacle goes to the OBC where an SCR regulates the current before it goes to Controller B-.

Even if you by-pass the relay inside the charger the OBC still controls the current flow.

[PuttPutt]

Thank you Nole and Sergio, Neighbor ordered the Yewy 1200z from Scottyb.
When the new charger arrives we will remove the OBC.

Thanks Lockman1 for keeping an eye on things

Now back to reading the By pass sticky again......