Dead Cart, Help Diagnose based on this...

[gregaustex]

I have a 2006 (or so) 36V EZ-GO TXT.

A while back with a full load of passengers, it died after a somewhat long ride. Before dying it was really struggling more than usual up some hills.

Voltmeter says battery pack OK.

There was a burning electrical smell when it died.

Turning the key and pressing the pedal - I get a nice loud click from the relay on the controller.

Here's possibly a key thing: I jacked it up and used a jumper cable to directly connect one of the negative connections on the motor to the negative side of the battery pack. Just that.

With and only with the jumper cable in place, depressing the pedal spins the motor and wheels. Switching from forward to reverse properly changes the direction the motor runs.

Does this suggest what's wrong?

Thanks!

[yurtle]

What drive type do you have?

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...en-system.html

I'm assuming using you jumper method doesn't vary speed with pedal?

Running with too much weight + struggling + burnt smell sounds like controller, but let's be sure. There are troubleshooting for series and SepEx drive types in the Stickies, but I'll link them here:

Owners Manual for some newer electric carts
http://products.jacobsen.com/img/man...645-g01-gb.pdf

Technician's service and repair manual electric carts
http://products.jacobsen.com/img/manuals/28646.pdf

Service Parts Manuals electric carts
http://products.jacobsen.com/img/manuals/28789-g01.pdf

When you say your batteries are good, do you know what resting voltage is for your batteries? What batteries do you have, make and model. What is resting voltage for each battery to two decimal places?

Is your setup stock, or do you have after market upgrades, including larger tires?

What's your serial number? We can nail down date.

[wvugent]

Hows the troubleshooting going? If you end up needing a controller I just upgraded my 36v txt and can give you a fair price on one.

[gregaustex]

Some updates. Weird on the whole that it seems like if I were to run a couple of cables direct from the rearward side of the motor to the positive terminal of the battery pack...the cart might work normally.

Not sure if I have the Series or DCS, but I think Series looking at this picture and the controllers and R levers. Also based on how the direction selector looks in the manual you linked. Definitely not regen. Little label under charger inlet says serial number is 2221421. The plate in the glove box is gone.

Misspoke before. It works when I jump one of the two engine negative terminals (rearward side of motor) to the POSITIVE end of the battery pack.

When jumped as described and working, the speed the motor runs varies with the pedal.

I have an analog voltmeter but the batteries seem to be showing a uniform 6.5V

All stock I think, though the prior owner might have upgraded the motor. It looks like it has all the same connections as the stock one in the manual.

[kernal]

Checking the serial no. here: https://shop.txtsv.com/vehicle/ indicates a 2004 TXT standard (series--not DCS or PDS)

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by gregaustex

Some updates. Weird on the whole that it seems like it I ran a couple of cables direct from the rearward side of the motor to the positive terminal of the battery pack...the cart might work normally.

Note sure if I have the Series or DCS, but I think Series looking at this picture and the controllers and R levers. Also based on how the direction selector looks in the manual you linked. Definitely not regen. Little label under charger inlet says serial number is 2221421. The plate in the glove box is gone.

Misspoke before. It works when I jump one of the two engine negative terminals (rearward side of motor) to the POSITIVE end of the battery pack.

When jumpered and working, the speed the motor runs varies with the pedal.

I have an analog voltmeter but the batteries seem to be showing a uniform 6.5V

All stock I think, though the prior owner might have upgraded the motor. It looks like it has all the same connections as the stock one in the manual.

So now I'm very confiused

If you have a run/tow switch, it's DCS. If your FNR lever has a "hockey puck" behind it with wires, it's DCS. If it has linkage going to a covered device in front of the controller/solenoid, it's series.

I'll look at a wiring diagram later. You said solenoid always clicks. Wires must be good. The only wires that could be bad, yet allow solenoid to click are the two wires to the ITS. Those must be good if you can control speed while jumpered. That leaves the problem in the high current cables.

Tell us your drive type and we can point you to a wiring diagram.

You said the cart runs normally with your jumper. Forward and reverse. Fast and slow.

Which motor terminal did you connect the jumper to, and what made you decide how to do this scary bypass? Have you studied and understand the wiring diagram? Hard to believe if you don't know whether you have series or SepEx.

DUDE! Buy a lottery ticket!

[yurtle]

Beat me to the punch. Here's a series wiring diagram, with high current cables highlighted.

[yurtle]

OK. Glancing at a diagram briefly, I can see how a bad solenoid may allow this to happen. I still say you're lucky, and could have easily caused smoke and/or sparks.

Operated wrong enough, anything can become a smoke machine.

Gonna eat and wait for answers as to which terminal you attached your jumper. I attached a pic of my motor. Labels are shown. Silver end of motor is outside, not connected to rear end.

EDIT:

Since you ain't afraid to jumper things, try jumpering from one large solenoid post to the other. If it still runs normal, you have your answer. If not, problem must lie in cables, FNR, motor, controller.

[gregaustex]

It is Series drive.

Originally Posted by yurtle

Which motor terminal did you connect the jumper to, and what made you decide how to do this scary bypass? Have you studied and understand the wiring diagram? Hard to believe if you don't know whether you have series or SepEx.

DUDE! Buy a lottery ticket!

I did not study the wiring enough to start trying to jump around different switches and controllers and will not be.

I was just trying to first rule out that the motor was shot. The motor terminals were marked positive and negative on the attached wires (questioning now if that was misleading). The two forward side wires have + symbols. So I applied charge to one of the rear ones (S2). I definitely got this result with S2 and I think I got the same result with A2.

I figured jumping what I assume is a 36V DC motor directly to it's 36V DC power source didn't seem too risky. I actually expected the motor to just spin, not for everything to suddenly start acting like normal and responding to the controls.


Yes, with this connection...

- I have to turn the key to on
- I can make the wheels spin forward or backward by chaanging the direction switch
- The speed the wheels spin varies with pedal pressing

I'm not sure if I'm getting full power and I am not sure putting a 36V source on one of two connections is a good plan for more than a brief test, but that's where I'm at.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by gregaustex

So I applied charge to one of the rear ones (S2). I definitely got this result with S2 and I think I got the same result with A2.

Definitely solenoid. It's possible for them to click - coil - but not function - contacts. Visibly inspect for loose or missing cable, but jumping as noted above will tell you.