My EZGO has died and not sure why

[dahur]

Maybe someone could kindly tell if I screwed something up or it's just coincidence, and what a fix might be.

I have a 2003 PDS EZGO that I've had for 9 years.
The only problem I've ever had was 4 or 5 years ago, it would go a few feet then stop. I replaced the dash Forward/Reverse switch and that fixed it.

Two weeks ago it started doing the same thing for 3 or 4 tries, then it worked just fine for the next two weeks until today. I suspected the same so I had pre-ordered a new switch.

Here's where I think I may have done something:

Two days ago I noticed some corrosion on one of the posts. I put the controller switch on tow. It was still on the DPI charger. I took the nut off, cleaned the post, and put a new nut on. When I put the controller switch back it made a light clunk that I don't recall hearing before. The DPI charger bottom three red lights were blinking, so I figured I had interrupted the float cycle. So I took the cart out for a 3 or 4 mile drive around the neighborhood. All is normal. I got back and put it on the charger. Before I went to bed, I checked and the dash volt meter said 38.1. Hmmm why did it quit the float cycle, it's never done that before. The DPI charge light was lit green "charged". The "charging" wasn't lit. This morning I got up and the voltage said 38.0. The DPI charger had the bottom three red lights blinking.

I decided to take it out for another drive then back on the charger.

It backed out just fine to the end of the drive, then died. I had the new switch so I installed it. No dice. Out of the 18 or 20 times I've tried to go, twice it lunged forward then just quit.

Does anyone think I have a fried controller..? When I hit the floor pedal the voltage drops a bit, if that means anything.

The batteries are 6 years old, I've taken great care of them, and appear to be healthy.

Thanks much for any suggestions.

[JohnnieB]

Not sure here Alamogordo is located in New Mexico, but battery life expectancy is only 3.5 to 4.0 years that area (see Map), so your batteries might be getting close to needing to be replaced, but maybe not if they have been float charged when not in use since new.

Sounds like you have a DPI Accusense Gen-III charger. If so, the bottom three LEDs flashing means excessively discharged batteries, or for some other reason the on-charge voltage didn't climb high enough to advance to the Bulk Charge phase within 5 hours.

What is the pack voltage while on float charge? (About 39.4V for Mode-2 is typical, other modes are higher)

Has the motor been serviced since it was installed 2003? (Brushes)

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Controller checks:

Connect DVM between controller's B- and M- (labeled A1 PDS controller) terminals.
Press pedal just far enough to make solenoid click and you should get full battery pack voltage.

If you don't, check motor brushes.

If you do, press pedal slowly to floor and voltage should smoothly decrease to 0V.

If that happens, measure voltage between controller's F1 & F2 terminals with pedal on floor. Should be 2.7V +/- 0.5V.


If the voltage between B- and M- does not decrease to 0V with pedal on floor, check the throttle.