Hot A2 wire after motor upgrade

[swbgw]

Since it's after hours for Plum Quick, I wanted to check in with you guys to see what troubleshooting I can do over the weekend.

I have an 03 IQ cart (Villager 4), purchased with batteries that were on their way out and wiring that matched. No issues with driving the cart in stock form, though.

Over the past few days, I installed new batteries and new wires, and the cart picked up a good bit of speed even with the original motor. FWIW the batteries still have less than 10 charging cycles on them.

I've just installed a new Bandit motor, and while there are no driveability issues, the white wire (A2) is getting extremely hot when driving (only at the motor terminal) compared to the other wires. I haven't done any long drives yet, since I expect that it would eventually melt the insulation.

Aside from a loose connection inside the motor, which I consider unlikely, are there other potential reasons that this end of this wire would be hot? Terminals are tight, of course.

[Golf cart guy]

It becomes wire size at that point if everything else you state is correct.

[jjance]

If that wire color is still white it means you didn't change. Did you?

[swbgw]

Originally Posted by jjance

If that wire color is still white it means you didn't change. Did you?

Correct - to clarify, I changed out the wiring connecting the batteries, as well as the red/positive wire from the battery going towards the controller (since the battery end of the wire was damaged).

The rest of the wires look perfect, and according to Plum Quick shouldn't need to be upgraded. I'm not opposed to upgrading the white/green wires to the motor if they might be an issue, but (in case it matters) the green wire isn't getting hot at all.

[jjance]

The next thing to ask would be. How hot does it get? Are you able to grab the wire and hold on and for how many seconds can you hold on to it?

[swbgw]

IR thermometer shows it around 155F after a short (~3/4 mile) drive that ended with a ~10 second run up a hill. The other motor connections, at 75-80F, are just slightly above ambient temps.

No issue holding the wire/insulation a few inches back from the connection, but can't touch the post on the motor.

[mrgolf]

Just change the motor cables. You know to use two wrenches.

[Nsane]

If the other wires were damaged, maybe this one is too? Like internal corrosion or bad terminal? I would run a new wire with new terminals.

[jjance]

155 degrees F isn't that hot. From a discussion a while back it shouldn't exceed 180 degrees. BUT go ahead and change the A1 and A2 wires. You will be better off in the long run. And while your at it change the main battery negative wire and any other original #6 wires. With a Bandit 3.3 HP motor you don't need to change F1 or F2 wires.

[jjance]

I just thought of a very important question. When you said you replaced the cables, did you replace them with larger cables or did you replace them with stock #6 gauge cables? You never did say.