Smoking Control Box

[89redgt]

Hey Everyone!!!
I just picked up a 95 EZGO TXT series Drive. It’s got 23 inch tires and currently is not moving.
I was told by the previous owner that it had been sitting for a couple years and the batteries were dead and subsequently replaced with new batteries.
With the new batteries he says he got a couple short rides before the box under the solenoid started smoking.
It was taken to a repair shop where he was told that it needs a new control box, drive motor and a new wiring harness for the accessories. They said that a frayed wire was the reason that the control module burned up however, I didn’t find any frayed/burnt wires.
When I got it home I did notice that it has a horn, 12volt plug, running lights and headlights sloppily wired directly to the battery without any fuses, using the 2nd position of the ignition as the the switch
Assuming the module is bad, can a bad module kill the motor????
When I pushed on the pedal with ignition on I can hear the solenoid clicking and that’s it.
Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated as I’m totally new to the golf cart world and cant wait to get this thing humming again

[yurtle]

Welcome. Those 23" tires are brutal on a stock cart. Not just controller, but FNR and solenoid. First things first. Remove the cover from the FNR and see if any of the four studs look to be discolored from overheating. Second, treat new batteries right, or they won't last long. Naturally you can't run it, yet, but you can keep 'em fully charged.

https://www.cartsunlimited.net/battery-break-in-.html

Are you sure where the smoke was coming from? Did someone see it? I'm jumping around here a little. Let's assume controller is shot, did it take out the motor? Unlikely it dying did, but driving with those tires might have. Jack it up on jack stands and disconnect cables to the motor. Be sure and use two wrenches, as you have to hold back on the bottom nut. Temporarily connect one the the rotor and one of the stator studs with a cable. since this is a fast test you can use wire. Now connect the remaining two studs to 12 or 18 volts. Be careful not to arc to the soft lead battery terminals. I'd just use jumper cables. It either runs or it doesn't.

Now, you'll need to decide whether you want to upgrade your controller, FNR, solenoid, cables, OR go back to stock tires.

Here's some "light" reading on all that's involved in upgrades.

https://www.cartsunlimited.net/upgrade-suggestions.html

Welcome ot the madness.

[scottyb]

Thanks for linking my website for this member. There is a lot of helpful information about owning, operating, and modifying electric golf carts there.

[89redgt]

Thanks for the reply.
my FNR looks good and not charred.
im not sure where the smoke was coming from, this is just what the PO told me and the control box it self looks good from the outside, though I understand that a little circuit board inside could be cooked..
I don't quite follow you on how to jump the motor.. of the 4 wires coming off it which one is the rotor and which one is the stator?
thanks

[yurtle]

They are called different things, but the rotor rotates, and the stator is stationary. That's how I learned them. They are armature and field, sometimes labelled A1 and A2, F1 and F2. I never pay attention to that. I attached a pic, so you can see the label. Here, they chose top use Armature and Stator. Don't ask me why.

The two studs closest to the outside end of the motor are the brushes, and they connect to the armature or rotor via the commutator. The two closest to the rear-end are the stator.

Connect any one of the rotor studs via cable or wire 12 AWG min. to any one of the stator. I'd just use car jumper cables connected to the other two. Connect one end to the battery pack negative. This has a black cable coming from the charger port. Now follow that battery from negative to positive, and you'll find a cable connected to the next battery's negative. The positive of this battery will give you 12 volts. Try and touch the metal cable end, and not the battery terminal. Hopefully it will start spinning. Like I said, if it goes it's good, so no need to let it spin more than a second or two.

[89redgt]

Awesome! thanks for that.

[bronsonj]

Originally Posted by 89redgt

he says he got a couple short rides before the box under the solenoid started smoking.

It was taken to a repair shop where he was told that it needs a new control box, drive motor and a new wiring harness for the accessories. They said that a frayed wire was the reason that the control module burned up however, I didn’t find any frayed/burnt wires.

I've heard of more than one issue with the local cart repair shop. So unless you know and trust them then I'd start over. You said he replaced the batteries with new. Do you know how old they are and are they holding a charge well and what voltage are each of them? If they are 6V then you should have 6.37V at 100% and don't go below 6.05V. If you are getting the solenoid click that's a good start. Give it a good look over to see if you can see or smell anything that was exceedingly hot.

If it were mine I'd give it a good look over and seeing what your pack V is several hours after the charger was disconnected.

[89redgt]

Originally Posted by bronsonj

I've heard of more than one issue with the local cart repair shop. So unless you know and trust them then I'd start over. You said he replaced the batteries with new. Do you know how old they are and are they holding a charge well and what voltage are each of them? If they are 6V then you should have 6.37V at 100% and don't go below 6.05V. If you are getting the solenoid click that's a good start. Give it a good look over to see if you can see or smell anything that was exceedingly hot.

If it were mine I'd give it a good look over and seeing what your pack V is several hours after the charger was disconnected.

they are all at 6.3v and the batteries are new as of 4/17/19, i have the receipt

[89redgt]

Originally Posted by yurtle

Connect any one of the rotor studs via cable or wire 12 AWG min. to any one of the stator. I'd just use car jumper cables connected to the other two. Connect one end to the battery pack negative. This has a black cable coming from the charger port. Now follow that battery from negative to positive, and you'll find a cable connected to the next battery's negative. The positive of this battery will give you 12 volts. Try and touch the metal cable end, and not the battery terminal. Hopefully it will start spinning. Like I said, if it goes it's good, so no need to let it spin more than a second or two.

Just had a thought, do I need to disconnect the existing 4 cables to do this test or can I leave them in place?

[89redgt]

Scratch that thought.. Didn’t think that thru.