2010 club car short in controller?

grbow · 07-09-2022, 12:11 PM

Had this cart brought to me after it had been worked on, not ideal. The owner said he replaced the batteries and hooked them up wrong and realized it after it wouldn't run so he hooked them up correctly, cart still wouldn't run. His friend determined the OBC was bad, got a new one that wasn't the right one, tried to cut and splice wires to make it work and gave up. Owner then called me. I removed the OBC and wired it for a smart charger following the directions on this forum, that part seems to be working fine. His friend also told him the controller was bad so he ordered on of them. I agreed that it was based on testing so I installed the new controller, when I hooked the battery cables back up the reverse buzzer sounded for a a few seconds and quit, the cart would not move, solenoid not closing, tried jumping the solenoid and got nothing. I removed the solenoid to bench test, reinstalled it and when I went to hook up the battery + cable it arced like a welder, thats with the run/tow switch on tow. If I unplug the 16 pin connector on the controller I can hook up the battery cable. I assume there is a short in the new controller but I need to know what caused it before I try another one. Sorry about the length but wanted the complete history of events. Serial # is AQ1041-137351

Fairtax4me · 07-09-2022, 05:31 PM

You need to check the motor and motor cables for damage and for shorting. A damaged or shorted motor or damaged cables will take out a new controller instantly.

Check cable routing and arrangement to make sure no cable ends are touching each other and none of the cables have damaged insulation. Check cable ends on the motor as well for damage, for any touching or the cable end or copper stranding to the motor case or to other motor studs.
Also check for damage to any of the motor studs, twisting, burning/melting, or if any are loose in the insulator blocks. Loose studs can mean twisted or broken windings inside the motor which can cause the motor to short.

If those check out OK then remove the cables from the motor, or remove them from the controller if it’s easier. Make sure the cart is in Tow with the pack negative disconnected before touching any cables with tools.
With a multimeter set to continuity test:
A1 to A2 should have continuity
F1 to F2 should have continuity
Any A post to any F post there should be NO continuity
Any A or F post to the motor case there should be NO continuity.

If any of these tests fails the motor needs to be removed and inspected/replaced before installing a new controller.

grbow · 07-11-2022, 06:36 PM

Thank you Fairtax! I am gone for a couple days and will check that wed.

grbow · 07-23-2022, 08:49 AM

Finally got back to this cart, motor and wiring are good. When I try to hook up the batteries it arcs like a dead short unless I unplug the 16 pin connection on the controller. I really have no idea where to go from here.

Volt_Ampere · 07-23-2022, 08:55 AM

Sounds like a failed controller.

grbow · 07-23-2022, 09:26 AM

I agree Volt, messing with it this morning and it's not arcing like it was but the resistor on the solenoid get hot real quick when I hook up the batteries. My question now is what fried the controller? I just installed it after removing the OBC and wiring for a smart charger. I really don't want to put in another new one without being sure I won't ruin it

grbow · 08-05-2022, 08:20 PM

Well I guess since no one can tell my why this cart cooks controllers when I hook up the batteries I guess I'll just eat the $700 in controllers,take it back to the owner and recommend he get a gas cart.

Fairtax4me · 08-06-2022, 04:09 PM

Really sounds like the motor is damaged. If the motor is shorted to the case, or either of the F cables are shorted or touching it will ruin any new controller instantly as soon as you put power on it.

This is partly why a lot of people switch to an Alltrax controller since the Alltrax XCT has built in short circuit protection. It will just set a fault code rather than blowing up like the Curtis controller will.

grbow · 08-13-2022, 01:53 PM

The motor passes all the continuity tests and all the wires look good and connections are good

WalterM6 · 08-14-2022, 06:31 PM

Take it back to the owner and recommend he get a qualified tech.

07-09-2022, 12:11 PM	#1
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8	2010 club car short in controller? Had this cart brought to me after it had been worked on, not ideal. The owner said he replaced the batteries and hooked them up wrong and realized it after it wouldn't run so he hooked them up correctly, cart still wouldn't run. His friend determined the OBC was bad, got a new one that wasn't the right one, tried to cut and splice wires to make it work and gave up. Owner then called me. I removed the OBC and wired it for a smart charger following the directions on this forum, that part seems to be working fine. His friend also told him the controller was bad so he ordered on of them. I agreed that it was based on testing so I installed the new controller, when I hooked the battery cables back up the reverse buzzer sounded for a a few seconds and quit, the cart would not move, solenoid not closing, tried jumping the solenoid and got nothing. I removed the solenoid to bench test, reinstalled it and when I went to hook up the battery + cable it arced like a welder, thats with the run/tow switch on tow. If I unplug the 16 pin connector on the controller I can hook up the battery cable. I assume there is a short in the new controller but I need to know what caused it before I try another one. Sorry about the length but wanted the complete history of events. Serial # is AQ1041-137351
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8

07-09-2022, 05:31 PM	#2
Fairtax4me Bonafide Nincompoop Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Charlottesburg Va Posts: 8,987	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? You need to check the motor and motor cables for damage and for shorting. A damaged or shorted motor or damaged cables will take out a new controller instantly. Check cable routing and arrangement to make sure no cable ends are touching each other and none of the cables have damaged insulation. Check cable ends on the motor as well for damage, for any touching or the cable end or copper stranding to the motor case or to other motor studs. Also check for damage to any of the motor studs, twisting, burning/melting, or if any are loose in the insulator blocks. Loose studs can mean twisted or broken windings inside the motor which can cause the motor to short. If those check out OK then remove the cables from the motor, or remove them from the controller if it’s easier. Make sure the cart is in Tow with the pack negative disconnected before touching any cables with tools. With a multimeter set to continuity test: A1 to A2 should have continuity F1 to F2 should have continuity Any A post to any F post there should be NO continuity Any A or F post to the motor case there should be NO continuity. If any of these tests fails the motor needs to be removed and inspected/replaced before installing a new controller.

07-11-2022, 06:36 PM	#3
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? Thank you Fairtax! I am gone for a couple days and will check that wed.
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8

07-23-2022, 08:49 AM	#4
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? Finally got back to this cart, motor and wiring are good. When I try to hook up the batteries it arcs like a dead short unless I unplug the 16 pin connection on the controller. I really have no idea where to go from here.
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8

07-23-2022, 08:55 AM	#5
Volt_Ampere Gone Wild Join Date: May 2012 Location: Rio Verde, Az Posts: 7,171	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? Sounds like a failed controller.

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07-23-2022, 09:26 AM	#6
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? I agree Volt, messing with it this morning and it's not arcing like it was but the resistor on the solenoid get hot real quick when I hook up the batteries. My question now is what fried the controller? I just installed it after removing the OBC and wiring for a smart charger. I really don't want to put in another new one without being sure I won't ruin it
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8

08-05-2022, 08:20 PM	#7
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? Well I guess since no one can tell my why this cart cooks controllers when I hook up the batteries I guess I'll just eat the $700 in controllers,take it back to the owner and recommend he get a gas cart.
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8

08-06-2022, 04:09 PM	#8
Fairtax4me Bonafide Nincompoop Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Charlottesburg Va Posts: 8,987	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? Really sounds like the motor is damaged. If the motor is shorted to the case, or either of the F cables are shorted or touching it will ruin any new controller instantly as soon as you put power on it. This is partly why a lot of people switch to an Alltrax controller since the Alltrax XCT has built in short circuit protection. It will just set a fault code rather than blowing up like the Curtis controller will.

08-13-2022, 01:53 PM	#9
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? The motor passes all the continuity tests and all the wires look good and connections are good
grbow Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 8

08-14-2022, 06:31 PM	#10
WalterM6 Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: SE TN Posts: 2,226	Re: 2010 club car short in controller? Take it back to the owner and recommend he get a qualified tech.

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